Estate Caretaking Manager in London

Lead a Service That Makes a Visible Difference to Residents Every Day

About the role

Hillingdon Council is seeking an Estate Caretaking Manager to lead the delivery of our borough-wide caretaking service.

This is a key role responsible for ensuring our estates, communal areas and residential blocks are maintained to the highest standards, providing residents with safe, welcoming and attractive environments.

You will lead a dedicated team of supervisors and caretakers, driving performance, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and embedding a culture that puts residents first.

As Estate Caretaking Manager, you will have overall responsibility for the operational delivery of caretaking services across the borough, ensuring communal areas are clean, safe and well maintained in line with the Regulator of Social Housing's Estate Management Standard.

You will oversee estate inspections, cleaning programmes, waste management activities and fire safety-related environmental issues, while ensuring teams operate safely, efficiently and with a strong focus on customer service.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the borough-wide caretaking service across estates, communal areas and residential blocks.
• Manage supervisors and caretaking teams to deliver consistently high standards of cleanliness and estate presentation.
• Ensure routine cleaning, litter removal, sweeping and environmental maintenance activities are delivered effectively.
• Oversee the prompt removal of bulky waste and items presenting potential fire hazards.
• Conduct and monitor estate inspections, ensuring hazards, defects and environmental issues are identified, recorded and resolved.
• Work closely with Housing Management, Repairs, Waste Services, Compliance and Fire Safety teams to address estate issues and improve resident outcomes.
• Respond effectively to resident enquiries, complaints, Members' Enquiries and service requests.
• Monitor service performance and implement improvements to drive customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
• Manage contractor performance and ensure value for money from commissioned services.
• Support tenancy enforcement activities relating to environmental and estate management issues.
• Lead on health and safety compliance across the service, including risk assessments, COSHH management, safe systems of work and accident investigations.

About You

• Experience managing estate services, caretaking, facilities management, environmental services, housing operations or a similar customer-focused operational service.
• Proven experience leading and developing frontline teams.
• Strong knowledge of health and safety legislation, risk management and safe working practices.
• Experience managing service performance, quality standards and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience investigating and resolving complex service issues and complaints.
• The ability to build positive working relationships with residents, contractors and internal teams.
• Strong organisational and decision-making skills.
• Experience managing budgets, resources and contractor performance.
• A commitment to delivering excellent customer service and putting residents first.

Knowledge of housing management, estate management standards, fire safety responsibilities, regulatory compliance or social housing environments would be advantageous.

Why Join Hillingdon

At Hillingdon, we’re committed to creating places where residents feel safe, proud and connected to their communities.

This role offers the opportunity to lead a highly visible frontline service that directly impacts residents' day-to-day lives.

You’ll play a key role in ensuring our estates remain safe, attractive and compliant while driving improvements that enhance the resident experience.

Benefits

• A rewarding leadership role with significant operational responsibility.
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression.
• A supportive and collaborative working environment.
• Flexible working arrangements where service requirements allow.
• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Access to a range of employee wellbeing and benefits programmes.
• Flexible Working Hours – We recognise the importance of flexibility in managing your work and personal life.
• 36 Hour Week – Enjoy a standard 36‑hour workweek for all full time staff.
• Generous Holiday Entitlement – increasing with length of service (for non‑casual roles).
• Hillingdon Sports & Leisure – Stay active and healthy with discounts at council owned leisure centres and swimming pools across the borough.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes – option to join schemes for cycle purchase, electric vehicle leasing and additional voluntary pension contributions (subject to scheme rules).
• Cycle to Work – Eco‑friendly commuting with our cycle purchase scheme. We also provide bicycle parking, lockers, and showers at the Civic Centre.
• Local Government Pension Scheme – access to Local Government Pension Scheme and membership to the Credit Union.
• Perkbox Benefits – Access a variety of offers and discounts through our Perkbox Benefits.
• Mental Health Support and Counselling Services – Our mental health first aiders are trained to identify, understand, and help employees experiencing mental health issues.

Access free 24‑hour confidential advice and counselling as well as a legal advice service for you and your immediate family.

• Travel Support – Make your daily commute easier with our season ticket loans and free car parking.
• Trade Union Membership – The Council recognises UNISON, Unite, AEP and GMB and supports employees’ freedom of choice in relation to trade union membership.
• Join Us

We value our employees and are committed to ensuring that they enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding career with us.

We understand that a happy and motivated workforce is essential for the success of our organisation.

That is why we offer a wide range of employee benefits to enhance your work‑life balance, financial wellbeing, health, and professional development.

Join Hillingdon Council and help us create cleaner, safer and better‑managed estates that residents can be proud to call home.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At the London Borough of Hillingdon, we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace.

This commitment means that all employees, job applicants and others who work for us will be treated fairly.

The aim is for our workforce to be representative of all sections of society and Hillingdon residents so we welcome applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds.

We strive to ensure that our recruitment process is free from discrimination and bias, and we are dedicated to providing reasonable adjustments to applicants with disabilities.

Join us in building a workplace where everyone feels respected, able to give their best and be themselves at work, whilst contributing meaningfully to our organisation's success.

Recruitment Information

Hillingdon Council operates a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities that meet the essential criteria for the role and wish to be considered under this scheme.

We believe in the option to choose, so candidates declaring a disability have the choice to opt in for consideration under this scheme, on a ‘per application’ basis.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable groups and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Some posts are subject to The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2019 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

In addition to verifying Right to Work in the UK and a new starter health questionnaire, the post is subject to the following pre‑employment screening:

• Qualifications Check
• 2 years of Referencing

Please note: Priority will be given to those at risk of redundancy within Hillingdon Council.

Current employees who are part of the redeployment pool must meet the essential criteria for shortlisting to be prioritised.

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