M&E Lead Engineer

Manchester Arndale; Watford; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

OCS UK & Ireland is seeking an M&E Lead Engineer to manage a team of mechanical and electrical engineers, oversee planned and reactive maintenance, and ensure compliance with statutory and contractual obligations.

You will work closely with the helpdesk, review contractor performance, prepare client quotes, and maintain critical trackers to support operational efficiency and reporting. Occasional hands-on tasks may be required.

Qualifications

• Qualified Mechanical and/or Electrical Engineer with relevant technical expertise.
• Experience leading a team of engineers in a facilities/maintenance setting.
• Strong understanding of PPM, reactive works, and statutory compliance requirements.
• Proficiency in analysing data, preparing quotes, and using tracking/reporting tools.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with helpdesk, contractors and clients.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of M&E engineers; assign tasks and monitor performance.
• Collaborate with helpdesk to review PPM and reactive work requests; assess internal vs external work.
• Review contractor quotes; benchmark for cost-effectiveness and quality.
• Prepare detailed client quotes for additional works and track status for approvals.
• Verify compliance certificates and manage the compliance tracker; escalations as needed.
• Support monthly business reporting with data on activities, compliance, and risks.
• Provide hands-on M&E expertise for complex issues when required.
• Drive process improvements to reduce contractor reliance and improve efficiency.

Skills

Mechanical Engineer

Electrical Engineer

Team leadership

PPM & compliance

Data & quotes tracking

Education

NVQ Level 3 / HNC or equivalent

Tools

CAFM systems

Job description

About The Company:

OCS UK & Ireland is a leading facilities management company with 50,000+ colleagues and a turnover in excess of £2bn. We deliver innovative, award-winning services within facilities management, hard services, cleaning, security and catering.

Our mission is to make people and places the best they can be for our colleagues, customers and the communities we serve. Our commitment to doing business the right way is rooted in our TRUE values -Trust, Respect, Unity, and Empowerment.

Why Work for OCS?

• Award-Winning Employer: Ranked 36th on Glassdoor’s Best Companies to Work For 2025 — we value and motivate our people.
• Digital Learning: The OCS Academy offers digital courses and resources to help you build skills and grow your career.
• Retail Perks: With our Hapi app, you can gain access to exclusive discounts, rewards and wellbeing resources.
• Professional Growth: 600+ live learners across UK&I — Empowering colleagues with further development and qualifications!
• Flexible Pay: Access a portion of earned wages before payday with our Wagestream App! (Contract Specific)

About The Role:

Shift Pattern: Monday to Friday, however some weekend overtime may be required as part of an on call rota.

The M&E Lead Engineer is responsible for managing a team of mechanical and electrical engineers, overseeing planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and reactive works, and ensuring compliance with statutory and contractual obligations. This role collaborates closely with the helpdesk team, reviews contractor performance, prepares client quotes, and maintains critical trackers to support operational efficiency and client reporting. While primarily a managerial position, the M&E Lead Engineer may occasionally step in to diagnose issues or perform technical tasks as needed, leveraging their engineering expertise.

Key Responsibilities

1. Team Management and Leadership

• Manage a team of engineers with diverse mechanical and electrical skill sets, assigning tasks, monitoring performance, and ensuring workload balance.
• Conduct regular team briefings to align on priorities, address challenges, and maintain high standards of service delivery.
• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to engineers, fostering skill development and problem-solving capabilities.

2. Collaboration with Helpdesk Team

• Work closely with the helpdesk team to review incoming PPM and reactive work requests, assessing which tasks can be completed by the internal engineering team versus those requiring external contractors.
• Provide input on task prioritisation and resource allocation to ensure efficient job completion and minimal downtime.
• Support the helpdesk in chasing job progress and collecting completed worksheets from internal engineers.

3. Contractor Quote Review and Benchmarking

• Review and benchmark contractor quotes for outsourced M&E works to ensure cost-effectiveness, quality, and alignment with client expectations.
• Identify discrepancies or overpricing in contractor submissions, negotiating where necessary to optimise value.
• Maintain a log of contractor performance metrics to inform future outsourcing decisions.

4. Quote Preparation and Tracking

• Prepare detailed and accurate quotes for client approval for additional works, repairs, or upgrades, ensuring transparency and competitiveness.
• Track and report on the status of quotes, including those pending submission to the client and those awaiting approval, using the variable work tracker.
• Follow up with the client or Account Manager to expedite approvals and ensure timely project initiation.

5. Compliance and Certificate Management

• Review certificates from contractors (e.g., compliance certificates for PPM, safety tests) to verify accuracy, completeness, and adherence to statutory regulations.
• Ensure all compliance documentation is filed correctly and available for audits or client reviews.
• Escalate any non-compliance issues to the Account Manager promptly, proposing corrective actions.

6. Compliance Tracker Management

• Use and manage the compliance tracker to monitor PPM schedules, reactive works, and statutory deadlines for M&E assets (e.g., HVAC, electrical systems, fire safety).
• Keep tracker data updated with completion dates, certificate statuses, and any overdue risks, ensuring real-time accuracy.
• Collaborate with the Deputy Manager and Account Manager to maintain 100% compliance across all tracked tasks.

7. Support for Monthly Business Reporting

• Conduct task analysis (e.g., completion rates, overdue tasks, contractor performance) and provide data to the Account Manager for inclusion in monthly business reports.
• Highlight key M&E activities, compliance updates, and risks in a concise format to support client reporting.
• Assist in identifying trends or recurring issues to inform strategic recommendations.

8. Occasional Technical Involvement

• Leverage qualified M&E expertise to diagnose complex issues or verify contractor work quality on an as-needed basis.
• Step in to complete critical tasks or repairs during emergencies or resource shortages, though this is not the primary focus of the role.
• Ensure all hands-on work complies with safety standards and is documented appropriately.

9. Process Improvement and Risk Mitigation

• Identify opportunities to improve M&E workflows, such as reducing reliance on contractors or enhancing internal team efficiency.
• Proactively flag risks (e.g., aging assets, delayed approvals) and recommend mitigation strategies to the Account Manager.
• Support the implementation of new processes or tools to streamline compliance and reporting.

Skills and Qualifications

Essential:

• Qualified Mechanical and/or Electrical Engineer (e.g., NVQ Level 3, HNC, or equivalent) with proven technical expertise.
• Experience managing a team of engineers in a facilities management or maintenance environment.
• Strong understanding of PPM, reactive works, and statutory compliance requirements (e.g., F-Gas, electrical safety).
• Proficiency in analysing data, preparing quotes, and using tracking/reporting tools.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work with helpdesk, contractors, and clients.

Desirable:

• Previous experience in a client-facing role or preparing business reports.
• Knowledge of facilities management software (e.g., CAFM systems).
• Negotiation skills for contractor management and cost optimisation.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• 100% compliance with statutory PPM deadlines and certificate submission.
• Zero overdue M&E tasks assigned to the internal team or contractors.
• Timely submission of quotes (within 48 hours of request) and approval follow-ups.
• Accurate and up-to-date compliance and variable work trackers.
• Positive feedback from the Account Manager and client on M&E service delivery.

Working Conditions

• Primarily office/site-based, with regular interaction across the client premises.
• Occasional hands-on work may require adherence to safety protocols and use of PPE.
• Flexibility to respond to urgent issues outside standard hours if required.

We are an equal opportunities employer and rely on a diverse workforce with a broad range of knowledge, skills, and backgrounds to deliver our goals. We offer an inclusive and welcoming environment and actively encourage applications from all individuals regardless of race, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age.