Facilities Assistant

Job Description

Facilities Assistant

Reporting to the Estates and Facilities Manager, the Facilities Assistant supports the school community by ensuring the premises are clean, safe, and equipped for daily operations and events.

Job Purpose

Provide a high level of customer service and support to teaching staff, manage school events and campus maintenance, and maintain safety and cleanliness across the school and commercial facilities.

Daily Duties

• Ensure the school buildings are open in time for staff and pupil arrivals.
• Work in compliance with the school Health & Safety policy and assist the domestic cleaning team.
• Monitor the Janitorial Helpdesk (minimum twice daily) and complete requested tasks promptly.
• Coordinate shift patterns with the team: dayshift, weekends, and evenings.
• Monitor the school diary for events and set up furniture and tables as required.
• Engage with the catering team to support the delivery of refreshments.
• Act as overseer for domestic cleaners in the absence of the Cleaning Supervisor.
• Conduct weekly fire alarm testing and record results as directed by the Estates and Facilities Manager.
• Support cleaning staff with supplies, washroom items, and equipment.
• Provide out of hours cleaning, respond to emergencies, post clean school and commercial events, and ensure the premises are ready for the school day.
• Monitor inside and outside areas, including parking and boarding houses, for litter and clear as appropriate.
• Assist and give directions to school visitors; maintain parking signage and display visitor signage as requested.
• Escort tradesmen or inspectors around the buildings as directed.
• Deliver mail and packages to the boarding house community.
• Liaise with the Cleaning Supervisor on any cleaning related issues.
• Conduct weekly inspections of the minibus fleet and the facilities assistant’s van; report findings to the Commercial Operations Manager.
• Engage and respond to residential commercial let guests as required.
• Handle emergency out of hours requests from duty staff.
• Provide cover to other facilities assistants when absent.
• Ensure availability to commercial users of the school premises, arranging access and representing the school.
• Monitor campus attendance during shift hours and approach anyone who cannot be identified.
• Monitor behaviour and damage on campus and report expeditiously to the Estates and Facilities Manager.
• Secure premises at the end of the day – close windows, switch off lights, lock doors with combination and main locks.
• Attend relevant training courses (e.g., minibus driving assessor, swimming pool plant water testing).
• Carry out other duties as directed by the school management team.

Person Specification

• Education, Training and Qualifications
  • Essential
    • Retired member of HM Forces.
    • Trained in various aspects of Health & Safety and manual Handling.
    • Conversant with Google Docs, Microsoft Office Word and Excel.
  • Desirable
    • Knowledge of working within an educational environment.
    • Experience of supervising cleaning staff.
• Skills
  • Essential
    • Ability to understand and comply with work instructions (written and verbal).
    • Ability to multi task.
    • Understanding the operational needs of the school ahead of personal arrangements.
    • Prioritising helpdesk tasks around operational requirements of school and commercial activities.
  • Desirable
    • Knowledge of working within an educational environment.
    • Experience of supervising cleaning staff.
• Knowledge
  • Working knowledge and familiarity with commercial cleaning techniques.
• Health
  • Physically fit to undertake the range of duties outlined above.
• Other
  • Ability to work independently or as part of a team.
  • An enthusiastic and positive manner.
  • Demonstrates a flexible approach to the needs of the School and the Support team.
  • Ability to deal with a variety of cleaning situations.
  • Service driven.
• Competencies
  • Communication
    • Able to communicate clearly in a way people understand.
    • Values the importance of open communication.
  • Motivation
    • Keen to do things well and work steadily to meet targets.
    • Enjoys challenges and is reliable under pressure.
  • Customer orientation
    • Treats customers fairly and consistently in a polite, professional manner and provides a high quality service on time.
    • Deals with enquiries and problems in a prompt manner.
    • Is willing to go the extra mile to exceed customer expectations.
  • Attitude
    • Is happy to embrace and engage in new ideas and new ways of working.
    • Is able to see the good that change can bring.
  • Self Development
    • Is willing to undertake training and keep up to date with new techniques, knowledge or skills.
    • Will share knowledge with other colleagues.
    • Will seek opportunities to learn and develop.

Other Requirements

• Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.
• The role is subject to enhanced PVG clearance and all safer recruitment requirements, including two satisfactory references, one of which must be from the current employer.

EEO Statement

St Leonards is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive culture, where all members of the community are seen and valued. This culture ensures the delivery of an outstanding global education in a multi cultural living, learning and working environment.