Estates Groundsperson in Warwick

Due to a re-organisation of the Estates Department, there is a vacancy for a Maintenance Assistant/Grounds Person. The role is 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday, with opportunities for overtime and weekend working. Start and finishing times are 8.00 am to 4.00 pm. The SWFTCS Estates Department provides a comprehensive maintenance repair and installation service of buildings, grounds, engineering services, and associated equipment throughout the SWFT Trust.

Main duties of the job:

• Maintain and improve outdoor spaces, ensuring grounds, gardens, and external areas are safe, clean, and well-presented.
• Undertake the safe movement and relocation of furniture and equipment across multiple sites, ensuring compliance with manual handling regulations, health and safety standards, and company policies, with minimal supervision.
• Work autonomously as an Estates Maintenance Assistant, providing support to the Multi-skilled Supervisor in responding to Planned Preventive Maintenance and reactive/emergency calls.
• Support in the process of diagnosing faults and adapt to respond to frequent interruptions and unplanned maintenance issues.

Working for our organisation, SWFT Clinical Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of the South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT). The company provides a number of services such as outpatient pharmacy facilities at various hospitals; estates and facilities management; private patient service and consultancy services to NHS Trusts.

Subject to the Company and individual’s performance, an annual discretionary bonus will be awarded. There is automatic enrolment to the Company pension scheme, with the Company contributing 5%. A benefits package is available to the appointed candidate upon successful completion of the six-month probationary period, including access to a car lease scheme, Home & Electronics scheme, discounted leisure and travel, retail discounts, and a cycle to work scheme. There is also access to a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme to support colleagues with mental well-being.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities:

• Grounds Maintenance: Maintain lawns, planting areas, and external environments; mowing, strimming, hedge cutting, pruning, and weeding; seasonal tasks including leaf clearance, planting, and gritting.
• Furniture Removal & Relocation: Undertake the safe movement, relocation, and installation of furniture, equipment, and estate assets across multiple sites; assist with office moves, departmental relocations, and room setups; carry out clearance and disposal of unwanted furniture and equipment in accordance with waste and environmental regulations; ensure all manual handling tasks are completed in line with health and safety legislation and Trust policies; conduct basic checks to ensure items are fit for reuse, storage, or disposal.
• Site Support Duties: Assist with general estates tasks across multiple locations; support minor repairs, outdoor upkeep, and site presentation; maintain external furniture, signage, and infrastructure.
• Equipment & Logistics: Operate and maintain tools, machinery, and vehicles safely; load, transport, and unload furniture and materials between sites; ensure safe storage and handling of equipment.
• Health & Safety: Comply with all health and safety procedures, including manual handling regulations; use appropriate PPE at all times; report hazards, incidents, or unsafe working conditions; follow infection control and site-specific protocols where required.

Person specification:

• Qualifications: Good level of basic education; willingness to undertake any training as deemed necessary; previous use of power tools; working at height training; health and safety training.
• Experience: Previous experience in a maintenance environment; experience of working in a hospital environment; experience within an estates or maintenance role; knowledge of procedures for basic testing and repair of estates and maintained equipment.
• Skills: Able to safely operate hand and power tools; able to work on own initiative; good organisational skills – able to prioritise and work to deadlines.
• Personal Qualities: Pleasant and professional manner; conscientious and reliable; able to use fine tools and electronic equipment; ability to concentrate in predictable and non-predictable situations.
• Other: Full clean driving licence; frequent requirement to exert physical effort for several long periods in shift; frequent exposure to unpleasant conditions; out of hours working.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020, and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.