Hiring: Maintenance Operative / Facilities Operative in Brighton

37.5 hours per week / £28,330 per annum / permanent / working Monday - Friday 9am-5pm.
As a Maintenance Operative, your primary work based will be Hove with regular travel and work required across Brighton and Hove to any of our YMCA DLG sites, with demand varying throughout the year. A full UK driving licence is therefore essential, and a vehicle will be provided.
YMCA DownsLink Group is the leading charity for children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. We offer safe homes, mental health support and trusted advice.
We believe that every child and young person has the right to be safe, heard and to shape their own future. We are here for children and young people, many of whom face multiple challenges and need our support.
Do you take pride in creating safe, welcoming homes that make a real difference in young people’s lives?
Our Maintenance team works across multiple properties to ensure our residents have safe, good‑quality homes. We work closely with service staff to identify and complete repairs, carry out ad hoc cleaning and decoration, ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, and prepare empty homes for new residents.
This role will operate across Brighton & Hove, centred around 2 sites in Hove which provide 24‑hour supported housing for young people aged 16–25. Locally we also manage several larger shared houses (typically 4–8 residents) through our Transitional Housing teams, supporting young people on their journey to independence. In total, the team helps maintain safe homes for approximately 100 residents across the city.
As a Maintenance Operative covering sites across Brighton & Hove, you will take on a hands‑on role combining practical maintenance tasks with caretaking responsibilities. You will help create and maintain safe, welcoming, and psychologically informed accommodation for the people we support. You will be working closely with housing staff throughout the services.
Provide a comprehensive maintenance, caretaking, and cleaning service to ensure safe, welcoming, and psychologically informed accommodation.
Carry out day‑to‑day maintenance across our sites, with occasional support to other housing schemes.
Complete maintenance, cleaning, repair, and redecoration works within agreed timescales, delegating tasks where appropriate.
Perform or delegate general caretaking and cleaning duties, including cleaning communal areas, litter‑picking, and waste removal.
We’re looking for a someone with a positive, flexible attitude and a genuine desire to contribute to young people’s wellbeing.
Strong maintenance experience across a range of trade or repair tasks, including delivering high‑quality maintenance and decorating work
Experience working in supported housing, residential, or community‑based settings
Commitment to maintaining high standards of safety, quality, and resident wellbeing
Qualifications and Training (Desirable)
City & Guilds or equivalent qualification in one or more maintenance skill areas
Manual handling training
Training in handling bodily fluids
Boundaries training
First Aid training
CLOSING DATE: Sunday 8 November 2026 at midnight. Please note that we are unable to offer a work permit or visa sponsorship for this role; An inclusive workplace We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment.
YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns.
This includes an Enhanced DBS check (with Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists) as well as comprehensive reference and activity checks.