Maintenance Manager

Unite Students; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

25 days annual leave

Generous pension scheme

Life assurance

Share save scheme

Family Leave policies

Medicash

EAP

Volunteer day

Discounts

Job summary

Unite Group, operating Unite Students and Hello Student brands, is seeking a Maintenance Manager in Portsmouth to lead a cluster of student accommodation properties. You will drive planned, reactive and project maintenance, ensuring safety, reliability and a high standard of living for residents.

You will manage a team of maintenance professionals and external contractors, owning compliance, risk management and continuous improvement across sites.

Qualifications

• Bring experience in a maintenance, facilities management or property maintenance leadership role.
• Experience leading maintenance teams and managing contractors in an operational environment.
• Strong knowledge of planned preventative maintenance and reactive maintenance operations.
• Understand health and safety legislation and statutory compliance requirements.
• Be confident reviewing RAMS and ensuring contractor compliance on site.
• Be organised, practical and solutions-focused, able to manage multiple operational priorities across sites.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead maintenance delivery across your cluster, ensuring reactive, planned and project works are completed safely, efficiently and to a high standard
• Take ownership of statutory compliance, including fire safety, inspections and regulatory maintenance requirements
• Manage Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) and annual maintenance programmes, ensuring buildings remain operational year-round
• Lead, develop and support the Maintenance Team, building capability and driving high performance
• Coordinate contractors and suppliers, reviewing RAMS and ensuring all works are completed safely and in line with standards
• Act as a key escalation point for incidents and support emergency response, including participation in the Duty Manager rota
• Maintain high property standards, ensuring buildings and infrastructure are safe, secure and well maintained
• Manage maintenance resources and stock, supporting cost control and efficient operations
• Contribute to financial performance, identifying cost-effective solutions and supporting budget management
• Drive continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to enhance maintenance processes, efficiency and sustainability outcomes

Skills

Team leadership

Maintenance management

Communication

Stakeholder management

Problem solving

Job description

Drive maintenance excellence. Lead a great team. Keep our buildings performing at their best.

At Unite Group, we create Homes for Success through our student accommodation brands, Unite Students and Hello Student. This opportunity is with our Unite Students brand.

Maintenance Manager

Location: Portsmouth

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: Competitive + bonus + benefits

As a Maintenance Manager, you will lead the delivery of planned, reactive and project-based maintenance across a cluster of student accommodation properties.

You will take ownership of building safety, compliance and maintenance performance, ensuring properties remain safe, operational and maintained to a high standard. Leading a team of maintenance professionals and managing external contractors, you will play a critical role in protecting asset performance and delivering a high-quality living environment for residents.

Working closely with the Cluster Operations Manager and Central Estates teams, this role combines technical expertise, operational leadership and hands‑on involvement to ensure maintenance services are delivered efficiently and effectively.

Your impact

Responsibilities

• Lead maintenance delivery across your cluster, ensuring reactive, planned and project works are completed safely, efficiently and to a high standard
• Take ownership of statutory compliance, including fire safety, inspections and regulatory maintenance requirements
• Manage Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) and annual maintenance programmes, ensuring buildings remain operational year-round
• Lead, develop and support the Maintenance Team, building capability and driving high performance
• Coordinate contractors and suppliers, reviewing RAMS and ensuring all works are completed safely and in line with standards
• Act as a key escalation point for incidents and support emergency response, including participation in the Duty Manager rota
• Maintain high property standards, ensuring buildings and infrastructure are safe, secure and well maintained
• Manage maintenance resources and stock, supporting cost control and efficient operations
• Contribute to financial performance, identifying cost-effective solutions and supporting budget management
• Drive continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to enhance maintenance processes, efficiency and sustainability outcomes

Your background

You don't need to follow a traditional path - what matters most is your ability to lead a team, solve problems and deliver high standards.

To Be Successful In This Role, You Will

• Bring experience in a maintenance, facilities management or property maintenance leadership role.
• Have experience leading maintenance teams and managing contractors in an operational environment.
• Have strong knowledge of planned preventative maintenance and reactive maintenance operations.
• Understand health and safety legislation and statutory compliance requirements.
• Be confident reviewing RAMS and ensuring contractor compliance on site.
• Be organised, practical and solutions-focused, able to manage multiple operational priorities across sites.
• Have excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Qualifications such as IOSH or NEBOSH would be beneficial but are not essential.

Why it's great to work with US!

In this values-led organisation, you'll do work that makes a difference, helping to shape welcoming, vibrant communities where students can thrive. Whether this is your first step or your next one, we'll help you build skills, confidence and a career you're proud of.

Alongside a Competitive Salary, We Offer

• A performance-related bonus paid twice a year
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to buy up to 5 extra days
• A generous pension scheme where contributions range between 4% and 11% depending on how much you save
• Life assurance worth 4 times your salary
• Share save scheme giving you access to purchase Unite Students shares at a discounted rate
• Enhanced Family Leave policies
• Medicash (Health Cash Plan)
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• One free volunteering day each year
• Retail and hospitality discounts

Alongside these benefits, you'll also have access to learning and development programmes designed to support your growth and career progression.

If you're expecting ordinary, think again. We're US, we're different - and we're proud of it.

How far could you go? Join US and find out