Estates & Facilities Lead

About School of Coding & AI

School of Coding & AI is one of the UK’s fastest growing education providers, delivering high quality, career focused programmes across Business, Coding, Computer Science & AI, STEM, Health and Social Care.

We work with schools, universities and partners to provide education that leads to real outcomes. Our focus is simple, student first, always.

As we continue to grow, we are looking for an experienced Estates Lead to help ensure our buildings, facilities and learning environments are safe, compliant, well maintained and fit for purpose.

About the Role

The Estates Lead will be responsible for the day to day management of estates and facilities operations across School of Coding & AI sites. The role will oversee maintenance, logistics, cleaning, reception/front of house cover, contractor coordination, planned preventative maintenance and facilities compliance.

The postholder will line manage the Maintenance Officer and Logistics Officer, while also coordinating cleaning provision and reception/front of house rotas to ensure each site operates safely, professionally and efficiently. This includes planning shifts, managing rotas, signing off timesheets, monitoring standards of work and ensuring issues are resolved quickly and properly.

This is a hands on leadership role suited to someone with strong facilities or estates experience, strong good mechanical and electrical awareness, and the confidence to manage people, contractors and day to day site operations across multiple locations

What You’ll Be Doing

• Manage day to day estates and facilities operations across multiple SoCAI sites, ensuring buildings are safe, clean, compliant and fit for purpose.
• Oversee planned preventative maintenance schedules, ensuring routine servicing, inspections and compliance checks are completed within required timescales.
• Act as the first point of escalation for facilities, maintenance, cleaning, reception and site related issues.
• Arrange and manage external contractors where specialist work is required, ensuring works are completed safely, properly and with minimal disruption.
• Oversee mechanical and electrical maintenance activity, including lighting, power, heating, ventilation, water systems, alarms, access control and other building services.
• Carry out regular site inspections to check standards, identify maintenance needs, review health and safety concerns and ensure agreed actions are followed through.
• Maintain accurate records for statutory compliance, contractor visits, remedial works, inspections, maintenance activity and facilities checks.
• Work closely with site teams, academic teams and senior managers to ensure facilities support the smooth running of teaching, student services and day to day operations.
• Line manages the Maintenance Officer and Logistics Officer, setting priorities, monitoring performance and ensuring work is completed to a high standard.
• Coordinate cleaning provision across sites, ensuring cleaning standards are maintained and issues are addressed promptly.
• Manage reception and front of house rota planning, ensuring appropriate cover is in place to support students, staff and visitors.
• Plan staff shifts, manage rotas and sign off timesheets accurately and on time

Requirements

What We’re Looking For

Essential

• Experience in estates, facilities, building services or site operations management.
• Experience managing or supervising staff, including rotas, shifts, performance standards and timesheet sign off.
• Strong understanding of building maintenance, planned preventative maintenance and reactive repairs.
• Good mechanical and electrical awareness, with the ability to identify issues and coordinate appropriate contractor support.
• Experience managing contractors, suppliers or service providers.
• Good understanding of health and safety, statutory compliance and safe working practices within a building or facilities environment.
• Ability to manage cleaning, reception/front of house, logistics or site support functions to a consistent standard.
• Strong organisation skills, with the ability to manage multiple sites, people, tasks and competing priorities.
• Confident communicator who can work with staff, contractors, students, visitors, landlords and senior stakeholders.
• Practical, standards focused and reliable, with strong follow through and attention to detail.
• Ability to travel between sites as required.

Desirable

• Electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC or building services qualification.
• IOSH Managing Safely, NEBOSH General Certificate or equivalent health and safety training.
• Experience working in education, higher education, training, public sector or another regulated environment.
• Experience using facilities management, helpdesk, compliance or asset management systems.
• Knowledge of fire safety, water hygiene, legionella control, emergency lighting, fixed wire testing, PAT testing, asbestos management or similar statutory areas.
• Experience supporting refurbishments, office moves, new site openings or small works projects.

Why Join Us

• Join a growing education provider with ambitious plans for expansion.
• Take ownership of a varied multi site estates role with real operational impact.
• Help create safe, professional and well maintained environments for students and staff.
• Be part of an organisation focused on growth, quality and student outcomes.
• Work in a role where practical problem solving, reliability and standards genuinely matter.

Benefits

• Salary from £35,000 to £40,000 depending on experience
• 10% bonus
• 28 days annual leave plus 8 days bank holiday
• Pension scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Strong CPD and development opportunities
• Company and social events
• Retail discounts through Bright Exchange