Job Description

Maintenance Worker

Salary: 25,000 - 30,000 per annum Job Type: Permanent/4 days per week (32hrs)

Park Lodge Project is a dedicated charity committed to empowering young people and fostering safe, supportive environments where they can thrive. We provide a range of vital services, including educational and employment support, safe housing, ensuring every young individual has the opportunity to achieve their full potential. As a small but impactful organisation, we aim to deliver our life-changing work and drive positive change in young people's lives.

About the Role

Park Lodge Project is seeking a reliable, skilled, and hands-on Maintenance Worker to join our team. You will play a key role in maintaining high standards across our supported accommodation properties, ensuring they remain safe, functional, and welcoming for our staff and young people.

This is a varied and practical role requiring a proactive individual who can carry out general maintenance, respond to repairs, and uphold health and safety standards. Discretion, professionalism, and safeguarding awareness are essential, as you'll be working in sensitive environments.

Key Responsibilities

Carry out reactive and planned maintenance tasks across multiple supported accommodation properties

Respond promptly to maintenance issues and emergencies

Perform general repairs including basic plumbing, electrical, joinery, tiling, painting, and decorating

Install or repair fixtures such as shelves, blinds, cabinets, flooring, sockets, light fittings, thermostats, taps, and toilets

Conduct patch plastering, painting, and decorating of walls, ceilings, skirting boards, and doors

Carry out planned preventative maintenance including checks on fire doors, smoke alarms, and extractor fans

Supporting the setup and development of new accommodation/properties

Conducting routine inspections to ensure buildings and outdoor areas remain safe and in good condition

Working closely with the Housing Management Team and the wider support staff and Managers

Identify and report potential health and safety risks or defects to the Line Manager

Support property turnaround and refurbishment, including repairs, cleaning, and safety checks

Maintain gardens and external areas, including mowing lawns, hedge trimming, weeding, and minor fencing work

Perform basic window repair and gutter cleaning

Ensure safe storage and use of tools, equipment, and chemicals in line with COSHH regulations

Maintain accurate documentation and records of all maintenance tasks and safety checks

Liaise with management to prioritise and schedule maintenance activities

Ensure all work is carried out in accordance with organisational policies, procedures, and safeguarding guidelines

Respect young peoples' privacy and dignity while working in their living spaces

Provide occasional out-of-hours or emergency support as needed

Person Specification

Essential Skills & Experience:

Proven experience in a general maintenance or facilities role

Proficient in a range of trades including plumbing, electrical, carpentry, tiling, and decorating

Competent in the use of tools and maintenance equipment

Good knowledge of property health & safety, safeguarding, and building compliance

Takes pride in their work and has great attention to detail

Physically fit and capable of lifting, carrying, and working at height or in varied positions

Able to work independently across multiple sites, managing time and priorities effectively

Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive attitude

Excellent communication and professionalism when interacting with young people and colleagues

Accurate record-keeping and maintenance reporting skills

Full UK Driving Licence - Essential

Willingness to undergo an enhanced DBS check

Preferred Qualifications:

- Relevant certifications in plumbing, electrical work, or health and safety (desirable but not essential).

- Experience working in student accommodation or residential lettings.

Keeping Young People Safe: Our Safer Recruitment Promise

At Park Lodge Project, the safety and well-being of the young people we support is absolutely at the heart of everything we do. It's not just a policy; it's a shared commitment, and it all begins with how we bring new staff into our team.

Our safer recruitment process is thorough by design. We want to make sure everyone who works with us, in any role, is genuinely suitable to be around young people. It's about being proactive - carefully checking and preventing anyone who might pose a risk from joining us.

What Our Safer Recruitment Process Looks Like:

Every appointment at Park Lodge Project goes through a robust and transparent safer recruitment process. This includes, but isn't limited to, these key checks:

Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check:

This is a crucial step for anyone working with vulnerable young people, including a check against the Children's Barred List, ensuring individuals aren't prohibited from this vital work.

Identity Verification:

We'll carefully confirm your identity.

Right to Work in the UK:

We'll verify your legal eligibility to work here.

Thorough Employment History and Reference Checks:

We reach out to previous employers for professional references, specifically asking about past conduct, performance, or any safeguarding concerns. We also take time to understand any gaps in your employment history.

Checking Qualifications and Professional Registrations:

If your role requires specific academic qualifications or professional registrations (like with Social Work England), we'll verify these.

Safeguarding-Focused Interview Questions:

During your interview, we'll ask specific questions to understand your knowledge of safeguarding, how you approach professional boundaries, and your genuine commitment to protecting children's welfare.

Declaration of Criminal Convictions/Cautions:

We ask all applicants to be open about any unspent criminal convictions or cautions.

Disqualification by Association Checks:

For certain roles, we'll also check for any disqualification by association.

Our Commitment to You:

While our process is thorough, please know that it's always conducted fairly and transparently. We believe in equal opportunity and will assess every applicant on its own merits. Any safeguarding concerns will always be handled with sensitivity and in line with all legal requirements and best practice.

Your Role as an Applicant:

We ask all applicants to be completely open and honest throughout our recruitment process. It's really important that you share any information relevant to your suitability to work with vulnerable young people.

By applying to Park Lodge Project, you're confirming your understanding and agree to these essential safer recruitment checks.

Got questions about our safer recruitment? Feel free to get in touch with

recruitment@parklodgeproject.com

Diversity & Equality: A Foundation for Success at Park Lodge Project

At Park Lodge Project, we truly believe that our greatest strength comes from our people. We're deeply committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment where absolutely everyone feels valued, respected, and truly empowered to bring their whole selves to work. The richer the variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives within our team, the better we can support the vulnerable young people in our care.

We're proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We warmly welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals - no matter their age, disability, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We actively champion diversity and genuinely aim for our team to reflect the vibrant communities we serve.

Our recruitment process is designed to be fair, transparent, and completely free from bias, ensuring everyone has an equal chance. We're also committed to making sensible adjustments for disabled applicants and employees, so they can participate fully in our recruitment process and truly thrive as part of our team.

Joining Park Lodge Project means joining an organisation that genuinely celebrates individuality. We believe that a diverse team isn't just a goal; it's how we achieve the best possible outcomes for the vulnerable young people who we support.

Job Type: Permanent

Pay: 25,000.00-30,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person