University Hospital Southampton NHS FT
Estates Officer (Mechanical)
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Job Overview
We are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity to join our team at UHS Estates Ltd (UEL). Please refer to the detailed job description below for more information about the role.
Main duties of the job
We are seeking an Estates Officer (Mechanical) to oversee planned preventative maintenance (PPM), reactive maintenance, and statutory compliance across UHS. This key operational role within the Estates Maintenance Team ensures critical infrastructure and engineering services are maintained safely, efficiently, and in line with Trust, contractual, and regulatory requirements.
The successful candidate will manage the mechanical maintenance team, including Supervisors, Technicians, Trade Staff, and Contractors, ensuring statutory and mandatory maintenance, reactive works, and good practice tasks are delivered within agreed KPI targets and service standards.
Working for our organisation
UHS Estates Limited (UEL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS). The company is responsible for the design and construction of new buildings, and the ongoing provision of services, including estates maintenance, soft facilities management and the management of equipment, consumables and materials, in support of one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England.
Employee Benefits
- Generous NHS pension scheme
- NHS terms of service and annual leave
- Access to an employee benefits platform offering discounts on groceries, high street shopping, family outings, holidays, and more
Southampton offers an excellent quality of life, located on the south coast with an international airport and direct train links to London. The area boasts the stunning New Forest National Park, beautiful beaches along the Jurassic Coast, and living costs around 20% lower than London. With 14 Ofsted-rated “Outstanding” schools, it’s a great place to live and work.
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
- Manage the delivery of reactive, planned and statutory maintenance activities, ensuring performance targets and compliance standards are achieved.
- Lead and support Estates Supervisors, contractors and operational teams to deliver safe, effective and high-quality maintenance services.
- Monitor contractor performance, quality of workmanship and compliance with contractual agreements and Trust procedures.
- Coordinate shutdowns, maintenance works and minor projects across hospital sites while ensuring minimal disruption to clinical services.
- Provide specialist technical advice and support to Estates teams, senior managers, contractors and external stakeholders.
- Support the implementation of energy-saving, cost-saving and service improvement initiatives.
- Maintain accurate technical records, drawings and maintenance documentation to support safe estate management.
- Participate in the Estates Officer on-call rota and provide technical leadership during emergencies and major service failures.
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What Experience/Skills Are Needed
- HNC, Degree or equivalent qualification in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
- Significant experience in mechanical maintenance, building services or healthcare estates environments.
- Experience managing contractors and directly employed labour within reactive and planned maintenance services.
- Strong understanding of relevant legislation, health and safety requirements, HTM/HBN guidance and safe systems of work.
- Excellent communication, leadership and organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities.
- Current Authorised Person status or willingness to achieve relevant AP qualifications.
- Ability to work independently and make informed operational decisions under pressure.
Additional Information
- The successful candidate must participate fully in the Estates Officer on-call service.
- A current driving licence is required, or must be obtained within 6 months of appointment, to support emergency attendance across Trust sites.
- The role requires the ability to access roof spaces, vertical ladders and confined spaces where necessary, with reasonable adjustments considered in line with the Equality Act.
- Relevant pre-employment and compliance checks will be required before appointment.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced engineering professional to support the safe and effective operation of essential hospital infrastructure.
Core working hours
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0730-1530 Monday - Friday, and you will participate in an on-call roster, currently 1 day in 1 week.
- Weekday on-call requires site attendance 1400-2200hrs and 2200-0730hrs on-call from home.
- Weekend on-call requires site attendance 0730-1530hrs (paid as overtime at 1.5 or lieu) and 1530-0730hrs on-call from home.
Person specification
Qualifications, Knowledge And Experience
Essential criteria
- HNC/Degree or equivalent examined qualification in Mechanical Engineering or related field
- BS9999 Fire Damper Testing
- IOSH managing safely qualification must have or acquire within 6-months of taking up post
- Relevant experience of electrical mechanical or building maintenance and/or design and minor installation works in construction industry or Healthcare
- Experience of managing directly employed labour and contractors in the delivery of (a) a reactive maintenance provision, (b) a planned maintenance provision, or (c) a combined service provision
- Knowledge of HBN/HTM, asbestos regulations and Approved Codes of Practice etc
- Experience in CAD Packages
- Current Authorised Person status or willing to achieve Authorised Person certification as required
- Must have; or obtain a current driving license within 6-months to enable prompt attendance across University Hospital Southampton buildings in emergencies
- Must fully participate in the Estate Officer on Call service
- Ability to climb vertical ladders to open roof areas, and be able to access confined spaces such as steam and crawl ducts (if necessary, with reasonable adjustments with respect to the Equality Act/Disability Discrimination Act).
Desirable criteria
- NEEBOSH General Certificate
- GAS Safe Registration
- HTM03-01 CP or AP Qualification
- CSCS Card (Operative, Supervisor or similar)
- ISO14644 Particle Counting Certificate
- Membership of a recognised professional organisation is encouraged
- Extensive experience of steam installations (supply and distribution)
- Experience undertaking Healthcare ventilation validation/verification
- Understanding of other mechanical disciplines (Heating, cooling, pressure)
- Project Management experience
- Institute of Leadership and Management qualification (or equivalent)
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