Estates Operative (Maintenance)

Retirement Villages; East Grinstead; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

Retirement Villages is seeking a practical Estates Operative for Charters Village in East Grinstead. You’ll maintain village buildings, grounds and safety checks, with a weekly on-call rota and a 8am–4pm, Monday–Friday pattern.

The role involves general maintenance, repairs, grounds work and ensuring a welcoming environment for residents and staff throughout the year.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a practical maintenance, gardening, landscaping or estates role.
• Good all-round practical skills and confidence using grounds and maintenance equipment.
• A strong understanding of health and safety, with COSHH knowledge being an advantage.
• A proactive and hands-on approach, with the ability to identify and resolve issues.
• Good organisational skills and the ability to manage and prioritise a varied workload.

Responsibilities

• Carry out planned and reactive maintenance across village buildings, fixtures, fittings and equipment.
• Support with general repairs and report faults or issues promptly.
• Carry out regular health and safety, compliance and alarm-system checks.
• Help maintain the village grounds, including mowing, hedge trimming, planting, pruning, weeding and watering.
• Monitor plant health and support the safe treatment of pests and diseases in line with environmental guidelines.
• Keep paths, roadways and walkways safe and well maintained, including supporting with snow and ice clearance during winter.
• Safely use and maintain tools, machinery and equipment.
• Manage and safely store relevant chemical supplies in line with COSHH and health and safety requirements.
• Complete weekly and monthly checks and maintain accurate records.
• Participate in the on-call rota and respond to emergency situations when required and trained, including providing first aid where appropriate.
• Work closely with colleagues across the village to maintain high standards and provide a great experience for our residents.

Skills

Maintenance

Groundswork

COSHH knowledge

On-call readiness

Health and safety

Job description

We’re looking for a practical, proactive and hands‑on Estates Operative to join our team at Charters Village in East Grinstead.

This is a varied role at the heart of our village, helping to ensure our buildings, grounds and outdoor spaces are safe, well maintained and welcoming for residents, visitors and colleagues. From general maintenance and repairs to caring for the grounds and carrying out important safety checks, no two days are quite the same.

The role is based on a Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm working pattern, with participation in an on‑call rota to provide emergency support during evenings and weekends every other week.

If you enjoy practical and outdoor work, take pride in high standards and enjoy being part of a friendly community, we’d love to hear from you.

What You’ll Do

• Carry out planned and reactive maintenance across village buildings, fixtures, fittings and equipment.
• Support with general repairs and report faults or issues promptly.
• Carry out regular health and safety, compliance and alarm‑system checks.
• Help maintain the village grounds, including mowing, hedge trimming, planting, pruning, weeding and watering.
• Monitor plant health and support the safe treatment of pests and diseases in line with environmental guidelines.
• Keep paths, roadways and walkways safe and well maintained, including supporting with snow and ice clearance during winter.
• Safely use and maintain tools, machinery and equipment.
• Manage and safely store relevant chemical supplies in line with COSHH and health and safety requirements.
• Complete weekly and monthly checks and maintain accurate records.
• Participate in the on‑call rota and respond to emergency situations when required and trained, including providing first aid where appropriate.
• Work closely with colleagues across the village to maintain high standards and provide a great experience for our residents.

What We’re Looking For

• Previous experience in a practical maintenance, gardening, landscaping or estates role.
• Good all‑round practical skills and confidence using grounds and maintenance equipment.
• A strong understanding of health and safety, with COSHH knowledge being an advantage.
• A proactive and hands‑on approach, with the ability to identify and resolve issues.
• Good organisational skills and the ability to manage and prioritise a varied workload.
• A friendly, customer‑focused approach and confidence interacting with residents.
• Someone reliable and dependable who takes pride in doing a job well.
• The ability to carry out physical and outdoor work throughout the year.
• Flexibility to participate in an on‑call rota covering evenings and weekends.

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 team where people support one another, take pride in what they do and make a genuine difference to the lives of our residents.

Why Join Us?

• A friendly and supportive team
• A varied, hands‑on role where no two days are the same
• Opportunities for training and development
• The chance to make a visible difference to our village and community
• A role where you can take real pride in the work you do every day

Apply Today

If you’re looking for a practical and rewarding role within a friendly community, and enjoy helping to create safe, attractive and welcoming spaces, we’d love to hear from you!