R2R103888 - 105718 - Museum and Exhibition Maintenance Manager in Southend-on-Sea

Your New Organisation

Southend on Sea City Council is a Unitary local authority, providing vital services to meet the needs of the local community. We employ around 1,800 staff who are working alongside our partners and local communities to deliver the city vision and make lives better for the people of Southend. Working for Southend on Sea City Council offers a challenging and rewarding career in local government within a collaborative and innovative environment, with the benefit of flexible working practices to support a positive work life balance.

Your new role

Southend Museums are looking to appoint a full-time, permanent Museum and Exhibition Maintenance Manager. The service comprises four sites; Beecroft Art Gallery, incorporating the city’s new Collections Centre, Grade II listed Central Museum and our two stunning Grade I listed properties Prittlewell Priory, a former Cluniac monastery and Southchurch Hall, a timber-framed medieval manor house. This is an exciting time to join the museums team as we advance the development of our new Collections Centre and provision of a vibrant exhibitions and events programme across our sites, alongside the continuing care of our heritage buildings.

The Museum and Exhibition Maintenance Manager is an essential role in the efficient operational running of our sites, with responsibility for security, health and safety and maintenance. The role will involve contracts management and overseeing the repairs and maintenance programmes for the museums service. Working with appropriate colleagues across the service, the Museum and Exhibition Maintenance Manager will also be responsible for building and maintaining high-quality exhibitions and displays.

The successful applicant will need to have an up-to-date knowledge of health and safety legislation, as well as experience in maintenance and repair with a good standard of carpentry and wood working skills. Supporting the operations, events and collections teams, you will be a confident communicator with experience of developing specifications and liaising with contractors to ensure regular maintenance tasks and projects are completed to a high standard and with experience in site management, inspection, and quality control. You will be capable of effectively managing multiple projects whilst maintaining accurate health and safety records and risk assessments. A clean driver’s license and use of a car is essential and there may be times that you will also be required to drive a council van.

What you'll need to succeed

To be successful in this role, it is vital that you have experience and solid understanding of building maintenance, ideally within a heritage or listed buildings environment. Experience of managing contractors, developing specifications, and overseeing works on site will be important, as will your knowledge of health and safety legislation and compliance requirements. You will be highly organised, able to prioritise workloads, and maintain accurate records, with strong communication skills to liaise effectively with colleagues, contractors, and stakeholders. A collaborative approach is essential, as you will work across a multidisciplinary team to deliver high-quality outcomes. A relevant technical or building services qualification, or equivalent experience, will be highly desirable. You will also need to be a practical problem solver with a flexible and positive approach, able to respond to changing demands. Due to the nature of the role, a full UK driving licence is required, as you will travel between sites and occasionally assist with transporting equipment. Your application will not be progressed if you do not have basic carpentry skills.

What you'll get in return

When joining the council, you can enjoy a range of benefits including: 25 days annual leave, flexible working and excellent training and development opportunities. They are committed to ensuring that you are supported in this varied and challenging role with the appropriate level of training. A full list of benefits provided by Southend Council can be viewed on the "Why Work For Us?" tab.

What you need to do now

If you are interested in this role, please click 'apply online' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV. Please note: Applications for this vacancy may close prior to the date advertised above so you are advised to apply as soon as you are able to. The Council is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications, regardless of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, age or religion or belief.