Hopscotch Children's Nurseries
Maintenance Operative
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Role Overview
This is an opportunity to join a growing children’s nursery group. You’ll take ownership of the day-to-day maintenance, presentation, and safety of our seven nursery sites, managing your own workload and making decisions about how best to prioritise and complete works.
Hours: 37.5 hours per week, 7.5 hours per day Monday to Friday
Location: 7 Nursery locations in Sussex
Holiday: 28 days including 8 statutory holidays 3 days entitlement to be taken at Christmas
Salary: £28-30k per annum
Probation period: 3 months from start date
Notice period: One calendar month
Reports to: Estates Manager
About the Role
Working closely with the Estates Manager, you will be responsible for general upkeep and maintenance of all sites. Depending on experience, this could involve plumbing, basic electrical work, carpentry, painting and decorating, or groundskeeping. The role also includes Health & Safety and compliance management which might include monitoring i.e. fire alarms, emergency lighting, legionella, and more.
Qualifications in any of the above would be ideal, but we’re looking for the right person over the right experience, so training can be provided where necessary!
Good communication is our top priority! You will need to communicate with staff, children, and parents to ensure everyone’s safety; you will communicate with Nursery Managers to understand their requirements and to properly plan how and when work will take place; and you will communicate clearly with the Estates Manager so that the whole maintenance team knows the status of ongoing work.
You’ll ideally be comfortable working independently and making your own decisions. Jobs will be assigned by the Estates Manager via the FaultFixers app, but it will be up to you to prioritise how and when tasks are completed. A basic level of IT skill is expected.
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We expect a good working knowledge of Health & Safety to begin with, but a willingness to learn nursery-specific safety practices and take part in H&S courses where necessary.
We are an inclusive, welcoming, and supportive employer and there will be opportunity for further professional development and to grow with the company. There is scope to take on more hours, and responsibilities, as well as the possibility of working with a Maintenance Apprentice later down the line.
We will provide you with your own set of basic tools, and you will have access to a bank of other equipment as well as access to trade accounts (Screwfix, Howdens, etc.) to purchase any consumables and other tools that you require. A full UK driving licence and own vehicle is absolutely essential.
Requirements
- Full clean UK Driving Licence
- DBS checked to enhanced level and minimum of 2 satisfactory relevant references
- Knowledge of workplace health & safety policies and procedures
- Always ensuring safe nursery environments are maintained for our children and staff
- Ability to work in busy nursery environments with care, attention, and discretion and caution
- Enterprise, initiative, and resourcefulness – and a positive ‘can do’ attitude
- Travel in and around Brighton & Hove and Sussex areas
- Organised with time-management skills and managing workloads
- Personable and well-presented
- Strong communication skills – in person and digitally
- Minimum 2 years experience in a similar role
- Basic ICT skills - ability to use email, internet, and Microsoft Office
- Strong attention to detail
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Main Duties
- Overall estate management for 7 children’s nursery sites
- General repairs and maintenance jobs including painting & decorating
- Garden work and outdoor cleaning
- Legal compliance Health and Safety tasks such as legionella testing, emergency lighting tests, etc.
- Clearing and disposal of rubbish and old equipment
- Replacement of lights (bulbs) and fittings (not electric work unless certified to do so)
- Basic plumbing (drainage, sinks, toilets, leaks, etc)
- Equipment installation, maintenance, and safety checks i.e. white goods, play equipment, etc.
- Occasional work directly with maintenance manager and outside contractors on larger jobs and projects
- Jointly accountable for health, safety, and cleanliness across Hopscotch nurseries and grounds
- Support the roll-out, building, and maintenance of environmental sustainability initiatives across Hopscotch sites
- This list is not exhaustive
Other Information
- Company credit card provided for purchases
- Basic tools provided
- Own vehicle required – mileage/fuel to be reimbursed on a monthly basis
- Occasional out-of-hours work in evenings and weekends, paid as overtime
- Company phone and laptop/tablet provided
Benefits
- 50% Childcare Discount
- Employee Assistance Programme for Staff Mental Health Wellbeing and Support.
- Regular Socials for all Nursery Teams to foster a supportive community.
- Well-Established Career Path and Training Opportunities for professional growth.
How to Apply
Please apply with your CV today!
Hopscotch is an equal opportunity employer, welcoming applicants from diverse backgrounds.
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