Job Description

Position Details

Estates


Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK


Full time starting salary is normally in the range 27,166 to 28,768, with potential progression once in post to 32,145


Grade: 4


Full Time, Permanent


Closing date: 28th May 2025

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

Performing planned and reactive, mechanical, electrical and building fabric maintenance activities across University buildings, facilities and wider estate.

Role Summary

The Maintenance Technician (Carpenter) is responsible to a Team Leader and / or their Deputy Team Leader on a day-to-day basis and is required to carry out work appropriate to their core specialist skills. They are also required to undertake within their level of competency, work of other crafts, following suitable training.

Main Duties

Undertake and take ownership of assigned maintenance tasks. Diagnose and repair faults in building fabric across a range of building trades. To deal with new situations as they arise and to pass on knowledge to others. To interpret and work from verbal instructions, drawings and specifications appropriate to University buildings. Show understanding and appreciation of all elements of engineering systems in University buildings. Support a wide range of work of other crafts, demonstrating flexible and multi-disciplined collaborative working. To learn new techniques and craft practices in line with evolving technology and legislative Health and Safety Requirements. This may involve attendance on training courses. To manufacture, assemble, erect and install new work to current standard. Carry out planned maintenance and repairs to efficiently maintain building fabric. To work as part of a multi-disciplined team and understand fully the inter-relationship between the various maintenance crafts. Instruct others on aspects relating to their work. Recording, completing and providing essential job information via IT based systems. Required to operate in various shift patterns to accommodate the needs of the University. Undertake all work in accordance with safe working practices and safe working procedures. Driving safely whilst obeying all traffic laws and regulations, when driving University vehicles. Carry out such other duties as are required according to your skill set or following suitable and sufficient training and / or instruction. This includes training support for new starters and apprentices. Adhere to University and Estates Office Policies & Procedures. Ensure work records are kept up to date to ensure effective monitoring of progress. Ensure that Health and Safety regulations, Codes of Practice and safe working procedures are understood and are always adhered to. Ensure that all supervised staff are aware of and adhere to these procedures. Maintain a commitment to personal development, including learning new techniques and craft practices in line with evolving technology and legislative H&S requirements. This may involve attendance in training courses. Supports equality and values diversity, moderates own behaviour to avoid unfair discriminatory impact or bias on others.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

Qualifications

Full driving license Recognised CITB/EITB qualification or equivalent and preferably hold a minimum of City and Guilds Certificates or other approved training acceptable by the University of Birmingham and the appropriate training boards

Experience

Significant maintenance repairs experience being fully familiar with own skill area and service requirements in it Good practical working knowledge and experience of multiple disciplines Experienced in analysing and solving of a wide range of practical problems and ensuring a high-quality service Ability to develop improvements to processes (service organisational) and similar in collaboration with Line Manager Experience of working in a highly customer focussed environment

Knowledge

Sound knowledge of building fabric maintenance across multiple disciplines Knowledge and understanding of safe working practices and procedures being responsible for own safety and safety of others affected by activity in the area where work is undertaken Safe driving rules and practices

Skills

Excellent time management and organisational skills with regard to workload and priority Excellent communication and interpersonal relationships to interact effectively with co-workers, supervisors and customers Ability to clarify issues objectively and to address them by priority Ability to identify and report difficult situations quickly, precisely and clearly The ability to operate and interrogate appropriate University computerised systems after training Safe use of hand, power and machine tools Ability to understand and follow written and oral instructions Good literacy and numeracy skills Working independently or in a team Ability to work under pressure, often autonomously using own initiative and to agreed deadlines Basic IT skills including the use of Microsoft Office packages

Personal Qualities

A focused positive customer-service attitude A proactive attitude towards work Self-motivation Commitment Trustworthiness Good communication supporting customer's needs and communicating with them in a suitable and professional manner. Keep customers updated on progress where required and ensure customer satisfaction before, during and after works.

Informal enquiries to John Heffernan, email: j.a.heffernan@bham.ac.uk


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

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You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone

on our website

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