Building Fabric Operative

NIFHA - Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Association; Belfast; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A housing association in Northern Ireland is seeking a Building Fabric Operative to perform maintenance and minor refurbishment across social housing properties. The ideal candidate will have NVQ Level 2 in a relevant trade and experience in building fabric maintenance. Excellent customer service skills and a strong awareness of health and safety are essential. This role comes with a range of employee benefits, including training and a contributory pension scheme.

Benefits

Contributory pension scheme

Health cash plan

Cycle to Work scheme

On-job training

Qualifications

• Proven experience working in building fabric maintenance or refurbishment within social housing.
• Ability to diagnose and carry out a wide range of building fabric repairs.
• Current Full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Carry out building fabric maintenance, repair, and minor refurbishment works.
• Ensure homes are safe, secure, and habitable according to health and safety standards.

Skills

Building fabric maintenance

Customer service

Health and safety awareness

Education

NVQ Level 2 in relevant trade

Job description

Building Fabric Operative Radius Housing

• Closing Date: 17 November 2025
• Location: Belfast based with occasional travel within Northern Ireland
• Contract: Permanent
• Hours: 40
• Job Ref: FHA04348

Radius Housing is proud to announce the launch ofRadius Direct Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary established to enhance and supplement our current property maintenance operations.

Radius Direct has been created to support the delivery of essential services including servicing, planned maintenance, minor works, and repairs. The formation of this new company represents a proactive investment in improving service delivery, ensuring we can respond effectively to the growing demands of our sector and the expectations of our tenants.

Given the current housing pressures across our communities, Radius Direct will have a strong focus on void property relets, helping to minimise turnaround times and bring vacant homes back into use more efficiently. Additionally, Radius Direct will be central in delivering a range of compliance-related services, ensuring that Radius Housing continues to meet and exceed its statutory and regulatory responsibilities in an ever-evolving housing environment.

At the heart of Radius Direct will be a dedicated expert team of multi-trade operatives who will work alongside our existing staff and external contractors. This team will provide a responsive and integrated maintenance service, combining in-house expertise with trusted partnerships to ensure high-quality outcomes for our tenants.

The introduction of Radius Direct reflects Radius Housing’s commitment to enhancing service standards, increasing operational flexibility, and reinforcing our focus on tenant wellbeing. By bringing additional capacity in-house, we aim to deliver a service that is not only efficient and compliant but also proactive and community-centred.

We are currently recruiting for the following role:

Building Fabric Operative

The post holder will carry out a range of building fabric maintenance, repair, and minor refurbishment works across social housing properties, ensuring homes are kept in a safe, secure, and habitable condition in accordance with health and safety standards and customer service expectations.

Location:Belfast based with occasional travel within Northern Ireland

Radius Housing provides quality and affordable social housing in over 80 towns and cities throughout Northern Ireland. We provide a range of services from sheltered housing for the over 55’s and general needs housing for families and single people, as well as specialist care and support facilities for the frail, elderly, people with dementia and learning disabilities and other complex needs.

Our aim is to be an employer of choice and to recruit employees who will embrace our vision and values and fulfil our performance standards within their role.

To be shortlisted candidates need to provide evidence of the following as a minimum:

• NVQ Level 2 (or equivalent) in a relevant trade such as carpentry, joinery, or general building.
• Proven experience working in building fabric maintenance or refurbishment, ideally within social housing.
• Ability to diagnose and carry out a wide range of building fabric repairs.
• Current Full UK driving licence*
• Excellent customer service and communication skills.
• Strong awareness of health and safety procedures and regulations.

(*where an applicant indicates that a disability prohibits them from driving, this criterion will be waived at the shortlisting stage. In such circumstances, consideration will be given in any subsequent offer of appointment to suitable alternative arrangements that the candidate may be able to put in place that would enable them to meet the travel requirements for the post).

In return we offer a range of benefits to employees including great on-job training, a contributory pension scheme, a health cash planwhich can provide help with dental, optician and medical costs(including cover for dependent children in full time education up to 18 years of age),free employee health checks and a Cycle to Work scheme. Flexibility regarding working hours is also offered in some areas of the business.

For further information on employee benefits go to the employee benefits section of our website.

Please include ‘Building Fabric Operative – FHA04348′ in the title of your email.

You can also send any other documents that will support your application.

Alternatively, you can apply directly through our website by clicking ‘Apply Online’.

Closing date for Applications is midnight on 17th November 2025.

Radius reserves the right to enhance criteria to facilitate shortlisting.

Association wide waiting lists may be compiled for future same or similar vacancies permanent / fixed term which may arise.

Radius is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

• Radius Housing, 3-7 Redburn Square, Holywood, County Down, BT18 9HZ