Hub Facilities Officer

Could you help us make our schools great places to learn, work and belong?

At White Woods Primary Academy Trust, we know that excellent schools need more than great teaching. They need safe, welcoming and well-maintained environments where children can thrive and colleagues can do their very best work.

We are looking for a Hub Facilities Officer who shares that ambition.

This is an opportunity to take a key role within our Estates and Facilities Management team, supporting a group of schools and helping us deliver consistently high standards across our estate.

You will be much more than a point of contact for premises issues. You will lead, coordinate, challenge and support, working closely with Headteachers, caretakers, cleaning teams, contractors and Trust colleagues to make sure our buildings are safe, compliant, secure and places that our school communities can be proud of.

What will you be doing?

No two days will be exactly the same.

You will have oversight of facilities management across the schools within your Hub, providing a responsive and professional service while keeping a firm focus on standards, compliance and continuous improvement.

You will:

• work closely with Headteachers and school teams as their key facilities contact;
• support, coordinate and manage caretaking and cleaning staff across your Hub;
• ensure statutory compliance, Health & Safety requirements, testing and inspections are completed and accurately recorded;
• undertake regular Health & Safety, security, maintenance and cleaning inspections and make sure identified actions are followed through;
• use our Facilities Management System to monitor compliance, maintenance activities, issues and performance;
• coordinate planned and reactive maintenance and work effectively with contractors and external specialists;
• monitor contractor performance and ensure work is completed safely and to the required standard;
• oversee building services, plant, equipment, mechanical, electrical and fire-safety requirements;
• help schools respond effectively to premises emergencies and unexpected situations; and
• continually look for ways to improve the service we provide to our schools.

The breadth of responsibility is important. The post has oversight of statutory inspections and servicing of mechanical, electrical and fire systems, alongside responsibility for ensuring identified remedial works are commissioned and reported appropriately.

Who are we looking for?

You don't need to know everything on day one. We are looking for someone with the right combination of knowledge, judgement, organisation, leadership and attitude, together with a willingness to continue learning and developing.

You will have a strong understanding of Health & Safety and facilities management, including areas such as asbestos, legionella, manual handling and working at height, alongside an understanding of statutory compliance within a school or similar environment.

Just as importantly, you will be someone who can build relationships.

You will be confident communicating with Headteachers, school colleagues, caretakers, cleaners, contractors and external organisations. You will know when to support, when to challenge and when something needs escalating.

You will be organised, comfortable using technology, able to prioritise competing demands and willing to take ownership when something needs resolving.

We are particularly interested in someone who:

• takes pride in doing things properly;
• has high professional standards and excellent attention to detail;
• can solve problems calmly and logically;
• builds positive relationships with others;
• is comfortable taking responsibility and making decisions;
• can motivate others and promote good practice;
• is flexible and able to respond when priorities change;
• has a positive, practical "can-do" approach; and
• wants to make a visible difference to our schools.

The person specification particularly emphasises drive, energy and integrity, the ability to manage a demanding workload, develop effective relationships across the Trust and engage positively with a wide range of stakeholders.

Why White Woods?

As part of our Estates and Facilities Management team, you will have the opportunity to work across different schools, develop your professional knowledge and contribute to the continued development of our Trust-wide approach to estates management.

We want colleagues to grow with us, and you will be supported to undertake relevant training and professional development. 

Does this sound like you?

If you are an experienced facilities, premises or estates professional – or you have relevant transferable experience and are ready to take the next step – we would love to hear from you.

Interested? Hit Apply and tell us why you would like to be our next Hub Facilities Officer.