Position Details
Estates
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £29,647 to £31,460, with potential progression once in post to £35,388
Grade: 5
Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to January 2027
Closing date: 24th September 2025
This role is also open as an internal secondment opportunity which would need to be agreed by your current line manager.
UK travel may be required for this role.
Our offer to you
People are at the heart of what we are and do.
The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.
We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.
We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.
Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.
The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.
Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham
Background
The University's Estates Department strives to excel in its service delivery and uphold its sustainable credentials and status as an award-winning team. Technical Services forms part of the Estates Department within Professional Services at the University of Birmingham. The Professional Services directorate encompasses a diverse range of services which are pivotal to the smooth running of the university and its business sustainability.
Role Summary
Work as part of the Estates Office Technical Services Team to provide a professional, responsive, and efficient technical service across the Estate. To plan, facilitate and manage services with a high degree of autonomy while undertaking a core role within a small multi-disciplined team. Managing systems and processes in support of Statutory or Legal compliance, typically but not limited to Asbestos, Water Hygiene and Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) Systems. Support the Technical Officer – Compliance Services (TO-CS) in the successful delivery of their role including assisting in the administration of specialist service contracts. Provide a supporting role for the operation and maintenance of the University compliancy requirements, assist in the day-to-day management and operation of activities via the computerised maintenance management system.
Main Duties
Technical Systems Support
* Administer systems and processes in support of Statutory or Legal compliance, including the management of both electronic and hard copy information, condition reports, files and databases, recording and planning the required activities in support of the TO-CS. Ensuring the accuracy, availability and visibility of information for independent review by third parties along with the associated dissemination of supporting information.
* Acting as a point of contact to analyse and resolve problems with databases or other systems.
* Reviewing and validating both retained and received information including service records, certificates or drawings, for accuracy, relevancy and completeness, undertaking remedial measures where required.
* Implementing and maintaining systems, databases and records to ensure a high level of compliance is achieved, regularly monitoring and reporting on exceptions to allow positive remedial actions to be taken by self and others.
* Supporting the day-to-day management of compliance areas which are covered by the TO-CS. Organising inspection, removal, repair, servicing, assessment or related activities.
* Having day-to-day responsibility for planning and supervising monitoring and inspection visits, including the transfer and management of information to relevant databases. Ensuring priority risk assessments are completed in support.
* Cross-supporting other officers or technical staff to ensure the overall service provided by the team is continuous and seamless, typically but not limited to supporting other statutory inspections.
Specialist Service Contracts
* To support the TO-CS in the delivery of their 'Contract Administrator' duties, for planned preventative maintenance contracts. This may include, but not be limited to, Asbestos, Water Hygiene and Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) Systems. The above duties will typically include assisting with: regular contract reviews, attending meetings, site inspections, health and safety reviews, audits, and benchmarking.
* To act as a point of contact for contractor(s). To receive, scrutinise and sign off service sheets, managing records of the work carried out under the terms of the contract. Arrange for and issue access or work permits where trained to do so.
* Ensuring suitable and sufficient records are captured and maintained to evidence the activities undertaken, by contractors within the TO-CS remit, reporting upon the level of service and degree of compliance either achieved or by exception.
* Assisting in the review of contractors' performance to ensure a high level of service delivery and customer satisfaction is achieved.
* Positively manage Health and Safety in line with the Estates office policies, legislative requirements and/or good working practices.
Technical Team
* Assist in the inspection and management of maintaining records, databases and drawings in support of the Technical Team. Assist in identifying and managing assets, ensuring relevant signage or labelling is provided and maintained, identifying relevant equipment, materials or fabric.
Financial
* Assist in the procurement of work, contracts or services in line with the Office's financial, wider University or EU procurement guidelines; helping to ensure best value for money is achieved.
* Ensure that order requests and invoices are processed in accordance with the University's financial rules and procedures at all times.
* Support life cycle costing techniques in the provision or specification of engineering solutions. Support the application of sound and coherent cost management techniques for the provision of services, contracts or delivery of projects.
* Supporting investigations affecting the changes in service provision or practices that may limit or reduce expenditure, advising on the most effective solutions.
* Assist in the development and proposal of prioritised plans to manage identified works and related funding on a prioritised basis. Assisting with investigations and supporting officers with accident or loss claims.
General
To work within a multidiscipline engineering team supporting the delivery of maintenance, operational and development activities across the estate. Maintaining a high level of customer focus and communication, ensuring the positive image and supportive nature of the office is reinforced at all times. Ensuring an efficient and effective flow of information is maintained to customers, utilising various written, electronic and verbal media.
Supporting the communication of often technical and/or complex subject areas to widely differing audiences both internally and to wider University staff. Utilising active reporting systems or managing passive systems to provide management and exception reports in support of successful service delivery. To assist in producing and maintaining system assets, records and drawings in support of the safe and reliable operation of services. To occasionally provide support to other areas of the office to cover absences for colleagues or support particular initiatives as required.
Other Duties
Other reasonable duties as and when required by the Head of Technical Services. To adhere to the University and Estates Office Policies & Procedures.
This job description only represents an outline of the duties and responsibilities. Post Holders are expected to be flexible in their role to support wider department objectives and must be prepared to carry out similar or related tasks which do not fall within the duties outlined above as and when required by either the TO-CS or the Head of Technical Services.
Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience
Essential
* 5 GCSE's grade A-C (or Equivalent) in Maths, English and a relevant Science subject
* Extensive experience in the maintenance of building or engineering services
* High level competency and experience in IT skills, including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases and email (MS Office)
* Experience in the use of databases for storage and retrieval
* Experience of working in a customer focused and professional environment
* Able to work on own initiative with minimum supervision, prioritising workload to meet deadlines and targets
* Presentable, personable and customer aware, used to dealing with staff and visitors at all levels, with the ability to deal professionally and calmly with frequent interruptions
* Knowledge of Asbestos and Asbestos Regulations. CAR 2012, HSG264
* Knowledge of Water Hygiene L8 Regulations ACOP's and HTM 0401
* Experience of managing property/building information databases and systems
Desirable
* P405 qualification in Asbestos Management
* P901 qualification in Water Hygiene or equivalent
* Experience in computerised maintenance management systems as applied within Estates would be advantageous (Planon and/or Prime)
* Experience of working in a customer focused and professional environment
* Experience of Local Exhaust Ventilation and Fume Cupboards
* Extensive experience in the maintenance engineering or building services
Dimensions
* Supporting the delivery of compliance figures within areas of work at 95%
* Supporting a remedial spend plan of circa. £500k
* Answering and directing queries in relation to areas of work from within Estates and the wider University
Planning and organising
* Able to work with own initiative and minimum supervision, prioritising to meet deadlines and targets
* Work with contractors to create an annual PPM schedule, ensure that the schedule once created is adhered to
Problem solving and decision making
* Assess the urgency of incoming enquiry or report; making judgement on who needs to be informed, when and how, being mindful of potentially high profile and sensitive matters
* Follow escalation procedures as defined in local and University guidance, polices and standard operating procedures
Internal and external relationships
Develop excellent working relationships with clients and customers, proactively anticipating their requirements in order to under and deliver them
Informal enquiries to Gareth Jones, email:
View our staff values and behaviours here
We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website .