Information pack for the position of

Assistant Estates Manager

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An introduction to

Bloxham SchoolBloxham School is a medium sized, independent co-educational day and boarding school for students aged 11-18. Situated in the beautiful Oxfordshire village of Bloxham, the school is only three miles away from the M40 London to Birmingham motorway. Our students enjoy superb facilities for academic work, sport, technology and the arts on a modern, single-site campus.

Bloxham School has a strong ethos, blending first class academic tuition with a broader curriculum of sport and the arts, underpinned by Christian values. We are passionate about educating the whole child, using our broader curriculum to inspire and challenge our students, and to draw-out the all-important skills of communication, resilience and teamwork they will need to be successful in the future.

An education from Bloxham School encapsulates the five following hallmarks:

• A Passion for Learning: fostering creativity and the capacity fordynamic, independent and critical thought.

• A Balanced Curriculum: a challenging academic programme,complemented by a broader curriculum which inspires curiosity, rigorand ambition.

• A Gold Standard of Pastoral Care: nurturing the well-being of allwithin the setting of a boarding community.

• The Development of Character: through promotion ofresponsibility, generosity, resilience, and imagination.

• Christian Values: nurturing a compassionate spirit so that ourstudents become a force for good in an ever-changing world.

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Job DescriptionBloxham School is looking to appoint an Assistant Estates Manager to provide support to the Estates Manager in all areas of estates support and management. The appointee will have daily operational management of the Estates Team, which comprises of Grounds, Maintenance and Sites, and involves both hands-on and office elements. To provide high quality customer service to internal and external customers of the school and promote levels of professionalism within the Estates Team. Undertake additional duties, either on a routine basis or to cover for absences.

General

• Direct and supervise the day to day operation of the maintenance, grounds and sites teams.• In co-ordination with the Estates Manager and Bursar, assist in the selection of permanent and casual staff in line with the school’s safer recruitment procedure.• Assist the Estates Manager with induction training for all new estates staff.• Working with the Estates Manager, identify and assist with the provision and management of on-going training for estates staff.• Manage the inbound maintenance, sites and grounds requests from staff ensuring the work is correctly allocated

and communication back to the originator is of the highest level.• Manage expectations and workload, prioritising where and when required.• Keep records of any complaints from or about the estates team and report such incidents to the Estates Manager immediately.• Manage, and when necessary be part of, the ‘Duty Maintenance Cover’ rota, ensuring appropriate support is provided to the school at all times.• Schedule and manage the day-to-day work of the school’s Site Assistants (SA’s). Liaise with the relevant staff within the school over their requirement for assistance

for school events and plan this within the SA’s daily programme.• Undertake the annual staff reviews of the maintenance, grounds and SA's and submit these to the Estates Manager within the agreed time frames and to the agreed

format.

Finance• Assist the Estates Manager with the acquisition of quotations and costs for maintenance and project works to the school’s estate.• Assist the Estates Manager in running the estate and undertaking works against the allocated budgets.• Ensure value for money is achieved with all instructed works, justifying expenditure where necessary and when asked.• Oversee the completion and submission of the maintenance team’s time sheet returns, ensuring sufficient detail is provided on the returns and assessing efficiency of

the team’s performance.• Act as first signatory on maintenance staff leave and sickness forms, reporting to the Estates Manager.

Staff Management

• Ensure where necessary that all decisions or problems are communicated back to the Estates Manager in a timely manner.• Maintain good time keeping and work in the most efficient and effective manner possible.• Interact positively and confidently within the school community.• Attend and undertake all training necessary, including refresher training to enable fulfilment of the job description at all times.• Attend regular meetings with the Estates Manager to ensure effective and meaningful lines of communication are maintained at all times.• When necessary, undertake maintenance tasks or works normally undertaken by the Maintenance, Grounds and Site Assistants Team members to alleviate pressure

upon the team and to maintain good works completion targets.

