Maintenance Operative

YMCA DownsLink Group; Hove; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

YMCA DownsLink Group in Brighton & Hove is hiring a Maintenance Operative on a permanent basis. It is a 37.5‑hour week, Monday to Friday 9am–5pm, with a salary of £28,330 per year. A full UK driving licence is essential and a vehicle is provided.

The role covers sites across Brighton & Hove, mainly Hove, with hands-on maintenance, caretaking, cleaning and decoration duties, plus ensuring safety and compliance. Join a supportive charity committed to safe homes and wellbeing for young people.

Qualifications

• Strong maintenance experience across trades.
• Experience in supported housing settings.
• Commitment to safety, quality and resident wellbeing.
• Good understanding of health and safety requirements.
• Proactive and organised workload management.

Responsibilities

• Provide maintenance, caretaking and cleaning across sites.
• Carry out day-to-day maintenance and ad hoc repairs.
• Complete works within timescales; delegate tasks where appropriate.
• Support housing teams to ensure safe, compliant environments.

Skills

Maintenance experience

Supported housing

Health & safety

Organised workload

Education

City & Guilds or equivalent in maintenance

Manual handling training

First Aid training

Job description

37.5 hours per week / £28,330 per annum / permanent / working Monday - Friday 9am-5pm.

As a Maintenance Operative, your primary work based will be Hove with regular travel and work required across Brighton and Hove to any of our YMCA DLG sites, with demand varying throughout the year. A full UK driving licence is therefore essential, and a vehicle will be provided.

YMCA DownsLink Groupis the leading charity for children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. We offer safe homes, mental health support and trusted advice.

We believe that every child and young person has the right to be safe, heard and to shape their own future. We work alongside them to make that happen.

We are here for children and young people, many of whom face multiple challenges and need our support.

Our Values- we do what’s right, we work with heart,and we build real connections – guide us in all our actions.

Do you take pride in creating safe, welcoming homes that make a real difference in young people’s lives?

Our Maintenance team works across multiple properties to ensure our residents have safe, good‑quality homes. We work closely with service staff to identify and complete repairs, carry out ad hoc cleaning and decoration, ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, and prepare empty homes for new residents.

This role will operate across Brighton & Hove, centred around 2 sites in Hove which provide 24‑hour supported housing for young people aged 16–25. Locally we also manage several larger shared houses (typically 4–8 residents) through our Transitional Housing teams, supporting young people on their journey to independence. In total, the team helps maintain safe homes for approximately 100 residents across the city.

As a Maintenance Operative covering sites across Brighton & Hove, you will play a hands‑on role that combines practical maintenance expertise with caretaking responsibilities. You will help create and maintain safe, welcoming, and psychologically informed accommodation for the people we support, ensuring our properties remain compliant, well‑maintained, and fit for purpose.

This is a varied and practical position involving void property works, routine repairs, maintenance tasks, and the assessment of day‑to‑day site compliance. Working closely with housing and support teams across our services, you will contribute to providing high-quality environments that promote the wellbeing and independence of our residents.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide a comprehensive maintenance, caretaking, and cleaning service to ensure safe, welcoming, and psychologically informed accommodation.
• Carry out day‑to‑day maintenance across our sites, with occasional support to other housing schemes.
• Complete maintenance, cleaning, repair, and redecoration works within agreed timescales, delegating tasks where appropriate.
• Perform or delegate general caretaking and cleaning duties, including cleaning communal areas, litter‑picking, and waste removal.

We’re looking for a someone with a positive, flexible attitude and a genuine desire to contribute to young people’s wellbeing.

Experience and Knowledge

We are searching for someone with:

• Strong maintenance experience across a range of trade or repair tasks, including delivering high‑quality maintenance and decorating work
• Experience working in supported housing, residential, or community‑based settings
• Commitment to maintaining high standards of safety, quality, and resident wellbeing
• Good understanding of health & safety requirements and compliance processes
• A proactive, organised approach to workload and prioritisation

Qualifications and Training (Desirable)

It would be beneficial, though not essential, if you have:

• City & Guilds or equivalent qualification in one or more maintenance skill areas
• Manual handling training
• Training in handling bodily fluids
• Boundaries training
• First Aid training

If you would like any further information or an informal discussion about this post, please contact [e-mail]. Should you require any assistance with our application process, please email us at [e-mail]

CLOSING DATE

Sunday 8 November 2026 at midnight. If we find the right candidate sooner than expected, we may close the advert early - so early applications are strongly encouraged.

Please note that we are unable to offer a work permit or visa sponsorship for this role; applicants must already have the right to live and work in the UK independently.

An inclusive workplace

We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment.

Accessibility

If you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please do contact us.

YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns.

Successful applicants will undergo a thorough background screening process, conducted by an accredited third-party provider. This includes an Enhanced DBS check (with Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists) as well as comprehensive reference and activity checks.