Head of Maintenance and Compliance in Manchester

About Manchester Life

Manchester Life is the leading residential developer and landlord in Ancoats, managing one of the most distinctive and high-quality built to rent portfolios in the city. We have transformed Ancoats into one of the most vibrant and exciting neighbourhoods in Europe. We have delivered 1500 homes and brought businesses including Pollen, Bruco, Erst, The Jane Eyre, Muay Thai, Can Petit, Indian Affair and Cask. We manage 1073 homes across 5 buildings, representing a portfolio valued at over £250 million and in May 2026 we will add a further 190 homes at Jersey Wharf to our rental portfolio. We have made it our mission to redefine renting in Manchester, by delivering exceptional homes, amenities and services. Our in-house leasing, concierge, housekeeping, and maintenance teams work together to create safe, well-maintained buildings and a strong sense of community for our residents.

Our Culture

At Manchester Life, we operate as one team. We are collaborative, inclusive, and practical in everything we do. Our leaders are visible, approachable, and willing to roll up their sleeves and work alongside their teams. This role is not about hierarchy; it is about ownership, teamwork, and pride in our buildings.

Manchester Life Management Limited (“MLML”) looks after the Manchester Life rental business, operating from our offices on Bengal Street, Ancoats. The team has grown to over 52 employees and will soon be over 65. We operate a 360-degree approach to our service by covering everything from leasing to housekeeping in house.

The Role

We are looking for an experienced Head of Maintenance and Compliance who can drive the business forward as we expand our portfolio and invest in our current buildings to ensure that they continue to offer the highest level of customer experience, safety and compliance. This is a hands-on, front-line leadership role with real accountability. As Head of Maintenance and Compliance, you will take ownership of the safety, statutory compliance, and maintenance of over 1000 homes across 5, soon to be 6 buildings in Ancoats, managing a £250m+ residential portfolio. This is not a desk-based role. You will be boots on the ground, highly visible across the estate, working closely with your on-site teams, contractors, and internal stakeholders, to ensure our buildings are safe, compliant and presented to the highest standards. Reporting directly to the Deputy Chief Operating Officer, you will be the accountable person for building safety and compliance, while also leading and developing our on-site maintenance and housekeeping operations to deliver an excellent resident experience.

Core Functions and Key Responsibilities

• Safety & Compliance
• The Building Safety Act 2022 has placed an even greater emphasis on resident safety and compliance which is at the heart of our business.
• Appointed as the responsible person you will be accountable for ensuring that we deliver the highest possible standards in safety and compliance at all our buildings.
• Lead and deliver operational strategies which must be maintained by thorough and accurate audit and record keeping.
• Be responsive in proposing procedural changes where necessary.
• Manage the process for identifying defects liability maintenance items.
• Liaise with building contractors and project managers to identify latent defects.
• Manage all risk assessed compliance e.g. Fire Risk Assessments and action accordingly.
• Leadership & Performance
• Lead, develop and performance manage a multi-disciplinary on-site maintenance team of circa 15, setting clear standards, priorities, and accountability.
• Schedule tasks and prioritise workloads to ensure that all KPI’s are met in accordance with the PPM schedules and the team operates as efficiently as possible.
• Record and respond to customer complaints.
• Manage the process for rechargeable repairs.
• Reporting directly to the Deputy Chief Operating Officer, you will work alongside the Head of Leasing and the Head of Resident Services to contribute to the financial performance of the business in ensuring the effective turnaround of properties to minimise void losses.
• Provide support and training to all maintenance staff, maintenance admin team and in conjunction with the Head of Resident services, the Concierge team.
• Performance Management of the team.
• Maintenance Operations
• Arrange planned maintenance works, e.g. hard wire testing, keep accurate records and ensure that all remedial work is undertaken.
• Implement and maintain systems and procedures for maintenance work to be issued to site staff and facilitate onsite training where necessary.
• Compile and maintain an asset register of all appliances (including warranties) and equipment.
• Be responsible for undertaking periodic asset audits including a full review of all statutory health and safety compliance, risk assessments and building fabric and asset conditions.
• Provide compliance training for health and safety concerns such as legionella etc.
• Negotiate and implement planned maintenance contracts (PPM scheduling).
• Contribute to the formulation and management of the maintenance budget.
• Input to the MLML procurement policy by identifying contractors and suppliers follow the correct procedure for requesting pre-qualification for the approved contractors list.
• Regularly review our suppliers to establish an approved register of local suppliers and contractors to ensure that all approved contractors meet company standards, permits and insurance qualifications relating to their application.
• Reactive Maintenance
• Creation and management of works orders for repairs, maintenance and improvements.
• Manage the process for major reactive maintenance issues, liaising with contractors and consultants to facilitate efficient and effective repairs.
• Manage the process for latent defects, liaising with building contractors and project managers to undertake repairs.
• Maintain up to date knowledge of legislative changes affecting the business.
• Manage the process for inspecting and recharging tenant damage maintenance repairs.
• Manage day to day maintenance SLA’s and KPI’s.
• Regular site walks to identify areas for deep cleaning, painting, repair etc.
• Project Management
• Assist in formulating a plan for cyclical maintenance projects.
• Undertake costings for refurbishments and upgrades of the buildings.
• Management of insurance repair work, liaising with loss adjusters, contractors, and consultants.
• Act as the appointed Health and Safety officer.

Key Competencies skills and experience

This role will suit someone who thrives in high-accountability environments, is comfortable making decisions and takes personal pride in safe, well-run buildings. An experienced manager with significant experience in managing a team to achieve team and company targets. Qualification in residential property management, MTPI, or equivalent. Qualification in Health and safety NEBOSH. A high level of knowledge and understanding of the Build to rent sector, new build construction, health and safety legislation and residential property compliance and the Building Safety Act 2022. Ability to work well under pressure. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Positive and flexible attitude. Discreet and trustworthy. Responsive problem solver.

Hours – Standard office hours are Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, however when required we would expect you to receive calls outside of working hours for emergencies etc and take immediate action.