Estates Operations Support Manager and Safety Advisor

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UK Astronomy Technology Centre

Salary: £36,650 to £39,032 per annum (dependent on skills and experience).

Hours: Full time

Contract Type: Open Ended (permanent)

Location: Edinburgh Royal Observatory Edinburgh, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ

Closing date: 23rd April 2025

The Estates Operations Support Manager will be responsible for the delivery of all Soft Service contract management and a diverse range of Estates contractual tasks. The role holder will be required to work collaboratively with contractors, suppliers, UofE staff, students and Estates and non-Estates colleagues alike, across STFC.

The post holder will have the ability to maintain quality, challenge and develop work processes, along with managing and motivating a small team to ensure professional and efficient delivery of workflows.

The post holder will be required to provide leadership in maintaining and evolving all client facing services and embedding a 'customer first' ethos.

The post holder will be responsible for supporting the Estates Operations Manager with management of a resource and capital budgets.

The role holder will be self-motivated with an excellent customer focused approach, with an interest in STFC and Estates functions.

As SHE Advisor act as a key site contact for H&S and Environmental issues and queries on site and support the Estates Operations and Safety Manager in liaising with SHE Group and site users.

Key Responsibilities

1. To act as the primary point of contact for management of all Estates Soft Service Contracts
2. To manage and oversee contract administration in relation to all Soft Service Contracts
3. Lead in the identification, appointment and evaluation of soft service providers for ROE operations
4. Carry out both contract and day-to-day management of soft service contracts at ROE, to include, Reception, Security, Catering, Cleaning and Waste Management
5. Ensure Soft Service Budgets are efficiently reconciled including any internal recharges.
6. Undertake audits of soft services contracts and ensure contractors act on findings
7. To manage process and procedures for leasing, buying and maintaining site based vehicles
8. Line management of Estates Operations Support Administrator.
9. Deputize for the Estates Operations and Safety manager in their absence - including chairing and attending committees and meetings as required. E.g. Safety Committee and Doors Open Days Committee.
10. Managing the Estates Operations Support Administrator to ensure all CAFM jobs have full and accurate details captured and are allocated and prioritized accordingly
11. Effectively manage the facilities services resource budget on a day-to-day basis providing timely and accurate year-end forecasts and risk analysis for the Estates Operations Manager.
12. Actively contribute to the procurement process for new contracts, products and services, relating to the facilities services - supported by the Estates Operations Manager, external advisors, UKRI Procurement and UKSBS as required.
13. Ensure the completion of operations risk assessments and standard operating procedures (SOP) for all facilities services as part of the Estates Services Health and Safety System - ensuring the engagement of those staff affected by these to ensure full mobilization.
14. Ensure all relevant staff, contractors, students and visitors have received inductions and all mandatory training is completed. Liaise with SHE Group regarding training matrix and Heads of Group at UKATC if any mandatory training is outstanding
15. Liaise with SHE Group and Estates Services staff at other STFC sites where appropriate, identifying opportunities for improving and sharing best practice
16. Identify from findings related to incidents, near misses, hazards and safety tours where improvements can be made to site safety
17. Support in-house training - and external trainers on site - to deliver H&S courses to STFC staff
18. Ensure all training records and risk assessment documentation is up to date for ROE users
19. Ensure fire safety systems procedures and processes, including weekly testing, are carried out effectively, reporting any anomalies or non-compliance as required.
20. Support audits carried out by SHE Group or as required by the Estates Services Health and Safety Management System.
21. Supervise appointed contractors as required
22. Respond to emergency incidents across site as required
23. Manage all compliance records to ensure they are maintained and up to date
24. Be a member of the ROE Safety Committee and attend meetings
25. Arrange and take part in site safety tours and inspections
26. Deliver a professional and effective service to all customers across ROE ensuring needs are met and delivered on time within agreed SLAs
27. Ensure efficient communication with ROE users regarding maintenance and project activities according to the Estates Communications framework.
28. Support the Building Services Manager in the co-ordination of any site works
29. Champion the Estates service in a positive manner
30. Attending appropriate training to support the role and service delivery.
31. Providing resource and support for wider Estates Services tasks and priorities when required
32. The above duties will require limited travel and may involve occasional overnight stays
33. Any other reasonable management request

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

1. Level 4 qualification or significant equivalent and relevant experience
2. ILM3 or equivalent accredited line management training
3. IOSH Managing Safely

Desirable

1. NEBOSH General certificate

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

1. Experience of managing teams and delivering excellence in a service delivery environment
2. Experience of Soft Service contract management
3. Able to present and communicate confidently to a variety of stakeholders verbally and in writing
4. Experience of team working, coaching and training colleagues
5. A confident user of Microsoft Office packages including Word, PowerPoint, Excel and SharePoint, able to learn new IT systems and processes quickly.

Desirable

1. CAFM System experience
2. Good contracts knowledge

Personal Skills and Qualities

Essential

1. Outstanding customer focus and professional attitude to service delivery
2. High level of drive, enthusiasm and focus on the achievement of goals and setting standards
3. Diplomatic and ability to handle and control difficult and pressured situation
4. Organizationally effective with ability to manage competing deadlines and switch between multiple workflows
5. Ability to build good working relationships and deal with conflict professionally
6. Positive, proactive and flexible attitude
7. Commitment to own professional development
8. Proactively respond and engage in change
9. Ability to work on own initiative
10. Ability to travel to national sites

STFC values their employees by offering a benefits package designed to provide an excellent work/life balance including 30 days' annual leave, 10.5 public and privilege holidays, flexible working hours, exceptional average salary pension scheme, and a subsidised restaurant.

Join us and discover what's possible by submitting your CV and covering letter which outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for STFC and the role.