Job Description (continued)Health and Safety

• Manage the maintenance, grounds and SA team’s day-to-day work in accordance with appropriate H&S legislation.• Ensure the maintenance, grounds and SA team members have the correct equipment and protection to undertake the works asked of them.• Ensure appropriate Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS) are in place for all works undertaken by the team. Complete the compilation of any missing or

outstanding RAMS.• Inspect the Team’s storage and working areas on a frequent basis to ensure compliance with reasonable safety standards and agreed RAMS.• Report any failings or concerns to the Estates Manager immediately; address any immediate concerns with the team members directly.• Act as first point of contact for any contractors or specialists visiting the school. Ensure the correct signing-in and induction procedure is undertaken and that

contractors are accompanied to the working area and are identifiable to all staff and students.• Sign-off any works ensuring the highest quality of service and workmanship is achieved at all times and that work areas are kept in a clean state and left as such upon

completion.

Co-ordination and Management

• Manage and act as first point of contact for the maintenance helpdesk IT reporting system.• Disseminate all maintenance requests to the relevant team members in the most efficient and effective way possible.• Track and follow up all requests to ensure they are completed fully and in a timely manner.• Where necessary and when asked, act as the main point of contact to acquire further information on maintenance request submissions from staff members.• Establish the priority ratings for maintenance requests and liaise with staff and team members to ensure works are completed within reasonable and set time

frames.• Manage the day-to-day work load of the maintenance team to ensure efficient working practices are maintained and maximum performance is delivered.• In conjunction with the Estates Manager, chair weekly team meetings to review workload and team performance against agreed work targets.• Ensure the maintenance team have accessibility and the materials needed to undertake the requested tasks.• Notify staff of contractor visits and works that are to be undertaken.• Establish and maintain electronic records of all maintenance information, including but not limited to paint records, equipment registers, stock holdings, security

etc.• Monitor and manage, in liaison with the maintenance staff, stock levels and their usage against school works and projects.• Liaise with the Procurement Manager to ensure the required materials and equipment for the maintenance team are present when needed to enable works to be

undertaken appropriately.

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Other• Any reasonable requests made by the Estates Manager or Bursar.

• Attend external meetings or training courses as required.

• Obtain and maintain professional qualifications in-line with the role and responsibilities.

• Present a smart and professional image at all times.

Person SpecificationEssential Criteria

• A self-starter and team player with a hands-on approach• Organisation, time management, prioritising and the ability to handle a complex, varied workload• Motivational team management through strong leadership skills• Ability to undertake computer based administrative tasks with skill and accuracy• Proficiency in Word, Excel and Outlook• Excellent organisational skills, being methodical and systematic in organising all workloads and individual tasks• Good initiative, ability to make decisions and understanding of when to refer decisions to the Estates Manager• Willingness at times to work in challenging conditions and in tight deadlines• Ability to undertake physical work and moderate lifting• Ability to work well as part of a team• Ability to prioritise and multi-task

Desirable Criteria

• A particular trade and proven certification• Qualification in either Grounds and Gardens (such as RHS Level 3) or equivalent in maintenance trades of plumbing, carpentry, painting or electrical• Up-to-date and relevant knowledge of Health and Safety regulations

Start Date: ASAP

Working Hours: 40 hours a week, typically Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 4.30 pm with 30-minute unpaid lunch break, however, flexibility is required, as weekend working will sometimes be required by the School to assist with events, open days and matches. Contractually, the role is 40 hours over 7 days

Salary and Conditions:• Salary: £32,000 - £35,000, depending on experience• 30 minutes unpaid lunch break, including lunch provided by the school• 21 days holiday a year, plus 8 statutory bank holidays increasing with each completed academic year of service, up to a maximum of 25 days

• Membership of the school's defined benefit pension scheme• Access at no charge to the school's sporting, swimming and fitness facilities• Free car parking onsite

The post holder’s responsibility will include promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for whom s/he is responsible, or with whom s/he comes into contact. The post holder will be required to adhere to and ensure compliance with the School’s Child Protection Policy at all times. If, in the course of carrying out the duties of the post, the post holder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the School, s/he must report any concerns to the School’s Designated Safeguarding Lead.

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How to ApplyClosing Date for Applications: Tuesday 29th September 2020

Applications will be assessed upon receipt and we reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to the closing date. Therefore an early application is strongly advised.

For further information please visit the Bloxham School website.If you have any questions or queries regarding this position please contact: recruitment@bloxhamschool.com