Overview
Position: Estates
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822
Grade: 7
Full Time, Permanent
Closing date: 8 October 2025
UK travel may be required for this role
Our offer to you
People are at the heart of what we are and do.
The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.
We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our Birmingham Professional programme, which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to develop your career at the University.
We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.
Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University, and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.
The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.
Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham.
Background
The University of Birmingham Estates Office is responsible for both the master planning and management of our extensive estate. Our team is made up of over 180 dedicated staff, including 10 apprentices studying Mechanical or Electrical qualifications over a 4-year scheme, all striving to deliver a world-class university experience for the benefit of all students, staff, academics and visitors.
After our students and staff, our physical estate is the largest single enabler for our world-class teaching and research, and provides a fantastic student experience. Our estate is large and varied, covering 672 acres, with over 200 buildings of different ages, complexities, physical condition and use—ranging from grade 1 and 2 listed properties to brand new state-of-the-art learning and research spaces. It consists of two main campus sites (Edgbaston & Selly Oak) along with properties in Stratford upon Avon, Ansty (near Coventry), Coniston (in Cumbria), Ironbridge and Dubai.
The total gross internal area of the estate is 538,000 m2. 74% of the non-residential estate is in building condition A and B and we typically spend circa £9M on energy and water each year.
We are committed to sustainability and have achieved a 20% reduction in CO2 four years ahead of target and we generate 75% of our own energy via on-site combined heat and power plants. Furthermore, we continue to reduce our carbon footprint by 3,000 tonnes per year on average and maintain more than 9,200 trees.
Role Summary
To lead the management and administration of mechanical maintenance contracts across the University’s estate. This includes ensuring compliance with statutory regulations, University policies, and industry standards. The role supports the delivery of safe, efficient, and cost-effective mechanical services across academic, residential, and commercial buildings, contributing to the University's strategic goals for sustainability, safety, and operational excellence.
Main Duties
- Manage and oversee mechanical maintenance contracts, including planned, reactive, and minor project works.
- Ensure contractor compliance with university policies, health and safety legislation, and technical standards.
- Conduct performance reviews, audits, and site inspections to monitor service delivery and quality.
- Lead procurement activities for mechanical services, including tendering, evaluation, and contract award.
- Maintain accurate records of contracts, variations, financial commitments, and performance metrics.
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders including Estates, Capital Projects, and Health & Safety teams.
- Support budget planning, cost control, and forecasting for mechanical services and projects.
- Resolve contractual disputes and escalate complex issues where necessary.
- Promote energy efficiency and sustainability in electrical systems and services.
- Ensure compliance with relevant legislation including Building regulations, Pat L, F & G, CDM Regulations, Health & safety at work act, mechanical standards (BS/EN, CIBSE, SF20), Pressure System safety regulations and University standards.
- Manage the recruitment, appraisal, performance, and development of staff to ensure the highest personal and professional standards and a culture of good customer service that underpins efficient and effective service delivery within the Estates Office and across the University.
- Liaise closely with Health & Safety Services Fire Risk Assessors, Estates Maintenance Officers and Building users to ensure compliance is achieved.
- Provide reports on mechanical Periodic Inspections and update compliance tracking software.
- Manage contractor performance, review H&S documentation, ensure that the contractors under control of the technical officer have completed the Estates induction and have the correct accreditations and Insurances are up to date.
- Hold regular contract meetings with contractors and monitor key performance indicators assigned to each contract.
- Track monitor the condition and age of the University’s equipment and system age and apply for replacement when required, through life cycle through back log maintenance.
- Promotes equality and values diversity, acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
- Supports the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.
- Provide advice to other professional staff on the complex range and wide-ranging services present along with future development requirements.
- Participate in the Estates Office’s 24-hour emergency service provision, taking full managerial responsibility for the estate during periods of on-call cover (implementing escalation procedures and liaising with senior University staff during emergencies).
- Be an Authorised Person for a selection of permit activities, services, or disciplines upon specific competence appointment.
- Any other duties commensurate with the grade.
Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience
- Experienced and qualified to degree level (or equivalent) professional, having the background, knowledge, and experience in mechanical maintenance & engineering systems, polices, legislation and quality standards required for the safe operation of a complex university infrastructure.
- Have significant experience in the management, planning and costing of repairs and maintenance works of all types of mechanical engineering services.
- A proven track record in tendering, negotiating and managing maintenance contracts, ensuring contractor performance is monitored and reviewed to deliver both value for money and works to a high standard.
- Be conversant with the practices and requirements for the effective compliance with building management of Asbestos, Water Hygiene and other related obligations.
- Evidence of literacy and numeracy.
- Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day-to-day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.
- Demonstrate industry knowledge/ working experience within the industry.
- Broad knowledge and substantial functional experience across the range of maintenance disciplines within a similar environment (e.g. large estates – Higher Education, Health, public sector, or facilities management).
- Experience of procuring and managing large and diverse service, repair, and maintenance contracts.
- Excellent knowledge of legislative and compliance areas relating to maintenance activities and Health & Safety.
- Previous experience of working in a professional customer focused environment.
- IOSH Managing Safely Certification or NEBOSH General Certification.
Informal enquiries to Lloyd Holmes, email:
View our staff values and behaviours.
We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.
