Job Purpose
To lead the technical and facilities function, ensuring that the site, buildings, plant, exhibits and contracted services are safe, compliant, reliable and well maintained. The role provides specialist advice, oversees maintenance and repairs, and drives continuous improvement across facilities and technical services.
Key Responsibilities
Site Accountability
- Work as a member of the ESD Site Leadership Team for the operational performance of ESD.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues on the day-to-day leadership of ESD, with cross-functional decision-making and the effective coordination of teams and resources to deliver an excellent visitor experience.
Health and Safety Governance and Compliance
- Act as Eureka!’s designated Health and Safety Officer and named competent person at ESD.
- Manage health and safety responsibilities in accordance with the Health and Safety Policy and Compliance Checklist.
- Lead the implementation, monitoring, auditing, reporting and continuous improvement of health and safety management systems.
- Monitor changes in legislation, standards and guidance, and advise line manager, Directors and managers on their implications.
- Ensure health and safety processes, equipment and records meet statutory requirements and recognised best practice, and that records are accurate, complete, regularly reviewed and retained appropriately.
Emergency Preparedness and Evacuation
- Develop, implement and maintain emergency evacuation procedures and associated health and safety policies.
- Communicate evacuation procedures clearly to employees, contractors and visitors, and ensure employees receive appropriate training.
- Maintain, inspect and test evacuation aids and emergency equipment, including evacuation chairs, refuge communication systems, fire alarms and emergency signage.
- Monitor compliance with evacuation procedures and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
Risk Assessment and Control
- Identify, record, report and escalate hazards, non-compliance and significant risks.
- Develop, implement and regularly review risk assessments, workplace inspections, safety audits and associated records.
- Work jointly with the Strategic Projects Director and Facilities Manager (ECM) to develop and implement risk-management strategies, site-security arrangements, safety systems and permit controls for visitors and contractors.
Security
- Act as the primary duty holder for day-to-day site security arrangements, while recognising that strategic risk ownership remains with the Directors and Trustees.
- Ensure appropriate security measures are maintained for the site, facilities, visitors and employees.
- Implement, monitor and document security controls, maintaining evidence of compliance and escalating serious risks or deficiencies to the Strategic Projects Director.
- Oversee the selection and performance of security contractors, including insurance verification, compliance records and service standards.
- Manage and develop the security provision in liaison with contractors, Directors and managers.
- Monitor relevant industry standards and best practice, identify non-compliance risks, and provide documented advice and recommendations to the line manager and Directors.
Maintenance, Buildings and Exhibits
- Act as the responsible person for the safe operation and maintenance of premises, plant, equipment and exhibits.
- Develop and deliver planned and preventative maintenance programmes for buildings, plant, facilities and exhibits.
- Ensure statutory tests, inspections and maintenance are scheduled, completed and recorded, with defects and overdue actions escalated appropriately.
- Maintain accurate inspection, maintenance and repair records.
- Select, brief and supervise competent specialist contractors and in-house employees, monitoring performance, safe working practices and hygiene standards.
- Source specialist technical advice when required.
- Ensure cleaning contracts and arrangements maintain Eureka! to the required standards of cleanliness, safety and presentation.
- Maintain exhibits to high standards of safety, functionality and visitor experience.
Communications and IT Systems
- Share responsibility with the Finance & Resource Director for systems and services, with specific accountability for the physical infrastructure and service continuity affecting premises operations.
- Monitor system and service performance, providing information and advice to the line manager where necessary.
Financial Management
- Manage approved budgets and maintain evidence of prudent expenditure relating to facilities, risk control and asset protection.
- Negotiate and manage contracts for site and facilities services, ensuring value for money, appropriate quality standards and clear performance expectations.
- Ensure contracts include suitable indemnities, insurance requirements, service standards and compliance obligations.
Sustainability
- Work with the Strategic Projects Director and Facilities Manager (ECM) to develop and implement an estate sustainability plan.
- Deliver agreed sustainability initiatives and monitor performance against agreed objectives.
Leadership and Support
- Lead, manage and supervise technical, security and cleaning employees, as well as contractors working under the role’s control.
- Recruit and deploy technical employees in accordance with organisational requirements.
- Ensure that employees and contractors are competent, properly inducted and appropriately supervised.
- Establish and monitor safe systems of work, service quality, task completion and individual or contractor performance.
- Prioritise, allocate and monitor work across all areas of site management.
- Identify current and future staffing, skills and training requirements, advising the line manager and Directors accordingly.
- Ensure relevant facilities and safety training is provided.
- Contribute specialist knowledge to the training and development of other employees.
Other Duties:
- Undertake any other duties as may reasonably be required by Eureka! consistent with the nature and level of the role.
Critical Skills Required
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively at all organisational levels.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build productive working relationships.
- Confidence in presenting information and providing clear updates to managers and employees.
- A strong customer-service and visitor-focused approach.
- Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
- Effective people-management, supervision and delegation skills.
- Strong negotiation and contract-management skills.
- Sound budget-management skills.
- Excellent organisational, planning and prioritisation skills.
- Ability to manage a varied workload independently, meet tight deadlines and perform effectively under pressure.
- High attention to detail and a strong sense of urgency.
- Self-motivation and confidence to challenge established practice constructively.
- Ability to research and recommend improvements to efficiency, safety and the customer experience.
Critical Qualifications / Knowledge Required
- Experience of building services, facilities management and maintenance.
- Knowledge of Building Energy Management Systems.
- Experience of supervising specialist employees and outsourced services.
- Experience of managing people.
- Experience of working in a charity or facilities environment.
- Strong competence in Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel and Teams.
- Good working knowledge of PowerPoint and other relevant systems.
Desirable:
- Membership of a recognised health and safety professional body, such as the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)
Job Types: Permanent, Full-time
Pay: Up to £40,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Experience:
- building services, facilities management and maintenance: 2 years (required)
- charity / museum / exhibit: 2 years (required)
Licence/Certification:
- NEBOSH General Certificate qualification (or equivalent) (preferred)
- IOSH Qualification (or equivalent) (required)
Work Location: In person
