Head of Repairs and Maintenance - Social Housing

VIVID Housing; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading housing provider in the United Kingdom is looking for a Head of Repairs and Maintenance. This role requires strong leadership and management skills to oversee property services, ensuring compliance and efficiency across the housing stock. The successful candidate will manage a considerable budget and lead a diverse workforce to deliver exceptional service to residents. A unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on community well-being.

Benefits

30 days holiday plus bank holidays

Productivity-related bonus scheme

Contributory pension scheme

Life assurance

Private medical insurance

Health care cash plan

Enhanced pay for maternity and paternity

Access to counselling and legal information

Electric car scheme

In-house learning courses

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior leadership role within building maintenance.
• Demonstrable track record of managing large teams.
• Strong understanding of compliance and safety regulations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all property related services ensuring high maintenance standards.
• Manage a budget of circa £30m and drive business improvement.
• Provide inspirational leadership to a workforce of 450.

Skills

Leadership

Management

Contract Management

Communication

Budget Management

Education

Leadership and management qualifications

Chartered membership of CiH

Job description

The Vacancy

We’re VIVID! –We offer a vibrant, friendly, inclusive culture that supports, develops and attracts the best people!

We’re committed to providing safe and well-maintained homes for our residents. We're looking for a dedicated and experienced Head of Repairs and Maintenance to join our dynamic team and oversee all property related services across our entire housing stock, ensuring thousands of homes are maintained to a high standard. You’ll lead and coordinate multi-disciplinary teams, whilst managing budgets, compliance, and service delivery. Your focus will be on strategic planning, operational excellence, and delivering a first-class repairs and maintenance service across all properties.

Contractually based out of our Portsmouth or Basingstoke office, this is a full-time permanent role, working 37 hours per week. You’ll be expected to attend the office 3 days a week to enable you to build strong working relationships with your teams. Once you're performing in the role, we’d offer flexibility in your work location, either the office or home and you’d be expected to work in the office as required.

Here’s what we can offer you?

• 30 days holiday (plus bank holidays), with the opportunity to buy or sell annual leave
• A productivity-related bonus scheme to enhance your take-home
• A generous contributory pension of 6%. We’ll match employee contributions between 7% and 10%
• Life assurance paid at x 3 annual salary
• Private medical insurance
• Health care cash plan called Medicash
• Enhanced pay for maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave
• Access to counselling, legal and financial information
• Electric car scheme
• Huge variety of in-house & e-learning courses and a range of coaching and mentoring programmes

Here’s the facts about the role :

As Head of Repairs and Maintenance for VIVID, you’ll be accountable for the delivery of safe, efficient, compliant and customer-focused Repairs, Empty Homes, Grounds and Estates maintenance services across the housing stock. You’ll have clear leadership skills on tenant satisfaction measures, consumer standards and H&S with a resident focused delivery of services and in-house DLO management.

Reporting into the Director of Property Services, you’ll ensure the safety of both staff and customers, leading a large and diverse workforce of 450 and a budget circa £30m ,driving business improvement through strategic and tactical management of budgets, supply chain optimisation, and the continuous improvement of services and KPIs. You’ll ensure that customer influence shapes and inform how services are delivered and the right outcomes achieved.

Key areas of responsibility

• Provide inspirational leadership to a large workforce, ensuring engagement, well-being, and high levels of performance.
• To manage all external contracts, setting performance targets and monitoring them, including budgetary control
• Take ownership of the department’s budget, including setting, forecasting, and managing spend across maintenance operations.
• Implement performance tracking systems to monitor service delivery and respond to feedback effectively.
• Position to anticipate and respond to the changing external environment, government, and evolving internal priorities.
• Identify, evaluate, and deliver business opportunities in accordance with our strategies and contribute to wider business objectives.
• Lead and develop the portfolio of services, working with the Chief Operating Officer and Property Services Director on strategic matters, providing insight and guidance to inform robust decision-making
• Create a culture of risk management which is embedded within day-to-day activities to ensure risks are identified and appropriately managed or mitigated.
• Provide inspirational leadership to a workforce, ensuring engagement, well-being, and high levels of performance.
• Develop a commercial approach to maintenance operations, ensuring cost-effectiveness and value for money.
• Ensure the successful delivery of our empty property works throughout our existing portfolio including garages, commercial buildings and where there is any reason for a property to be empty
• Drive the leadership and performance of the Grounds and Estates Services.
• Be the advocate for excellent customer service throughout the organisation, ensuring ease of access for customers and high levels of satisfaction

Qualifications and Experience

• Leadership, management, coaching qualifications or equivalent experience.
• Chartered membership of CiH or an understanding of the requirements for CiH as well as a commitment to working towards it.
• Proven experience in a senior leadership role within building maintenance or a similar environment, ideally within the social housing sector.
• Demonstrable track record of managing large teams, including trades operatives, and fostering high engagement and staff welfare.
• Strong understanding of compliance and safety regulations, including the “Big 6” areas of statutory compliance.
• Commercially astute, with experience in managing substantial budgets and delivering cost savings without compromising on quality or safety.
• Strong supply chain and contract management skills, with the ability to manage complex contracts and supplier relationships.
• Excellent organisational and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to work collaboratively with various stakeholders, including contractors, customers, and internal teams.

This is a unique opportunity to make a real impact on the lives of our customers by ensuring their homes are well-maintained and their needs are met promptly. If you have a demonstrable track record of managing large teams, including trades operatives, and fostering high engagement and staff welfare, we encourage you to apply.

First stage interviews will take place in person wc 8 December

Second stage interviews will take place in person wc 15 December