Maintenance Operative in Cambridge

Papworth Trust are looking for a Property Maintenance Operative to join their property team. We are seeking someone with multi-trade experience, ideally with a background in reactive maintenance and plumbing. This is a fantastic opportunity to deliver high-quality, customer-focused maintenance services in tenants’ homes while supporting the charity’s mission to empower disabled people to live independently.

This full-time, permanent position is based at our depot in Papworth Everard, Cambridgeshire. While you may begin your day from home for convenience, attendance at the depot is required to restock vans before visiting properties.

Fantastic company benefits include:

• Competitive Salary: £31,975 per annum, standby fee and overtime paid for any callouts
• Holiday: 33 days annual leave including bank holidays (pro rata for part-timers), with option to purchase additional leave
• Pension: Enhanced employer contribution
• Employee extras: company van, phone, uniform, and tools. Health cashback plan, occupational sick pay (after probation), employee assistance helpline, wellbeing apps, mental health first aid support, and ongoing training and development
• Additional perks: Values in Practice reward scheme, cycle-to-work and other tax-saving incentives, and opportunities to contribute to employee forum and colleague experience groups

About the role:

As a Property Maintenance Operative, you will carry out day-to-day repairs and maintenance across properties owned by Papworth Trust. Initially you will be working on our void properties and moving onto reactive work once voids have been completed. You will work as part of a team, but also independently, maintaining your van stock and responding to reactive maintenance requests. You will also participate in an on-call rota for emergency repairs, receiving standby fees and overtime pay for any callouts. Working hours are 37.5 hours per week, Monday – Friday 8:00am – 4:30pm, with 1 in 7 on-call cover.

Key Responsibilities:

• Carry out multi-trade repair and maintenance tasks across properties, including plumbing, carpentry, painting/decorating, tiling, fencing, and general DIY, following best practice, standards, and health & safety procedures.
• Maintain and restock your van to ensure first-time fixes and efficient delivery of services.
• Deliver excellent customer service, safeguarding vulnerable tenants and ensuring high levels of satisfaction.
• Liaise with tenants, contractors, and suppliers, and support capital projects and service improvement initiatives.
• Keep accurate records, submit timesheets, report concerns in line with the Trust’s policies, and participate in the on-call rota for emergency repairs.

About you:

As a Property Maintenance Operative, you will share the Trust’s commitment to equality, inclusion, and safeguarding. You should have multi-trade experience, ideally including plumbing, and be competent in general repairs such as lights, taps, locks, fencing, carpentry, decorating, tiling, basic electrics, and other DIY tasks. You will be able to work independently, manage your workload efficiently, and hold a full driving licence (reasonable adjustments considered). Strong problem-solving, communication, and customer service skills are essential, along with flexibility for emergency callouts as part of the on-call rota. Experience in housing associations, council housing, or similar environments is desirable, but a solid multi-trade background and commitment to high-quality maintenance work are key.

Why Papworth Trust:

Papworth Trust is a leading disability charity dedicated to empowering disabled people to live with equality, choice, and independence. With a vision of a world where disabled people are seen for who they are, the Trust provides vital services that make a meaningful difference every day.

Additional information: The post is subject to a basic DBS check, and candidates must be authorised to work in the UK. If you are passionate about delivering high-quality property services that support independence and inclusion, we would love to hear from you. To apply for the Property Maintenance Operative role, please submit your CV. We look forward to hearing from you.

Please check your email inbox and spam / junk mail folder for any email correspondence for this vacancy. No Recruitment agencies please. Papworth Trust is a Disability Confident employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments such as access or information in an alternative format, please inform us soon as you are able so that we can make the appropriate adjustments.