Facilities Manager
* Location: Abbey Gardens School, Bury St Edmunds, IP32 6SA
* Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 7:30am - 3:30pm
* Salary: Up to £35,000 per annum (depending on experience)
* Contract: Permanent (52 weeks)
* Start: June 2026
* UK applicants only – no sponsorship available
About the Role
We are looking for an experienced, proactive and hands-on Facilities Manager to join our team and play a vital role in creating safe, welcoming and high-quality spaces where pupils and staff can thrive. This is more than a facilities role – it’s an opportunity to lead, innovate and make a visible difference every day. You'll take ownership of the school environment, ensuring our facilities operate efficiently, safely and to the highest standards.
This is a varied, hands-on role where no two days are the same. Alongside leading facilities services, you’ll also play an active role in caretaking duties, carrying out repairs, troubleshooting maintenance issues and ensuring the school environment remains safe, welcoming and fully operational.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead the facilities ensuring high standards across maintenance, domestic services, catering, and housekeeping.
* Plan, prioritise, and manage all responsive, cyclical, and planned maintenance, including capital and operational expenditure.
* Monitor, audit, and quality-check all work schedules, contractor performance, and completed projects to ensure value for money.
* Ensure full compliance with Health & Safety, food hygiene, fire safety, COSHH, and all regulatory requirements.
* Oversee procurement and correct use of equipment, vehicles, chemicals, and supplies to support efficient service delivery.
* Respond to repair requests, assess needs, coordinate solutions, and act as first response to environmental or maintenance issues.
About You
* Proven experience managing facilities, maintenance teams, and contractors within a multi-site or education/care environment.
* Strong knowledge of Health & Safety, fire safety, food hygiene, COSHH, and regulatory compliance.
* Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage planned and reactive workloads effectively.
* Confident people leadership skills, including supervision, performance management, training, and supporting staff wellbeing.
* A practical, hands-on approach with sound problem-solving ability and the resilience to respond to emergencies and out-of-hours issues.
* Driving licence required.
Benefits
* Life Assurance
* Pension scheme with options to increase contributions
* 'Your Wellbeing Matters' – mental health support and physical health checks
* Flexible Benefits Platform (Vista), including:
o Health, wellbeing and insurance benefits
o Hundreds of UK and international discounts
o Cycle to Work Scheme & Electric Car Purchase Scheme
o Critical illness cover
o Family Growth Support, including enhanced maternity/paternity leave and paid fertility treatment support
Recruitment and EEO Statement
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, Outcomes First Group does not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process. All stages of the compliance process are subject to necessary safeguarding checks and compliance with statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.
About the Employer
Papworth Hall School is a specialist school in Cambridgeshire catering for young people with complex communication needs, autism and associated learning and emotional needs.
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