Les Petites Etoiles Bilingual Montessori
Facilities Manager & Handyperson
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Facilities Manager & Handyperson
Location: Across five London nurseries — Angel, Crouch Hill, Paddington, Tufnell Park and West Hampstead (travel between sites required)
Contract type: Permanent
Hours: Full-time or part-time (some evening / school-holiday working for disruptive works)
Holidays: 25 days + bank holidays
Salary: £40,000 – £50,000 per annum (FTE), pro-rata if part-time (depending on experience)
About the Role
Les Petites Étoiles (LPE) runs five bilingual Montessori nurseries across London. We are seeking a hands-on Facilities Manager & Handyperson to ensure all five sites remain safe, compliant, and well-maintained. This role involves direct repairs and improvements, managing procurement, contractor oversight, and larger projects, from start to finish.
Key Responsibilities
Hands-On Maintenance
- Conduct routine repairs and improvements across all sites, including:
- Carpentry
- Minor plumbing
- Painting and decorating
- Fixing doors, floors, frames, shelving, and fittings
- Maintain external areas, such as:
- Treating and oiling outdoor woodwork (sheds, fencing)
- Repairing canopies
- Clearing gutters and roof drainage
- Promptly respond to requests from nursery managers, prioritising health-and-safety issues.
- Emergency response: Attend out-of-hours and urgent call-outs, especially for work requiring evenings, weekends, or school holidays to avoid disruption to children’s activities.
- Triage jobs to determine whether tasks can be completed in-house or require specialist contractors.
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Projects, Procurement & Contractor Management
- Scope, quote, recommend, and oversee major and capital works.
- Appoint, brief, supervise, and sign off specialist contractors, including:
- Commercial kitchen extraction & ventilation
- Air conditioning (F-gas)
- Roofing
- Glazing
- Electrical
- Plumbing
- Plan disruptive works around nursery open hours, utilising weekends or school holidays where feasible.
- Ensure projects stay on schedule and budget, with regular updates for directors.
Compliance, Consents & Safety
- Verify all regulated work (e.g., gas, plumbing, electrical) is carried out by certified trades (e.g., Gas Safe, NICEIC, Part P, F-gas, working at height) — never self-performed unless legally compliant.
- Coordinate processes for:
- Planning permission
- Building Control licences
- Fire Risk Assessments
- Maintain compliance with Ofsted and health-and-safety records, certificates, and warranties.
Systems, Budgets & Communication
- Own and update the maintenance tracking system (currently Trello) across all sites.
- Develop a preventive maintenance schedule, ensuring recurring checks and servicing are completed promptly.
- Monitor budget adherence and report variances early.
- Build strong relationships with:
- Nursery managers
- The existing part-time facilities colleague
- Contractors
- Landlords
- Directors
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Team Collaboration
- Work within a small facilities team (role + 1 other part-time colleague).
- Take primary responsibility for:
- Quotes and procurement
- Contractor supervision
- Project management
- Support colleagues to focus on in-house practical tasks, ensuring optimal use of all available skills.
Person Specification
Essential Qualities & Experience
- Proven experience in hands-on maintenance, with a broad, practical skillset.
- Track record in managing building or refurbishment projects, including:
- Scoping requirements
- Obtaining and comparing quotes
- Briefing and supervising contractors
- Basic knowledge of:
- Plumbing
- Carpentry
- Decorating
- Sound grasp of building compliance, including:
- Building Regulations
- Planning permissions
- Fire-safety basics
- Highly organised, self-managing, and capable of juggling multiple sites independently.
- Clear communicator and meticulous record-keeper, comfortable with tools like:
- Trello
- Spreadsheets
- Holds a full UK driving licence.
- Enhanced DBS eligibility (or willingness to obtain one) and understanding of safeguarding in childcare.
Equal Opportunities
Les Petites Étoiles is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, regardless of:
- Race/colour
- Religion/sexual orientation
- Gender identity
- Nationality/veteran status
- Disability status
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