Estate Manager

All In Toto Ed sites: Blackheath (Number 1, Number 5 and St Agnes House), Fordham, Cambridgeshire (six buildings) and Peterborough (Fenlake House and the construction workshop). Based at the Blackheath head office, with regular travel to each site and some home working by agreement

Reports to

Group Director of Safeguarding and Student Welfare (line management). Day-to-day direction and technical supervision from the fractional Head of Estates (Brown Consult)

Responsible for

Site Operatives at London Blackheath, Fordham and Peterborough and London Blackheath School Maintenance and Caretaker

Salary

£48,000- £50,000 per annum + 25 days’ annual leave per annum, in addition to recognised public and bank holidays.

Hours

Monday to Friday, 08:30 – 16:30, term time only plus 5 INSET days

Contract - Permanent, Full time

Start date - As soon as possible

Safeguarding

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and is subject to an Enhanced DBS check with children's barred list check, satisfactory references and full pre-employment safer recruitment checks.

Travel

Mileage paid at 55p a mile for travel between sites (car allowance to be confirmed). A full driving licence and use of a car are needed

Purpose of the role

In Toto Ed runs independent special schools across three sites in London, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. The Estates Manager is responsible for keeping every building safe, compliant, secure and in good working order, so that pupils and staff can get on with learning without the buildings getting in the way.

• Run the estates function day to day across all three sites, as the first point of contact for each head of school on premises matters.
• Manage statutory compliance at every site, using iAM Compliant as the system of record, so In Toto Ed can show its compliance position at any time, including at inspection.
• Line manage the site operatives, set the standard of work and check it is met.
• Manage contractors, planned maintenance, reactive repairs and minor works within agreed budgets.
• Work with the fractional Head of Estates, who directs the estates programme and advises In Toto Ed on health and safety.

Responsibilities

Compliance and iAM Compliant

• Run iAM Compliant for every site and building: keep sites, buildings, rooms, assets and contractors accurate, and make sure in-house checks and contractor visits are scheduled so they are raised ahead of their due dates.
• Make sure statutory servicing and inspections are carried out on time, including fire alarm and emergency lighting, fire doors and extinguishers, water hygiene (legionella), gas, fixed wiring and portable appliance testing, lifting equipment, ventilation and air conditioning, intruder alarms and access control, and asbestos management where it applies.
• Check every certificate and report when it comes in, upload it to the right building and asset, and record any failure, defect or recommendation as an action with an owner and target date. A duty is only shown as compliant once the report is back and clear.
• Make sure remedial works are completed and signed off, and escalate anything that affects safety or the use of a building to the Head of Estates and the Director of Safeguarding and Student Welfare straight away.
• Check that site operatives are carrying out and recording their in-house checks (for example the weekly fire alarm test, water flushing and temperatures, emergency lighting and routine site inspections) and closing their jobs with evidence.
• Keep the fire risk assessments, asbestos registers, legionella risk assessments and other premises assessments for each site current, and track their actions to completion.
• Produce the monthly compliance report for each site from iAM Compliant, and contribute to the termly health and safety report to the board.

Maintenance and site operations

• Plan and allocate the work of the site operatives, balancing planned maintenance, checks and reactive jobs across the school day.
• Make sure all repair requests from staff are logged, prioritised (emergency, urgent, routine or planned), assigned and closed, and that work staff ask for directly is recorded too.
• Keep a planned maintenance programme for each building, built from the asset register, so routine work is done before it becomes a breakdown.
• Monitor the condition, cleanliness and security of buildings and grounds, and report on condition so the maintenance and capital plan stays current.
• Manage utilities and meter readings, and look for ways to cut waste and cost.
• Act as a key holder and emergency contact for alarm activations, break-ins, floods and other urgent incidents, on a rota with others.

Contractors and procurement

• Appoint and manage contractors for statutory servicing, specialist repairs and minor works, using approved suppliers and following In Toto Ed's financial procedures.
• Check contractor insurance, competence, DBS status where needed, and risk assessments and method statements before work starts; issue permits to work for higher-risk work; and make sure contractors are signed in, inducted and supervised in line with safeguarding arrangements.
• Raise work authorisations with clear scope and costs, and do not commit spend before authorisation. Obtain three quotes where the value requires it.
• Check work on completion before invoices are passed for payment, and keep contractor records up to date.
• Help prepare specifications for service contracts and review contractor performance.

