Estates Engineering Maintenance Manager

Royal Ballet and Opera; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Estate of the Royal Ballet and Opera seeks an experienced engineering professional to lead our team of in-house mechanical and electrical engineers and collaborate with specialist third‑party contractors delivering projects on behalf of RBO.

The successful candidate will have a hands‑on engineering background, strong people management and communication skills, and the ability to plan and manage change while maintaining high standards during maintenance and in the future Masterplan.

Qualifications

• Engineering Apprenticeship/HNC Level Engineer, or proven competence through practical experience.
• Detailed knowledge of the working practices and demands of a large complex public building and/or listed building.
• Good working knowledge of statutory compliance within a medium to large, diverse, and complex estate.
• Previous knowledge and experience of maintaining buildings of historic/heritage importance.
• Strong budgetary understanding and control.
• Project management skills and ability to deliver to budget and deadlines with a proven track record of taking and accepting responsibility for projects and initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead the in-house mechanical and electrical engineering team and coordinate with specialist third party contractors delivering work on behalf of RBO.
• Hands-on engineering skills and leadership, working alongside the senior team to deliver ad hoc maintenance projects and to contribute to the future Masterplan.

Skills

Leadership

Engineering experience

People management

Communication skills

Budget control

Education

Engineering apprenticeship/HNC

Job description

The Estate of the Royal Ballet and Opera comprises three buildings: the main site in Covent Garden includes a 2,000+ seated theatre which dates from 1858, and redeveloped stage and newly developed rehearsal rooms, dressing rooms, workshops offices and ancillary spaces sating from a large-scale capital project completed in 1999, and a second theatre and refreshed front of house spaces delivered via the Open Project in 2018. The RBO’s Production Workshop and Costume Centre are located in Thurrock, Essex and a 14,000m2 store in Aberdare, Wales. Together the facilities enable the organisation to deliver a complex and busy production schedule and support the work of staff, artists and creatives to stage opera and ballet to exacting standards.

Following a recent internal promotion, we are looking for an experienced engineering professional to lead our team of in-house mechanical and electrical engineers, as well as working with specialist third party contractors delivering work on behalf of RBO. Our ideal candidate will be a professional with an extensive track record in a similar role, with a hands on engineering background. They will have robust people management and communication skills and the ability to lead a team of engineers to achieve consistently high standards of performance. They will have a flexible mindset and the ability to plan and manage change effectively, being reliable and resilient when responding positively to changing circumstances.

Can you demonstrate the following:

• Engineering Apprenticeship/HNC Level Engineer, or proven competence through practical experience.
• A detailed knowledge of the working practices and demands of a large complex public building and/or listed building.
• Good working knowledge of statutory compliance within a medium to large, diverse, and complex estate.
• Previous knowledge and experience of maintaining buildings of historic/heritage importance.
• Strong budgetary understanding and control.
• Project management skills and ability to deliver to budget and deadlines with a proven track record of taking and accepting responsibility for projects and initiatives.

Please note, although project management skills are a bonus in terms of the way we work, this role is not for a project manager. This requires hands-on engineering skills and leadership and is required to work alongside the senior team to deliver both ad hoc maintenance projects and to work on the future Masterplan.