Facilities Manager & Handyperson

• Carry out routine repairs and improvements across all sites such as carpentry, minor plumbing, painting and decorating, and fixing doors, floors, frames, shelving and fittings, etc
• Maintain external areas and structures, such as treating and oiling outdoor woodwork, sheds and fencing
• repairing canopies
• and clearing gutters and roof drainage, etc
• Respond promptly to requests logged by nursery managers, prioritising anything that is a health-and-safety issue
• Respond to out-of-hours and emergency call-outs, and carry out work that cannot be done safely while children are present (evenings, weekends or school holidays as needed)
• Triage incoming jobs and decide what can be done in-house versus what needs a specialist
• Scope larger and capital works
• obtain and compare multiple quotes
• and make clear recommendations to the Directors
• Appoint, brief, supervise and sign off specialist contractors such as — commercial kitchen extraction and ventilation, air conditioning (F-gas), roofing, glazing, electrical, plumbing and general builders, etc
• Plan and sequence disruptive works around nursery opening hours, using school-holiday windows or weekends wherever possible
• Keep projects on time and on budget, and keep the Directors updated on progress
• Ensure all regulated work is carried out by suitably certified trades (Gas Safe, NICEIC / Part P, F-gas, working at height, etc) — never self-performed
• Coordinate statutory and landlord processes: planning permission, Building Control, Licences to Alter, and Fire Risk Assessment actions
• Help keep premises compliant for Ofsted and health-and-safety requirements, and maintain records, certificates and warranties
• Own and keep up to date the maintenance tracking system (currently Trello) across all sites
• Create and maintain a planned (preventive) maintenance programme across all five sites, scheduling recurring checks and servicing so problems are caught early
• Track spend against budget and flag variances early
• Build good working relationships with nursery managers, the existing part-time facilities colleague, contractors, landlords and the Directors
• Work within a small facilities team which consists of this role and one other part-time person
• Take primary responsibility for quotes, procurement, contractor oversight and project management, and coordinate and support colleagues so that a hands-on colleague can concentrate on practical work
• Get the best value from in-house time — deciding what the team handles directly and what is better sent to a specialist

• Proven hands-on maintenance / trades background with a broad practical skill set
• Experience managing building or refurbishment projects: scoping, quoting, and appointing and supervising contractors
• Basic knowledge of plumbing, carpentry and decorating
• Sound working understanding of building compliance — Building Regulations, planning, and fire-safety basics
• Highly organised and self-managing
• able to run several sites and priorities independently
• Good communicator and record-keeper
• comfortable with simple digital tools (e.g. Trello, email, spreadsheets)
• Full UK driving licence
• Enhanced DBS check (or willingness to obtain one) and an awareness of safeguarding in a childcare setting

25 days + bank holidays