Join a Company Building Something Bigger
FOAC is growing and we’re looking for an experienced, hands-on installation engineer who can lead from the front.
We’ve built our reputation across Hampshire through high standards, clean installations and engineers who take genuine pride in their work. Every system we install reflects the standards we expect from ourselves as a company.
This role is for an experienced installer who still wants to be on the tools around four days a week, but is ready to take responsibility for more than their own installation.
You’ll have your own projects to deliver, work alongside the wider team on larger installations and directly manage and develop two junior engineers.
They’ll be your team.
You’ll be responsible for helping plan their work, maintaining standards, supporting their development and making sure their projects are progressing as they should.
You won’t be standing back watching others work. You’ll be installing, solving problems and setting the standard yourself while developing the engineers around you.
You’ll report directly to our Operations Manager and have a good degree of autonomy over how you manage your own projects, your team and your working week.
FOAC has ambitious plans for the future. We want to build a company recognised for exceptional installations, strong engineering standards and a team culture people genuinely want to be part of.
We need someone who wants to help us build it.
The Role
This is a hands-on engineering and leadership role.
You’ll typically spend around four days each week on the tools, either running your own residential or commercial installations, working independently or joining the team on larger projects.
Alongside this, you’ll oversee the installation work being carried out by your two junior engineers.
That means knowing what they’re working on, helping plan their projects, checking progress and workmanship, providing technical support when required and gradually developing them into increasingly capable and independent engineers.
You’ll also be trusted to manage your own projects from start to finish.
We’re looking for someone who can receive a project, understand what needs to happen, plan it properly and take ownership of getting it delivered.
You won’t need someone constantly organising your diary or telling you what needs doing next.
We’re an outcome-focused business, not clock-watchers.
If your projects are organised, your engineers are supported and the work is being delivered to the right standard, we want to give you the freedom to manage your time effectively.
How the Week Could Look
We envisage the role typically being structured around four days of hands-on engineering and one day focused on planning, management and development.
Monday to Thursday could see you:
- Running your own residential or commercial installation
- Working independently on smaller projects
- Leading or assisting on larger team installations
- Supporting your junior engineers when additional experience is required
- Visiting their projects to check quality & progress
- Solving technical or installation issues
- Commissioning & handing over completed systems
We see Friday typically becoming your planning and management day, while the installation team continues working on their projects.
This gives you dedicated time to step away from the tools and look ahead.
That could include:
- Reviewing current projects & progress
- Planning the following week's installations
- Allocating labour across upcoming projects
- Reviewing equipment, materials & project requirements
- Preparing project information for the team
- Catching up with your junior engineers
- Reviewing their development & any areas requiring support
- Completing project administration
- Coordinating upcoming work with the Operations Manager
- Making sure everyone knows where they need to be and what needs to happen the following week
This isn’t intended to be a rigid structure.
Projects change and some weeks will require a different approach.
What matters is that your projects are organised, your engineers are supported and the installation work is being delivered properly.
Managing Your Team
This role comes with genuine responsibility for two junior engineers.
They will report to you for their day-to-day installation work and development, and you’ll report directly to the Operations Manager.
We want you to take ownership of helping them become excellent engineers.
That means understanding where they’re strong, recognising where they need more support and gradually increasing their responsibility as their ability develops.
You’ll be expected to:
- Manage & support two junior air conditioning engineers
- Help plan and coordinate their installation work
- Set clear expectations for workmanship & professionalism
- Allocate responsibilities appropriate to their experience
- Check the quality and progress of their installations
- Provide technical guidance when problems arise
- Help develop their practical & technical ability
- Give clear, constructive feedback
- Encourage them to think independently and solve problems
- Keep the Operations Manager informed of progress, development & any issues requiring support
We’re not looking for someone who manages from the sidelines.
You’ll earn the respect of the engineers around you by demonstrating the standards you expect through your own work.
Managing Your Own Projects
You’ll also take direct responsibility for your own installation projects.
From receiving the project information through to commissioning and handover, we want you to own the outcome.
That includes:
- Reviewing project information before work begins
- Planning the installation
- Identifying labour, materials & equipment requirements
- Organising your own diary around project requirements
- Coordinating with the office & Operations Manager
- Communicating with customers where required
- Carrying out the installation
- Managing changes or challenges that arise on site
- Commissioning systems
- Completing relevant project documentation
- Ensuring the finished installation meets FOAC standards
The objective is simple: take ownership and get the job delivered properly.
