Head of Maintenance & Infrastructure
Role Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Salary: Competitive (Grade 9 equivalent)
Location: Kent / South East Region (Multi-Site)
About the Client
Our client is a prominent, large-scale public education institution managing one of the largest and most diverse estates in the UK. They are seeking a dedicated Hard FM professional to lead their maintenance and engineering services on a permanent basis, driving long-term strategy and estate modernization.
The Role
As the Head of Maintenance & Infrastructure, you will take full operational responsibility for planned (PPM) and reactive maintenance across a complex multi-site estate. Reporting to the senior operations team, you will lead a multidisciplinary group of asset managers, compliance officers, and engineers to mitigate business risks, implement technical standards, and ensure complete regulatory compliance.
Key Responsibilities:
- Team Leadership: Direct, motivate, and develop a team of trade managers, asset specialists (mechanical, electrical, building fabric), and compliance personnel.
- Compliance & Safety: Act as the designated Responsible Person for L8, Asbestos, Safe Systems of Work (SSoW), and Gas systems.
- Financial Management: Oversee a combined maintenance and engineering project budget of approximately £3.5m, ensuring value for money, cost-effective resource allocation, and strict procurement compliance.
- Operational Excellence: Modernise the CAFM system workflow, manage long-term maintenance (LTM) programmes, and maintain robust relationships with external contractors and consultants.
What We Are Looking For:
- Qualifications: A degree, HNC, or HND in Mechanical, Electrical, or Building Services Engineering (or equivalent heavyweight industry experience).
- Experience: Extensive background in Hard FM leadership within a large, complex, or aging operational estate.
- Technical Knowledge: Deep understanding of statutory health & safety, building environment legislation, and CAFM software packages.
- Skills: Strong budgetary control, robust stakeholder management capabilities, and the capacity to solve complex operational issues under pressure.
- Flexibility: Willingness to participate in an out-of-hours emergency on-call rota.
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