Health and safety (estates)

• Apply the Health and Safety Policy and procedures to all estates work, and keep premises risk assessments in place and reviewed.
• Investigate estates-related accidents, incidents and near misses with the Head of Estates, and put fixes in place so they do not happen again.
• Make sure fire evacuation drills are carried out and recorded at each site, and that fire marshals and site staff know their roles.
• Report hazards and anything that needs reporting under RIDDOR through the agreed process without delay.

Line management

• Line manage the site operatives, including regular one-to-ones, setting objectives, holiday and cover, and dealing with absence and performance in line with In Toto Ed's HR procedures.
• Set consistent standards, routines and checklists for site teams, and hold regular team meetings across the sites.
• Make sure site operatives are trained for their duties and that training is kept up to date (for example fire safety, water hygiene, asbestos awareness, working at height, manual handling, first aid).

Budgets, projects and reporting

• Manage premises spend within the budgets set and report against them each month.
• Contribute to the annual maintenance and capital plan and the estate strategy.
• Manage minor projects and support the Head of Estates on larger capital works, including access, programme and handover.
• Keep the estates records in Microsoft 365 up to date: certificates, works history, the asset register and the action tracker.
• Support the Head of Estates on lease and landlord matters, including recording defects and landlord repairs.

Working arrangements

The post is based at the Blackheath head office. The post holder is expected to be on each site regularly and when needed, with the pattern agreed with the line manager. Some evening and early working will be needed for contractor visits and drills, and occasional out-of-hours call-out.

Safeguarding. In Toto Ed is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. The post holder will follow Keeping Children Safe in Education and the school's safeguarding procedures, including those for working alone or around pupils.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This post is exempt from the Act. Appointment is subject to an enhanced DBS check with barred list check, and relevant convictions, cautions and reprimands will be considered. Any arrest, conviction, caution or reprimand after appointment must be disclosed to the line manager.

Health and safety. The post holder must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of anyone affected by what they do or fail to do, and follow In Toto Ed's Health and Safety Policy and the risk assessments for the role.

Equality. In Toto Ed values diversity and expects all staff to treat pupils, colleagues and visitors with dignity and respect.

Flexibility. This job description reflects the main duties of the post. It may be reviewed and amended in consultation with the post holder to reflect the needs of the schools, in line with the grade of the post.

Person specification

Qualifications and training- Desirable

Good standard of education, including GCSE English and Maths (grade C/4 or above) or equivalent

Recognised health and safety qualification (IOSH Managing Safely or NEBOSH General Certificate), or willing to complete within the first year

NEBOSH General Certificate, or a facilities or building services qualification

Training in asbestos awareness, legionella (water hygiene) and fire safety management

Trade background (for example electrical, mechanical, carpentry or building)

Experience and knowledge

Essential

Working knowledge of statutory compliance for occupied buildings, including fire safety, water hygiene, gas, electrical, asbestos and lifting equipment

Experience of keeping a compliance register, checking contractor certificates and reports, and following up failures and remedial actions

Hands-on experience of using iAM Compliant to manage statutory compliance, including scheduling checks and contractor visits, uploading certificates and tracking remedial actions

Experience of using a CAFM or helpdesk system to assign and track work to completion

Experience of line managing site, premises or maintenance staff

Experience of managing contractors against a specification and checking work before payment

Knowledge of health and safety law as it applies to premises, and of risk assessment

Experience in schools, especially special schools or other settings for young people with additional needs

Experience across more than one site

Experience of managing small building projects and budgets

Skills and personal qualities

Essential

Well organised; able to prioritise competing requests from different schools and keep work moving

Able to lead, support and hold to account a team spread across sites

Confident with Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Excel, SharePoint, Teams) and digital systems

Clear communicator, in person and in writing, with staff, contractors and landlords

Calm and practical in an emergency

Committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people

Full driving licence and able to travel between London, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Equal opportunities and safer recruitment

In Toto Ed is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. All posts are subject to an Enhanced DBS check with children's barred list check, satisfactory references, verification of identity and right to work, and an online search in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

In Toto Ed is committed to equality of opportunity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We will make reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process and in the role itself; please tell us what you need.

Pay: £48,000.00-£50,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Free parking
• On-site parking

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Blackheath SE3 9RD