Head Custodian

Wycombe Abbey; High Wycombe; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous pension scheme

Fee remission at Wycombe Abbey and已

Job summary

Wycombe Abbey seeks an experienced Head Custodian to lead the Custodian Team and ensure the safety, security, and smooth operation of the School. You will manage the 24/7 Custodian Service, guide staffing and deployment, and coordinate with staff, pupils and contractors on site.

The role reports to the Estates Manager and is a full-time, permanent contract with a three‑month probation. Flexibility to work evenings, weekends and respond to emergencies is essential.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing an operational, security or customer-facing service.
• Experience leading teams in a 24/7 or demanding operational environment.
• Good knowledge of health & safety, fire safety and safeguarding requirements.
• Experience in an educational, boarding or similarly complex environment would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage and develop the Custodian Team for a 24/7 operation.
• Oversee security procedures, patrols, access arrangements and incident response.
• Coordinate operational responses with School departments, Emergency Services and agencies.
• Promote a professional, courteous and safety‑focused service to pupils, staff and visitors.

Job description

We seek an experienced Head Custodian to lead and manage the School's Custodian Team, helping to ensure the safety, security and smooth operation of the School. This key role is responsible for delivering a professional, customer-focused service that supports pupils, staff, visitors and contractors whilst they are on the School site.

Reports to: Estates Manager and ultimately responsible to the Headmistress.

Contract: This is a full-time, permanent contract. The first three months will be a probationary period.

Hours of Work: 40 hours per week. Working hours will be agreed in advance with the Estates Manager and arranged flexibly to meet the operational needs of the School and the 24/7 Custodian Service. The post holder will be expected to maintain a visible management presence, attend key meetings and School events, and work evenings and weekends where required. The post holder will also be expected to respond to significant operational incidents and emergencies outside normal working hours in accordance with the School's Emergency Response Plan.

As Head Custodian, you will lead, manage and develop the Custodian Team, promoting a professional, accountable and customer-focused culture. You will be responsible for managing the School's 24/7 Custodian Service, including staffing, deployment, shift handovers and operational cover, while maintaining operational resilience through effective contingency planning and the management of departmental resources and equipment.

The successful candidate will oversee security procedures, patrols, site access arrangements and security systems, as well as visitor, vehicle, key and access arrangements in accordance with School procedures. They will coordinate operational responses with relevant School departments, Emergency Services and other agencies as required and oversee the Custodian First Responder function, ensuring incidents and emergencies are handled safely, proportionately and escalated appropriately.

A key aspect of the role is ensuring the Custodian Team provides a professional, courteous and helpful service to pupils, staff, visitors, contractors and the wider School community. The Head Custodian will build effective working relationships across the School, coordinate support for School events, visitors and contractors, oversee the effective management of deliveries, post and parcels, and promote high standards of customer service across the team.

The Head Custodian will also promote a positive culture of health, safety, safeguarding and compliance within the Custodian Team, ensuring the department operates in accordance with relevant legislation, School policies, procedures and safe systems of work.

The ideal candidate will have proven experience of managing an operational, security or customer-facing service and experience of leading and developing teams in a 24/7 or similarly demanding operational environment. They will have good knowledge of security operations, risk management and emergency response together with a good understanding of relevant Health & Safety, fire safety and safeguarding requirements. Experience within an educational, boarding or similarly complex environment would be advantageous.

Wycombe Abbey is a world class full-boarding school for girls, located on a beautiful site in the centre of High Wycombe. With its distinctive heritage, magnificent 170-acre campus and impressive resources, the School provides an outstanding education for 650 pupils aged 11-18.

We have been at the forefront of girls' boarding education for over 125 years. Superb academic outcomes are the School's hallmark and pupils regularly secure places at the most prestigious universities across the globe. Known for its world-class education, Wycombe Abbey encourages curiosity, innovation, leadership and delight in learning among its pupils.

The School benefits from easy access to London (24 minutes to Marylebone), the Chiltern Hills and attractive towns such as Marlow, Henley-on-Thames and Beaconsfield. Heathrow is also just 20 miles away plus good transport links to other London airports.

Benefits of working at Wycombe Abbey include:

• Enrolment in the School's generous pension scheme
• Fee remission at Wycombe Abbey and selected prep schools
• Generous CPD training and development scheme
• Free use of the Sports Centre
• Free eye tests
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme

Closing date for applications: 13 September

Interview date: 25 September

We reserve the right to appoint to this position before the closing date, should we receive a high volume of suitable early applications.

Wycombe Abbey is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be subject to an enhanced DBS check. It is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity with children.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore all applicants are required to declare all unspent convictions and conditional cautions, and any spent convictions or adult cautions that are not protected, as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020).

We are an equal opportunities employer. Registered Charity No. 310638.

Wycombe Abbey is a Disability Confident Committed Employer.