Maintenance Operative

Plumpton College • Contract • Lewes, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom • £25,053 - £28,039 / year • 6h ago

Full Time (37.5 hours per week) | Fixed Term – 2 Years |Salary: up to £28,039 per annum

Plumpton College is seeking a practical, proactive and customer‑focused Maintenance Operative to help ensure our campus remains safe, functional and professionally presented for students, staff and visitors.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a hands‑on role in maintaining our unique estate, supporting daily operations, and contributing to the smooth running of a busy and diverse college environment.

About the Role

As a Maintenance Operative, you will work as part of our Estates team to deliver a wide range of planned and reactive maintenance tasks across the College. You will help ensure buildings, facilities and grounds are kept to a high standard, supporting teaching, learning and events throughout the year.

You will:

Carry out daily maintenance tasks safely and professionally, following risk assessments.
Undertake repairs and installations including door and window servicing, signage, noticeboards, dispensers, blinds and fixed furniture.
Assemble office and residential furniture, storage equipment, animal enclosures and benching.
Complete basic carpentry tasks such as shelving, skirting and architrave.
Support groundworks including fencing, drainage repairs and path formation.
Carry out decorating, preparation and finishing tasks.
Maintain clear and appropriate safety signage across the site.
Act as a Fire Warden and support fire safety system testing.
Assist Student Services with building security.
Support Estates and IT teams with office moves and relocations.
Help set up facilities for college events and occasionally support event delivery.
Respond quickly to cordon off risk areas and communicate follow‑up actions.
Promote energy‑efficient practices and support meter readings and investigations.
Undertake additional tasks as directed by the Head of Estates.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys varied, practical work and takes pride in delivering high‑quality results in a collaborative environment.

About You

We are looking for a skilled, adaptable and friendly individual who can work confidently across multiple trades and support colleagues across the College.

Essential:

A relevant trade qualification (e.g., carpentry) with practical experience.
Full UK driving licence held for at least two years.
Strong manual handling skills and ability to work at height.
Competency across multiple trades with excellent attention to detail.
Knowledge of safe tool use and Health & Safety requirements.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Problem‑solving skills and a proactive approach.
Friendly, approachable and committed to excellent customer service.

You will be professional, adaptable and committed to delivering high‑quality workmanship while supporting the wider needs of the College.

Why Join Us?

At Plumpton College, we live our values—Ambitious, Professional, Enterprising, Passionate, Supportive and Progressive—in everything we do.

You’ll benefit from:

We offer a competitive salary alongside a generous benefits package, including up to 26 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata), and up to 5 efficiency days at Christmas. Staff are enrolled in the Local Government Pension Scheme and have access to comprehensive CPD opportunities. As a Disability Confident Committed employer and a signatory of the Menopause Pledge, we are proud to foster an inclusive and supportive workplace.

New colleagues benefit from a structured induction and a supported six-month probationary period, as well as a strong coaching culture with in-house L5 trained coaches.

Employees also enjoy a range of lifestyle and wellbeing benefits such as eligibility for a TOTUM card and Blue Light Card, free eye tests, free use of our onsite gym, cycle-to-work scheme, discounted Plumpton wine and courses, free onsite parking, and an Employee Assistance Programme.

Our commitment to staff wellbeing and community is further demonstrated through regular networking events, active EDI and Sustainability committees and social events at Christmas.

We reserve the right to interview or close the vacancy early should we receive a high number of applications. Early applications are strongly encouraged.

Plumpton College is committed to the promotion of equal opportunities and is dedicated to pursuing non-discriminatory policies and practices and eliminating unfair discrimination on any basis.

Plumpton is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of learners and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Apply now to join a forward‑thinking college with a unique estate, strong industry links and a commitment to excellence.

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