Estates & Facilities Officer

Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners; Whitehaven; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff discount

Free parking

Job summary

Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners is seeking an additional member to join the Operations and Facilities Management team to oversee non-marine assets across WHC’s portfolio, including historic harbour sites and town assets.

The role reports to the Chief Compliance Officer & Head of Estates, and will manage maintenance schedules, budgets and liaise with contractors to ensure safety, reliability and presentation standards across multiple facilities in Whitehaven.

Qualifications

• Able to create and manage schedules of maintenance tasks and oversee delivery by contractors.
• Good working knowledge of workplace H&S; additional training can be arranged.
• Great organisational skills with a high level of computer literacy, especially Microsoft/Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Establish and manage maintenance task schedules across assets, ensuring compliance and high presentation standards.
• Propose improvements in efficiency and standards and implement them where appropriate.
• Ensure timely responses to corrective works with robust processes.

Skills

Maintenance planning

H&S knowledge

Organisational skills

Contractor management

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

Overview

Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners (WHC) are seeking an additional member of our Operations and Facilities Management team, which has responsibility for delivering Estates and Facilities Management services across WHC’s properties and land assets, including some tenanted buildings and community spaces.

If you’re interested in managing maintenance schedules and at the same time would love to join a small, local team of dedicated and passionate people working hard to manage and conserve our town’s historic harbour and wider estate, in one of the most amazing locations in the country (in our opinion!) and a positive quality of life… you could be the one we’re looking for.

Who we are

WHC is a not-for-profit organisation, safely managing and maintaining Whitehaven Harbour and its environs for the benefit of all. We are committed to optimising our commercial revenues in order to continually improve by reinvesting in our assets, ensuring all of those assets are managed and proactively maintained to provide a safe, sustainable and enjoyable environment and experience for all users.

At the heart of the community, we celebrate our 400-year history to drive the future and protect the legacy of this unique local institution.

We are proud of our core values; we will:

• actively listen and put people at the heart of what we do
• treat people fairly and inclusively, embracing equality and diversity
• be honest, open and transparent in our dealings with customers, colleagues and partners
• stand up and take responsibility for our actions
• provide a safe and secure environment for all
• strive for continuous improvement and a better future

WHC comprises a diverse team of 17 employees covering estate and harbour operations, car parking, The Rum Story and a range of administrative support functions. We are also fortunate to be supported by a wide network of retained specialist consultants, trusted contractors, volunteers, secondees and the skills and capabilities of up to eight volunteer Commissioners who provide strategic leadership and support across all our operational areas.

Our sector is niche but our operational delivery is broad, and we recognise it may be difficulty to recruit someone who already ticks all the boxes for preferred knowledge and ability. Where enough essential criteria can be demonstrated, we will take transferable skills into consideration when shortlisting and are committed to supporting personal development to enhance the right individual’s skills to help them deliver the very best.

Many of our existing colleagues joined us from outside the sector and have proven themselves to be strong team players who thrive on variety and challenge, and have a get-things-done approach, which is ultimately what we want from every new recruit too – so don’t let a lack of specific industry experience put you off applying!

Purpose

Reporting to the Chief Compliance Officer & Head of Estates, you will be part of a team responsible for the non-marine operational management of the WHC portfolio of assets and managing the interface with those undertaking marine obligations on WHC’s behalf.

The estate is made up of a diverse range of facilities, operational premises, historic buildings and areas of high-profile public realm, mostly around – but not limited to – the harbour environment. Our many assets include the harbour itself which includes The Edge – Cumbria’s Coastal Activities Centre, Gordon Thomson House (aka The Fish Hall!), four surface car parks, a multi-storey car park, The Rum Story retail offer and heritage attraction in the town centre, and more… all of which underpin Whitehaven’s marine and tourism industries.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Help establish and manage the delivery of effective maintenance schedules for assets ensuring statutory compliance, a high standard of presentation and reliability of services whilst ensuring a seamless interface with colleagues managing ‘wet’ harbour operations.
• Bring forward recommendations for improvements in standards and efficiency, implementing improvements where appropriate.
• Ensure there are robust arrangements in place to deliver timely and effective responses to corrective works.
• Support the development of operational and maintenance budgets at appropriate levels to meet reliability and presentational standards commensurate with asset management plans on a building-by-building basis across all parts of the portfolio.
• Work with H&S and Compliance colleagues to ensure all policies and procedures are in place and adhered to, with appropriate reporting requirements met in a timely fashion.
• Check that monthly orders to FM service providers and purchase orders for all corrective works are issued, following up with FM providers to ensure tasks are actioned quickly and to a high standard and fully completed before invoices are signed off for approval.

Person specification

Essential

• Able to create and manage schedules of maintenance tasks and oversee delivery by contractors, including small repair works and upgrades.
• Good working knowledge of workplace H&S; additional training can be arranged.
• Great organisational skills with a high level of computer literacy, especially Microsoft / Outlook programs, with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience of Facilities Management is required but considered secondary to a proven ability to manage multiple workstreams in an organised and controlled fashion.

Desirable

• An understanding of operational management of buildings and building systems is desirable, particularly in marine environments.
• Some experience in managing listed buildings/structures would be beneficial.
• Demonstrate knowledge of local heritage and history with an interest in, and passion for, the betterment of Whitehaven and its community.

Headline terms & conditions

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 35 hours per week

Salary: £30,000 pa

Annual leave: 25 days per annum plus all statutory bank holidays

Probation and notice period: This role has a probation period of three months, during which the notice period on either side will be one week. The notice period then increases to four weeks’ prior written notice until continuously employed for four complete years, with one additional week's notice required for each completed year of continuous employment thereafter, up to a maximum of eight weeks' notice.

Pension: WHC operates an auto-enrolment pension scheme through Nest.

Working arrangements: WHC is a seven-day operation and most full-time core team members work five days a week with one-hour unpaid lunch break per day. Some weekend and evening work may be required, with some weeks involving the post-holder working more than 35 hours, for which time off in lieu (TOIL) will be awarded.

We are responsive to flexible working requests and will take a collaborative approach to finding the right solution for the individual and the organisation. In exceptional circumstances we may be able to reduce elements of the role, alter core working hours or introduce job share arrangements, for example. Candidates should state at the outset if they wish to explore flexible working arrangements.

Location: This post is based at WHC’s main office above The Rum Story in Whitehaven town centre, however the nature of the role will mean spending significant time around the whole harbour estate. Some travel outside the area may be required but only rarely.

Additional employee benefits: Staff discount in The Rum Story shop; free parking on WHC car parks.

How to apply

Please send a CV and supporting letter, setting out your relevant experience and knowledge, to Duncan Rogers, Chief Compliance Officer and Head of Estates, at Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners, 27 Lowther Street, Whitehaven, CA28 7DN or email [e-mail]

Deadline

11th October 2026. Please accept an automated response as confirmation of receipt of your application.

Interviews

Not before w/c 26th October or 2nd November TBC, at Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners’ office above The Rum Story, Lowther Street, Whitehaven, CA28 7DN. Please let us know if you are likely to be unavailable for interview in this timeframe. Requests for online first interviews may be considered in certain circumstances; however, any candidates selected for a second interview must attend in person.

Further information

For an informal discussion about the role, or to clarify anything about the job description before applying, email CEO Deanne Shallcross on [e-mail]

Equal opportunities statement

WHC/The Rum Story are committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment. All job applicants receive equal treatment regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation (protected characteristics).

We are required by law to ensure all employees are entitled to work in the UK. Prospective employees, regardless of nationality, must be able to produce original documents before employment starts, to satisfy current immigration legislation.