Desk Top Supervisor - Dunstable

Howells Solutions Limited; Caddington; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Howells Solutions Limited in Dunstable is seeking a Repairs Desktop Supervisor for a main contractor in the Social Housing sector. You will oversee operatives, manage daily schedules, and ensure repairs progress smoothly with accurate admin and IT records.

This fully office-based role coordinates trades (plumbers, electricians, carpenters, plasterers), liaises with residents and clients, and keeps systems up to date for right-first-time outcomes.

Qualifications

• Trades background in reactive domestic repairs.
• Willing to move into a permanent office-based role.
• Strong administration and IT skills.
• Clear and professional communication with residents and operatives.

Responsibilities

• Take calls from residents reporting repairs and create repairs in the system.
• Schedule daily reactive repair work for a team of operatives.
• Act as main point of contact for operatives throughout the day.
• Liaise with residents and clients via phone, email and live chat.
• Provide technical guidance to help complete jobs right first time.
• Manage access, variations and unforeseen problems quickly.
• Arrange parts and materials and coordinate click & collect as needed.
• Log, update and track repairs in the job management system.
• Record notes, updates and follow-on actions accurately.

Skills

Trade background

Office-based role transition

IT skills

Communication skills

Multi-tasking

Tools

Repair management system

Job description

Desktop Supervisor

Dunstable

£35,000 - £45,000

Permanent

As a Desktop Supervisor, working for a main contractor within the Social Housing Sector you will oversee the daily operations of the operatives to ensure efficient and effective resolution the day to day reactive maitnenance. You will play a crucial role in supervising activities along with daily whip allocations and SOR code efficiency.

Are you a tradesperson working in reactive domestic repairs who's ready to come off the tools - but still use your trade knowledge every day?

We're looking for a Repairs Desktop Supervisor to coordinate and support a team of operatives delivering reactive repairs in occupied homes.

This is a fully office-based role where your understanding of day-to-day repairs, access issues, and right-first-time working is just as important as strong admin and IT skills.

You'll be the main point of contact for a team of trade operatives (plumbers, electricians, carpenters, plasterers), helping jobs stay on track, resolving issues as they arise, and reducing repeat visits.

The Role

The purpose of the role is to keep reactive repairs moving efficiently from first visit through to completion. You'll support operatives in real time, deal with issues as they occur, keep systems accurate and up to date, and ensure residents and clients are kept informed.

This role suits someone who understands the pressures of reactive repairs - last-minute changes, access problems, parts shortages, and resident expectations - and can manage these effectively from an office environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Taking calls from residents who are reporting repairs, creating the repair on the system and scheduling the jobs
• Running and managing daily reactive repair schedules for a team of operatives
• Acting as the main point of contact for operatives throughout the day
• Liaising with residents and clients (local authorities and housing associations) by phone, email, and live chat
• Providing technical guidance to operatives to help complete jobs right first time
• Reacting quickly to access issues, variations, and unforeseen problems
• Arranging parts and materials, including click & collect where required
• Accurately logging, updating, and tracking reactive repair jobs on the job management system
• Ensuring all job notes, updates, outcomes, and follow-on actions are properly recorded
• Monitoring job progress and escalating issues where required

Essential Skills & Experience

• Trade background essential, with experience in reactive domestic repairs
• A tradesperson looking to move into a permanent, office-based role
• Strong administration and organisational skills
• Excellent IT skills - confident updating repair systems, emails, and working across multiple screens
• Clear and professional communication skills with operatives, residents, and clients
• Ability to manage multiple live jobs in a fast-paced environment
• Calm, solutions-focused approach under pressure

Why This Role?

• A genuine opportunity to come off the tools without losing your trade knowledge
• Office-based role using real-world repairs experienceDirect impact on repair performance, resident satisfaction, and right-first-time outcomes
• Clear progression into senior scheduling, operations, or management role