Facilities Assistant

The University of Sheffield; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working opportunities

Hybrid working (where applicable)

Generous pension scheme

Staff networks and rewards

Job summary

The University of Sheffield is seeking a Facilities Assistant to be the first point of contact for students, staff, visitors and the public, delivering high standards of customer care across campus buildings.

You will support building operations, mail handling, room layouts for teaching and events, and health & safety risk assessments, under supervision. The role requires IT skills and the ability to work in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Experience of providing a high standard of customer care and delivering excellent services to internal/external customers.
• Demonstrate effective communication skills to engage with a wide variety of customers and colleagues in a professional manner.
• Ability to write clear, concise, and accurate reports, emails and correspondence.
• Good standard of IT skills with the ability to use both tablet devices and PCs, with knowledge of spreadsheets and emails.
• Work effectively as part of a team and support colleagues.
• Ability to effectively review work related issues and problems, identifying appropriate corrective measures, referring to line managers where necessary.
• Ability to forward think and take corrective action to prevent problems and issues arising.
• Excellent planning and organisational skills with the ability to organise resources, prioritise workload without close supervision and to meet tight deadlines.
• Demonstrate a good understanding of health and safety at work and the ability to identify potential hazards and risks and suggest solutions.
• Willing to attend training courses and development activities and demonstrate a commitment to continued personal development.
• Knowledge of water systems and legionella control.

Responsibilities

• Respond to in person, telephone, email enquiries from students, staff, visitors, contractors and general public, in a polite and courteous manner, ensuring an excellent service is given.
• Proactively respond and take ownership of day to day building operations issues. This will include liaising with the EFM Helpdesk to investigate customer queries.
• Play an active role in helping to assess health & safety risks and develop safe and efficient ways of working.
• Undertake the safe delivery, collection, signing and digital record keeping of internal and external mail, parcels and packages across campus. Ensure security of all mail items whilst stored and in transit.
• Undertake activities, such as rearranging furniture, room layouts to enable teaching, learning activities and events, such as exams, open days and graduation.
• Prioritise own work and collaborate with others for the completion of specific tasks with other EFM colleagues to maintain efficient, effective and safe operation of the building.
• Carry out regular inspections of buildings, including replenishing supplies, checking lights and audio‑visual equipment, logging and addressing faults through PLANON and lost property.
• Collect/dispose of all waste in accordance with university policies and guidelines, ensuring waste is disposed of correctly and to procedures.
• Proactively undertake ad hoc housekeeping activities.
• Undertake specific activities in an emergency evacuation of the building. Liaising with departmental fire marshals, University safety and security teams and emergency services.

Skills

Customer care

Communication skills

IT skills

Teamwork

Health & safety

Reporting

Planning & organisation

Tools

PLANON

Job description

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

We are seeking a customer‑faced individual with the ability to quickly build and maintain excellent working relationships to join our friendly Campus Services Team as a Facilities Assistant. You will act as the first point of contact for a wide range of customers including students, staff, visitors and members of the public and will be motivated by providing a high standard of customer care and by working in a diverse and ever‑changing environment.

Reporting to the Facilities Management Team for a specific area of the campus, you will undertake a wide variety of tasks based in and around University buildings to make sure that the University’s core business of teaching and learning has the facilities, equipment and support it needs on a day to day basis. Tasks include reception duties, accepting deliveries, internal distribution of mail, changing and moving furniture and room layouts.

Previous relevant experience in a customer service role is essential as is the ability to use a variety of IT packages and work without close supervision on a day to day basis. We will provide you with a comprehensive induction and any required on‑the‑job training.

Main Duties And Responsibilities

• Respond to in person, telephone, email enquiries from students, staff, visitors, contractors and general public, in a polite and courteous manner, ensuring an excellent service is given.
• Proactively respond and take ownership of day to day building operations issues. This will include liaising with the EFM Helpdesk to investigate customer queries.
• Play an active role in helping to assess health & safety risks and develop safe and efficient ways of working.
• Undertake the safe delivery, collection, signing and digital record keeping of internal and external mail, parcels and packages across campus. Ensure security of all mail items whilst stored and in transit.
• Undertake activities, such as rearranging furniture, room layouts to enable teaching, learning activities and events, such as exams, open days and graduation.
• Prioritise own work and collaborate with others for the completion of specific tasks with other EFM colleagues to maintain efficient, effective and safe operation of the building.
• Carry out regular inspections of buildings, including replenishing supplies, checking lights and audio‑visual equipment, logging and addressing faults through PLANON and lost property.
• Collect/dispose of all waste in accordance with university policies and guidelines, ensuring waste is disposed of correctly and to procedures.
• Proactively undertake ad hoc housekeeping activities.
• Undertake specific activities in an emergency evacuation of the building. Liaising with departmental fire marshals, University safety and security teams and emergency services.
• Undertake building security, locking/unlocking and alarm setting, ensuring specific rooms not in use and locked and regularly patrolling the buildings. Reporting suspicious activity or persons to the University Emergency Control room.
• Weekly and daily compliance checks completed on time for water flushing including real time completion of flushing logs.
• As a member of staff you will be encouraged to make ethical decisions in your role, embedding the University sustainability strategy into your working activities wherever possible.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and are respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Criteria

Essential Or Desirable

Stage(s) assessed at

Experience of providing a high standard of customer care and delivering excellent services to internal/external customers.

Essential

Interview/application

Demonstrate effective communication skills to engage with a wide variety of customers and colleagues in a professional manner.

Essential

Interview/application

Ability to write clear, concise, and accurate reports, emails and correspondence.

Essential

Interview/application

Good standard of IT skills with the ability to use both tablet devices and PCs, with knowledge of spreadsheets and emails.

Essential

Interview/application

Work effectively as part of a team and support colleagues.

Essential

Interview/application

Ability to effectively review work related issues and problems, identifying appropriate corrective measures, referring to line managers where necessary.

Essential

Interview/application

Ability to forward think and take corrective action to prevent problems and issues arising.

Essential

Interview/application

Excellent planning and organisational skills with the ability to organise resources, prioritise workload without close supervision and to meet tight deadlines.

Essential

Interview/application

Demonstrate a good understanding of health and safety at work and the ability to identify potential hazards and risks and suggest solutions

Essential

Interview/application

Willing to attend training courses and development activities and demonstrate a commitment to continued personal development.

Essential

Interview/application

Knowledge of water systems and legionella control.

Desirable

Interview/application

Desirable

A full, clean UK driving licence.

Desirable

Interview

Further Information

Grade: 3

Salary: £34,636.32 to £36,011.76 per annum. Potential to progress to £37,644.24 through sustained exceptional contribution. This role attracts a shift allowance.

Work arrangement: 42 Hours average per week (12 hour rotating shifts, days and night) Monday to Sunday, 7:00am - 7:00pm / 7:00pm - 7:00am

Line manager: Facilities Manager

Our website: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/efm

For informal enquiries about this job contact Emma Harper: on [e-mail]

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place within 2 weeks of the closing date. This will consist of an in-person interview and exercise. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact [e-mail].

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

What We Offer

• A minimum of 38 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women's and Parent's networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Professional Services Shared Skills Framework.
• A range of generous family-friendly policies:
  • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
  • support for those going through the menopause
  • paid time off and support for fertility treatment
  • and more

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

Closing Date : 04/10/2026

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision (www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.