What You'll Be Doing
- Remaining hands-on with installation work approximately four days per week
- Running your own residential & commercial air conditioning installations
- Working independently on appropriate projects
- Leading or assisting the team on larger installations
- Installing residential split & multi-split systems
- Installing larger commercial systems including VRF where required
- Managing & developing two junior engineers
- Overseeing the installation projects allocated to your team
- Planning labour & upcoming installation requirements
- Monitoring project progress & workmanship
- Maintaining FOAC installation standards across your team
- Teaching junior engineers good installation practices
- Helping develop their technical ability & independence
- Identifying potential problems early and finding practical solutions
- Taking responsibility for materials, tools & project requirements
- Liaising with customers, project contacts & the FOAC office team
- Commissioning systems & overseeing professional handovers
- Completing project documentation & administration
- Planning upcoming work with the Operations Manager
- Supporting servicing, maintenance & fault-finding when required
The Engineer We’re Looking For
This position would suit an experienced air conditioning installer who has reached the point where they’re ready for more responsibility than simply being given the next job.
You may already lead installations or small teams.
Alternatively, you may be an experienced engineer who naturally finds yourself organising jobs, making decisions and helping the less experienced engineers around you.
Either way, you’ll still genuinely enjoy being on the tools.
This isn’t an office management position.
We want someone who can switch between installer, project lead and people manager depending on what the day requires.
You’ll need to take pride in the details.
Pipework, containment, condensate, positioning, presentation and the overall finished installation all matter.
But this role goes further than the standard of your own work.
You’ll also be responsible for helping ensure the engineers working for you produce work that meets the same standard.
We want someone who can set expectations, give clear direction and hold standards without needing to micromanage people.
Someone who sees a problem and deals with it.
Someone who thinks ahead.
And someone who takes ownership rather than waiting to be told what to do next.
What We’re Looking For
- Strong experience installing air conditioning systems in domestic & commercial environments
- Ability to confidently deliver installations from start to finish
- Strong split & multi-split installation experience
- Commercial installation experience
- VRF installation experience preferred
- F-Gas certification required
- Full UK driving licence
- Good understanding of commissioning procedures
- High standard of installation workmanship
- Ability to read drawings & plan installations
- Strong practical problem-solving ability
- Experience leading installations or small engineering teams
- Confidence managing & developing junior engineers
- Ability to oversee multiple projects at different stages
- Ability to plan ahead & prioritise effectively
- Comfortable managing your own diary & workload
- Strong communication with customers, engineers & the office
- Reliable, organised & professional
- Someone who takes genuine pride in both their own work and the work produced by their team
A Different Working Culture
We run the team with trust and responsibility.
Our focus is on outcomes rather than simply clock-watching.
Some days require pushing hard to get a system completed and handed over properly. That’s part of working in a professional engineering environment.
But we also believe strongly in swings and roundabouts.
When the team puts the effort in, that commitment should be recognised through flexibility, respect for your time and a supportive working environment.
This position will have more autonomy than a traditional engineering role.
We don’t want to fill every hour of your diary for you.
We want to give you responsibility for your projects and your team and trust you to organise both effectively.
With that freedom comes accountability.
Your installations need to be right.
Your team needs to know what’s expected of them.
Projects need to be planned ahead.
Problems need to be identified and dealt with.
And the engineers working for you need to be progressing.
If that’s how you already like to work, you’ll fit in well.
Performance, Recognition & Progression
This role isn’t intended to be the ceiling for the right person.
As FOAC grows, we want the person taking this position to grow with the business.
Initially, you’ll lead a small installation team while remaining a hands-on engineer.
As the installation department expands, there is a clear opportunity for the right person to progress towards Head of Installations.
That progression could see you gradually taking greater responsibility for:
- Multiple installation teams
- Installation planning & resource allocation
- Engineering standards across the business
- Engineer training & development
- Project delivery & performance
- Recruitment & onboarding of new engineers
- Installation processes & continuous improvement
- Supporting the Operations Manager as the business expands
We want to develop someone who understands FOAC’s standards from the ground up and has the ability and ambition to eventually help lead a much larger installation operation.
Performance-based rewards will also recognise engineers who consistently deliver excellent work, manage projects effectively, develop the people around them and contribute to the wider success of the business.
What We Offer
- £50,000 – £62,000 per year depending on experience & capability
- Company van & credit card
- Company pension
- Daily lunch allowance
- 28 days holiday including bank holidays
- Paid Christmas shutdown
- Performance-based reward opportunities
- Approximately four days per week remaining hands-on
- Dedicated time for planning, management & team development
- Autonomy over your own diary & projects
- Direct reporting line to the Operations Manager
- Genuine management responsibility for your own installation team
- Varied residential & commercial installation work
- Responsibility for larger & more complex projects as you develop
- A supportive team environment where good engineering is valued
- Clear progression towards Head of Installations
- The opportunity to help shape how FOAC’s installation department develops as the company grows
Location
Mobile role across Hampshire & the South Coast, travelling directly to site.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £50,000 – £62,000 per year
Work Location: In person
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £50,000.00-£62,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company car
- Company events
- Discounted or free food
- Flexitime
- Gym membership
- Private medical insurance
Licence/Certification:
- F-Gas (required)
- Driving Licence (required)
Work Location: In person
