Estates Operative

Retirement Villages; Tunbridge Wells; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Enhanced annual leave

Birthday leave

Volunteer and wellbeing days

Development and training

Job summary

Retirement Villages is seeking a hands-on Estates Operative for our brand-new Paramount Place retirement village in Tunbridge Wells. You will maintain buildings, fixtures, equipment and outdoor spaces, ensuring a safe, welcoming environment for residents and visitors.

This full-time role involves varied duties, including repairs, safety checks, grounds maintenance and on-call support. You’ll join a friendly team dedicated to high standards and resident care.

Qualifications

• Experience in gardening or maintenance.
• Strong practical skills with maintenance and grounds equipment.
• Awareness of health and safety; COSHH experience beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Maintain village buildings, fixtures, fittings and equipment, following planned maintenance schedules.
• Carry out general repairs and report faults promptly to management.
• Carry out regular safety and alarm system checks.
• Maintain grounds: mowing, hedge trimming, planting, pruning, weeding and watering.
• Monitor plant health and treat pests/diseases per environmental guidelines.
• Keep paths, roadways and walkways safe; clear snow/ice in winter.
• Safely operate and maintain tools, machinery and chemical supplies.
• Conduct weekly and monthly compliance checks.
• Respond to emergency calls when trained; provide first aid where required.
• Collaborate with Estates and Facilities teams to maintain high standards.
• Build positive relationships with residents and provide a helpful, professional service.

Skills

Gardening

Maintenance

Health and safety

COSHH experience

Customer-focused

Reliability

Proactivity

Manual outdoor work

Tools

Grounds equipment

Power tools

Job description

We’re looking for a motivated and hands-on Estates Operative to join our team at our brand-new retirement village, Paramount Place in Tunbridge Wells.

You will play an important role in maintaining the buildings, fixtures, equipment and outdoor spaces across the village, helping to create a safe, attractive and welcoming environment for residents, visitors and colleagues.

This is a varied, hands-on role where no two days are the same. From keeping our grounds looking their best to supporting repairs, inspections, safety checks and general maintenance, you will help ensure our new community is maintained to the highest standards.

This is a full-time, permanent position working 37.5 hours per week, 5 days over 7 , with some on-call responsibilities as required.

If you enjoy practical and outdoor work, take pride in a job well done and want to be part of a friendly and supportive team, we’d love to hear from you.

What You’ll Do

• Maintain village buildings, fixtures, fittings and equipment, following planned maintenance schedules
• Carry out general repairs and report any faults promptly to management
• Carry out regular safety and alarm system checks
• Maintain the village grounds, including mowing, hedge trimming, planting, pruning, weeding and watering
• Monitor plant health and treat pests and diseases in line with environmental guidelines
• Keep paths, roadways and walkways safe, including clearing snow and ice during winter
• Safely operate and maintain tools, machinery and chemical supplies
• Conduct weekly and monthly compliance checks
• Respond to emergency calls when trained, including providing first aid where required
• Work collaboratively with the wider Estates and Facilities teams to deliver consistently high standards across the village
• Build positive relationships with residents and provide a helpful, professional service

What We’re Looking For

• Previous experience in gardening, landscaping, maintenance or a similar practical role
• Good practical skills and confidence using maintenance and grounds equipment
• A strong awareness of health and safety, with COSHH experience beneficial
• A customer-focused approach, with the ability to interact positively with residents and colleagues
• Someone reliable, proactive and able to prioritise tasks effectively
• The physical ability to carry out manual and outdoor work throughout the year
• A flexible approach to working, including a willingness to support some on-call responsibilities

Our Values

We’re proud of our culture and the values that shape how we work:

Age Well | Community | Keep Improving | Invest Wisely | Planet Positive | One Team

You’ll be joining a workplace where people support each other, take pride in their work and make a real difference to residents’ quality of life.

Why Join Us?

In return, we offer a range of benefits, including:

• Pension scheme
• Enhanced annual leave
• Birthday leave
• Reward and recognition schemes
• Volunteering and wellbeing days
• Opportunities for development and training
• A supportive and friendly team environment
• Plus much more

If you’re passionate about creating and maintaining great spaces and want to play a key role in helping establish a brand-new retirement community, we’d love to receive your application.