General Building jobs in Gillingham

Senior Maintenance Person

Location

Ampersand House, Parsonage Lane, Rochester, Kent ME2 4HP

Reports To

Home Manager / General Manager

Job Type

Full time

Salary Range: From £15 - £17 depending on experience and competency

Job Purpose

We are looking for an experienced and reliable Senior Maintenance Person to take responsibility for the day-to-day maintenance, safety and upkeep of our care home as part of a maintenance team.

The successful candidate will have a practical, hands-on approach and be confident carrying out a broad range of general maintenance tasks. Good carpentry skills are essential, particularly in relation to the inspection, maintenance and repair of fire doors and associated fire-safety requirements.

The role requires a good understanding of fire safety regulations and compliance within a care home environment, together with basic electrical and plumbing skills. The successful candidate will be able to identify issues, carry out appropriate repairs and know when specialist contractors are required.

Key ResponsibilitiesGeneral Maintenance

• Carry out planned and reactive maintenance throughout the care home.
• Identify and rectify maintenance issues promptly to ensure the building remains safe, functional and well maintained.
• Complete routine inspections of the building, fixtures, fittings and equipment.
• Maintain external areas, including basic grounds and garden maintenance where required.
• Assemble, repair and maintain furniture, fixtures and fittings.
• Maintain accurate records of maintenance work, inspections and repairs.
• Liaise with the Home Manager and external contractors where specialist work is required.
• Supervise other maintenance staff

Carpentry & Fire Doors – Essential

• Carry out repairs and maintenance to doors, frames, locks, hinges, closers and other carpentry-related items.
• Regularly inspect fire doors and identify defects or deterioration.
• Undertake appropriate minor repairs to fire doors and associated components.
• Ensure fire doors are maintained and operating correctly in accordance with the home's fire-safety procedures.
• Understand the importance of fire-door integrity, gaps, seals, hinges, closers, glazing and hardware.
• Escalate any fire-door defects that cannot be safely or appropriately repaired.
• Maintain appropriate records of fire-door inspections and remedial works.

Fire Safety & Compliance – Essential

• Have a sound working knowledge of fire safety requirements and regulations applicable to care homes.
• Support the Home Manager in maintaining a safe environment for residents, visitors and staff.
• Carry out routine checks relating to fire doors, fire exits, signage and other building fire-safety measures.
• Ensure fire exits and escape routes remain clear and accessible.
• Report any fire-safety concerns immediately and ensure remedial action is followed through.
• Work alongside competent external contractors and fire-safety professionals when specialist inspection, testing or certification is required.
• Understand that fire-safety work must be carried out within the limits of your competence and escalate specialist requirements appropriately.

Basic Electrical Maintenance

• Carry out basic electrical maintenance and minor repairs within the limits of competence.
• Replace items such as lamps, bulbs, switches and other suitable fittings where appropriately trained and authorised.
• Identify electrical faults and report or arrange specialist assistance where required.
• Ensure electrical work is undertaken safely and in accordance with relevant regulations and the home's procedures.

Basic Plumbing

• Carry out basic plumbing repairs, including minor leaks, taps, toilets, sinks and other general plumbing issues.
• Identify problems with water systems and arrange specialist assistance where necessary.
• Respond promptly to plumbing issues that could affect residents, hygiene or the operation of the home.

Essential Skills & Experience

The successful candidate will have:

• Proven experience in a senior maintenance, facilities or building maintenance role.
• Strong practical carpentry skills.
• Experience inspecting, maintaining and repairing fire doors.
• A good understanding of fire safety and fire regulations, particularly within a care or residential setting.
• Basic electrical maintenance skills.
• Basic plumbing skills.
• The ability to undertake general building repairs and maintenance.
• Good fault-finding and problem-solving skills.
• The ability to recognise when work is outside their level of competence and requires a qualified specialist.
• Good organisational skills and the ability to maintain accurate maintenance records.
• A proactive approach to identifying potential hazards before they become problems.
• The ability to work independently and manage competing maintenance priorities.

Desirable

• Previous experience working within a care home, nursing home, hospital, supported living or other regulated environment.
• Relevant maintenance, carpentry, electrical or plumbing qualifications.
• Fire-door inspection or fire-safety training.
• Health and safety training.
• Experience working with maintenance schedules and compliance documentation.
• Experience managing or supervising external contractors.

Personal Attributes

We are looking for someone who is:

• Reliable, trustworthy and conscientious.
• Practical and hands-on.
• Safety-conscious and detail-oriented.
• Proactive rather than reactive.
• Able to communicate effectively with management, staff, contractors, residents and visitors.
• Respectful and considerate when working in an environment supporting vulnerable residents.
• Able to prioritise urgent maintenance and safety issues.
• Committed to maintaining high standards of cleanliness, safety and presentation.

Safeguarding & Health and Safety

The Senior Maintenance Person will be expected to work in accordance with the care home's safeguarding, health and safety, infection prevention and control, fire-safety and risk-management policies.

The post holder must understand the importance of maintaining a safe environment for vulnerable residents and must immediately report any hazards, defects or concerns that could affect resident safety.

Please note: The successful candidate will be expected to work within their level of training and competence. Specialist electrical, fire-safety, gas or other regulated work must be undertaken by appropriately qualified and competent persons where required.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary
• Pension scheme
• Training and development opportunities
• Supportive working environment
• Opportunity to make a genuine difference to the safety, comfort and quality of life of our residents

How to Apply

If you are an experienced maintenance professional with strong carpentry skills, a good understanding of fire safety and the practical ability to keep a care home safe, well maintained and compliant, we would love to hear from you.

Please submit your CV and a covering letter outlining your relevant experience.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: £15.00-£17.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Free parking
• On-site parking

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Rochester ME2 4HP: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)

Experience:

• maintenance: 1 year (required)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Location:

• Rochester ME2 4HP (required)

Work Location: In person