Facilities & Maintenance Lead in Southampton

Location: Multiple site round Southampton

Hours: Monday- Friday 08:30-16:30, Permanent full time.

Job Purpose

The Facilities & Maintenance Lead will be responsible for ensuring that all organisational sites are safe, well maintained, clean, functional and fit for purpose.

This is a hands-on role, responsible for carrying out day-to-day maintenance, repairs and general DIY across multiple sites, as well as coordinating external contractors and specialist services where required.

The role will include a broad range of practical maintenance activities, including painting and decorating, minor repairs, basic plumbing and general building maintenance. The post holder will also coordinate planned and reactive maintenance, monitor contractors and ensure that works are completed safely, efficiently and to an appropriate standard.

The Facilities & Maintenance Lead will support the organisation's health and safety arrangements by undertaking basic workplace inspections, identifying hazards, maintaining appropriate records and liaising with external health and safety consultants on more specialist matters.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

Facilities & Maintenance

• Manage the day-to-day maintenance and facilities requirements across multiple sites.
• Carry out practical maintenance and general DIY, including painting, decorating, minor repairs and basic plumbing.
• Undertake routine checks of buildings, fixtures, fittings, equipment and external areas, identifying and addressing maintenance issues.
• Respond to day-to-day maintenance requests and prioritise works according to urgency, safety and operational need.
• Carry out minor repairs and maintenance where it is safe and appropriate to do so, escalating specialist or higher-risk work to suitably qualified contractors.
• Assist with moving, assembling, installing and maintaining furniture, fixtures and equipment.
• Maintain sites to a safe, presentable and functional standard.
• Help identify opportunities to improve buildings, facilities and working environments.

Contractors & External Services

• Coordinate external contractors and service providers for planned, reactive and specialist maintenance.
• Obtain quotations where required and support the selection of appropriate contractors, ensuring value for money.
• Arrange access to sites and coordinate works to minimise disruption to staff, service users and day-to-day operations.
• Monitor contractor performance and ensure works are completed to an appropriate standard.
• Ensure contractors provide appropriate documentation, qualifications, certificates and risk assessments where required.
• Liaise with specialist contractors for areas such as electrical, gas, fire systems, lifts, alarms and other statutory servicing.

Health & Safety

• Support the organisation in maintaining a safe working environment across all sites.
• Undertake regular basic health and safety inspections and identify hazards, defects and areas requiring attention.
• Record maintenance and safety issues and ensure that actions are followed up and completed.
• Assist with maintaining appropriate health and safety records and documentation.
• Liaise with the organisation's external Health & Safety Consultant and support the implementation of recommendations arising from inspections, audits and risk assessments.
• Support the completion and review of basic risk assessments where appropriate.
• Ensure maintenance activities and contractor works are undertaken safely and in accordance with relevant procedures.
• Escalate significant health and safety concerns promptly to senior management and/or the external Health & Safety Consultant.
• Support fire safety arrangements, including ensuring that required checks, servicing and remedial actions are completed.

Planned & Reactive Maintenance

• Coordinate and maintain a programme of planned preventative maintenance.
• Respond promptly to reactive maintenance issues and emergencies.
• Maintain accurate records of servicing, inspections, repairs and statutory maintenance.
• Monitor outstanding maintenance issues and ensure they are progressed to completion.
• Help develop preventative maintenance routines to reduce breakdowns and avoid unnecessary costs.

Projects & Improvements

• Support and, where appropriate, lead on small refurbishment and improvement projects.
• Undertake practical elements of smaller projects where this is within the post holder's skills and competence.
• Coordinate external contractors for larger or specialist works.
• Assist with obtaining quotations, planning works, monitoring progress and ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget.
• Ensure appropriate consideration is given to health and safety, access and disruption when planning works.

Budget & Resources

• Support the management of facilities and maintenance budgets.
• Obtain quotations and identify cost-effective solutions to maintenance requirements.
• Monitor expenditure and highlight potential overspends or savings opportunities.
• Ensure appropriate use and control of maintenance materials, tools and equipment.
• Maintain suitable stock levels of basic maintenance materials and supplies.

Communication & Organisation

• Liaise effectively with staff, managers, senior leaders, contractors and external consultants.
• Respond professionally and promptly to facilities and maintenance requests.
• Keep clear records of works undertaken, contractor visits, inspections and outstanding actions.
• Communicate planned maintenance and any disruption to relevant staff in advance wherever possible.
• Promote a culture of care, safety, good housekeeping and continuous improvement across all sites.

Person Specification

• Experience in facilities, maintenance, building maintenance or a similar practical role.
• Strong practical DIY and maintenance skills.
• Experience of painting and decorating and general building maintenance.
• Basic plumbing and ability to undertake minor repairs.
• Ability to identify when work is outside personal competence and requires a suitably qualified contractor.
• Experience coordinating contractors and external service providers.
• Good understanding of workplace health and safety and the ability to identify common hazards.
• Ability to carry out basic inspections and follow up actions.
• Excellent organisational and planning skills.
• Ability to manage competing maintenance priorities and respond to urgent issues.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and use initiative.
• Full UK Driving Licence. (Work van provided by Oaktree Education Services)
• Experience working across multiple sites.
• Previous experience in a facilities, schools, care, charity, commercial or similar environment.
• Basic knowledge of fire safety and statutory compliance requirements.
• Experience working with external Health & Safety Consultants.
• Experience of managing or supporting small refurbishment or improvement projects.
• Basic understanding of electrical, heating, ventilation or other building services.
• Experience managing maintenance budgets and obtaining quotations.
• Level 2 or Level 3 qualification in a relevant trade or facilities/maintenance discipline.
• IOSH Working Safely or IOSH Managing Safely.
• Health & Safety qualification or relevant training.
• Basic plumbing, electrical, decorating or general building maintenance qualifications/training.
• Relevant fire safety training.

Role Profile

This is a practical, hands-on facilities role. The successful candidate will be expected to undertake maintenance and DIY work themselves wherever it is safe, appropriate and within their competence, while also recognising when specialist contractors are required.

The role is not intended to replace specialist Health & Safety or technical professionals. Instead, the Facilities & Maintenance Lead will act as an important day-to-day point of contact, identifying issues, taking practical action, coordinating contractors and working closely with the organisation's external Health & Safety Consultant to maintain safe, compliant and well-managed premises.