Chief Engineer in Bishopton

At JA Mar Hall, we are proud to operate within a unique heritage property, combining historic character with a refined luxury guest experience. Following a significant refurbishment of the main hotel building and with continued development ahead, we are seeking an experienced and hands-on Chief Engineer to lead the maintenance and conditioning of the estate. Reporting to the Resort Director, the Chief Engineer is a pivotal leadership role responsible for ensuring the property is maintained to the highest possible standard, balancing the preservation of a heritage building with the expectations of a modern luxury resort aligned to Forbes Travel Guide five-star luxury standards.

You will lead both the Maintenance and Conditioning teams, overseeing reactive and planned works, while also driving a proactive approach to upkeep, presentation, and continuous improvement across all areas of the hotel.

• Engineering and Maintenance Leadership
  • Lead and manage the day-to-day engineering and maintenance operation across the resort.
  • Oversee all reactive and planned maintenance tasks, ensuring timely and effective resolution.
  • Implement a proactive maintenance strategy to protect the integrity and longevity of the property.
  • Ensure all plant, equipment, and building systems are operating efficiently and safely.
  • Act as a visible leader, supporting the team on the ground and ensuring high standards of delivery.
• Heritage Property Management
  • Take responsibility for maintaining and preserving the character and condition of a heritage building.
  • Balance modern operational requirements with the care and protection of original features.
  • Ensure all works carried out are sympathetic to the building’s design and history.
  • Work closely with senior leadership for JA Resorts & Hotels on long term maintenance and capital investment plans.
• Conditioning Team Leadership
  • Lead and coordinate a dedicated Conditioning team responsible for the ongoing presentation of the property.
  • Oversee responsibilities including painting and decoration of walls and ceilings.
  • Manage floor staining and polishing programmes across the estate.
  • Ensure furniture is maintained to a high standard including polishing, spot cleaning, and minor repairs.
  • Oversee window cleaning programmes, including ongoing condition checks.
  • Coordinate upholstery and carpet cleaning, ensuring high standards of cleanliness and upkeep.
  • Manage the care of curtains and blinds, including high level access, in collaboration with Housekeeping where required.
  • Oversee specialist cleaning including high level chandelier cleaning.
  • Ensure the team operates in a multi-skilled capacity, allowing flexibility across tasks and effective scheduling over a seven-day operation.
• Operational Excellence
  • Establish and maintain structured maintenance schedules and task planning.
  • Ensure effective prioritisation of work across reactive and planned maintenance.
  • Maintain clear communication with all departments regarding maintenance activity and progress.
  • Support operational teams to minimise disruption to the guest experience.
• Standards and SOP Development
  • Create, implement, and continuously refine SOPs across engineering and conditioning functions, in line with local requirements and JA Resorts & Hotels group standards.
  • Embed a culture of high standards, accountability, and attention to detail.
  • Ensure consistency in execution across all areas of responsibility.
  • Support the hotel’s journey towards Forbes Travel Guide five-star expectations through presentation and conditioning standards.
• Team Leadership and Development
  • Lead, coach, and develop both Maintenance and Conditioning teams.
  • Build a multi-skilled, flexible workforce capable of supporting a wide range of tasks.
  • Set clear expectations for performance, behaviour, and standards.
  • Support training and development to enhance technical capability and service awareness.
• Health, Safety, and Compliance
  • Ensure full compliance with all health and safety legislation, statutory requirements, and hotel policies.
  • Maintain accurate records of maintenance, safety checks, and compliance documentation.
  • Oversee contractor management, ensuring all external work meets required standards and regulations.
  • Ensure a safe working environment for all team members and contractors.
  • Lead on all fire safety management policies and procedures for the resort, ensuring a well-structured training programme is in place for in person fire safety evacuation training at all levels.
  • Take full ownership of Riskproof compliance platform across the resort, and be an ambassador on educating other managers to demonstrate compliance effectively.
• Commercial Awareness and Planning
  • Manage maintenance budgets, cost control, and procurement of materials and services.
  • Support capital expenditure planning and long term property improvement strategies.
  • Monitor energy usage and implement initiatives to improve efficiency and sustainability.
  • Work closely with senior leadership on planning, forecasting, and operational priorities.
• Collaboration and Guest Experience
  • Work collaboratively with all departments to support a seamless guest experience.
  • Respond to guest maintenance issues promptly and professionally and ensure minimal disruption to guests while works are carried out.
  • Support the overall presentation and functionality of all guest facing and back of house areas.

About You

• Proven experience as a Chief Engineer or senior engineering leader / head of maintenance / maintenance manager within a hotel, resort, or similar environment.
• Strong technical knowledge across building systems, maintenance, and facilities management.
• Experience working within a heritage or complex property is highly desirable.
• A hands-on leader with a proactive and solution focused approach.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• Experience managing both reactive and planned maintenance programmes.
• Knowledge of health and safety legislation and compliance requirements.
• Commercial awareness with experience managing budgets and projects.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.

Personal Attributes

• A detail focused leader with pride in maintaining exceptionally high standards.
• Calm, practical, and solutions driven under pressure.
• Professional and aligned with a luxury environment.
• Collaborative in approach with strong cross functional relationships.
• Adaptable and flexible within a dynamic and evolving property.
• Committed to continuous improvement and development.

What Success Looks Like

• A well maintained, safe, and fully operational property at all times.
• A heritage building preserved and presented to a high standard.
• A proactive maintenance culture with minimal reactive disruption.
• A highly effective, multi-skilled engineering and conditioning team.
• Strong compliance with all health, safety, and statutory requirements.
• A visible contribution to the overall guest experience and luxury positioning of the resort.

Why Join Us

• Competitive salary plus tronc, paid via an independent tronc system, meaning your monthly earnings are topped up through service charge.
• Free luxury leisure club membership.
• Discounted membership for friends and family.
• 50% discount on spa treatments.
• Golf day discounts for you, friends, and family.
• 50% discount on food for you + 3 guests, and 25% off beverages.
• Discounts on overnight stays for JA Mar Hall and our sister properties.
• Friends and family hotel rates.
• Access to Wisdom, our confidential well-being support programme.
• Access to exclusive £100 room rates across the PoB hotels collection.
• Free on-site parking.
• Uniform provided (role dependent).
• Recommend-a-Friend bonus scheme.