The Opportunity
Domestic Manager/School Caretaker
Full-Time
Required immediately
£33,000-£44,000 per annum
The Peterborough School (TPS) is an Independent Day School delivering exceptional education and nurturing children from Nursery through to Sixth Form. The School is set in beautiful, historic grounds with excellent facilities in the heart of Peterborough, benefitting from superb transport links and a secure on-site car park.
We are seeking to appoint a Domestic Manager/School Caretaker to plan and deliver domestic functions and external lettings. The person selected will be responsible for housekeeping, Health, Safety and Security and Risk management. They will also manage and to seek to maximise lettings opportunities. The School prides itself on its sense of community and the Domestic Manager/School Caretaker has a key role to play in delivering and further developing those areas that fall to them, which further enhances community spirit.
This role reports to the Bursar and the successful candidate will be a good communicator, with excellent interpersonal, communications and management skills, as well as a keen sense of humour.
This is a permanent, full-time position, working both term time and out-of-term time. The post-holder can expect to work flexibly in terms of start/finish times and beyond the standard hours on occasion, in line with the demands of the role. This is a hands-on role and will part of the Premises on call rota. We offer a competitive remuneration package in a welcoming, friendly environment within a beautiful setting. Salary will be commensurate with experience and market norms, in the range £33-37,000 per annum. This will be dependent on experience and qualifications. There is a range of benefits for staff, including an occupational pension, and access to a subsidised private health scheme at a reduced cost and free secure car parking. During term time, refreshments and lunch are provided free of charge. The post-holder will receive 25 days paid holiday a year plus all statutory public holidays. There is a requirement to work up to four Saturdays per year plus further overtime opportunities, which will attract additional pay or time off in lieu, dependent on the needs of the School.
The successful candidate will lead and manage a small domestic team within a friendly school environment. They will be motivated to plan and oversee multiple tasks across a large site. Applicants must hold a clean driving licence, with either D1 entitlement or a willingness to undertake D1 training provided by the School. Candidates should be confident in carrying out a range of practical maintenance, housekeeping, and logistical tasks as required. Competence in Microsoft Office is essential.
The Peterborough School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants will be required to undergo child-protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The School is an equal opportunities employer.
More details and an application form are available from the ‘Contact Us’ section of our website: www.thepeterboroughschool.co.uk
Alternatively, please contact HR at hr@tpsch.co.uk
Closing date: 12 pm Thursday 22 October
Interview Week: Week Commencing 26 October
Summary of the role
The Domestic Manager/School Caretaker will be responsible to the Bursar for the delivery of high quality and professional services to the School. These include:
- Domestic management
- Health, Safety & Security
- Risk Management
- Lettings coordination and management
Reporting to the Bursar, they will be expected to think operationally but within a strategic context, as well as to liaise confidently and diplomatically with a wide range of stakeholders. This role focuses on the teaching and pupil environmental aspects of the School e.g. mainly inside spaces.
The Domestic Manager/School Caretaker must be fully in tune with the School’s vision, and with the strategic objectives of the School.
The Domestic Manager/School caretaker must work flexibly to oversee the School domestic and lettings operations. This is a hands-on role and will part of the Premises on call rota.
Line management responsibility for
Functional Relationships with
- Senior Leadership Team
- Teaching staff
- Professional Services & Support staff
- Visitors
- External suppliers and professional consultants
- Lettings
Main duties and responsibilities
Domestic Management
- Planning, allocating and monitoring of all cleaning duties, ensuring the sufficient allocation of staff to cover all areas.
- Quality control of the cleaning performed across all areas of the School, Nursery and Headmaster’s house, to ensure high standards are maintained.
- Control and manage the housekeeping budget to include sufficient stocks and the ordering of new stock.
- Ensure that all Health and Safety requirements are met, including policies, risk assessments and COSSH regulations.
- Responsible for general cleaning and all specialist cleaning tasks, including supporting the deep cleaning of the kitchen.
- Responsible for all refuse collections, both general and specialist, such as food waste and the disposal of chemicals.
- Ensuring that refuse disposal is sufficient to meet the demands of the School and cost efficient.
- Ensure that all laundry is cleaned as required and within agreed timescales.
- Responsible for the management and serviceability of all cleaning and laundry equipment
Health, Safety & Security:
- To be the Health & Safety Co-ordinator for teaching and operations, liaising on these matters with the Bursar.
- Keep up to date with Health and Safety at Work Regulations, and related ISI requirements for schools.
- Be fully aware of, and ensure compliance with, the ISI regulations as they apply to the school buildings, facilities, environment and grounds.
- In the capacity of the Fire Safety Officer, and in liaison with the Bursar, monitor and regularly update the Schools’ Fire Risk Assessments, and follow up actions required as a result of each review.
- Through external contractors, as appropriate, maintain and review Fire Detection systems, including Emergency Lighting and Fire Extinguishers; maintaining accurate records of this.
- Take accountability for allocated aspects of the School’s Compliance schedules of work
- Follow best practice regarding Legionella Risk management, Asbestos Register management, Fire Detection, Firefighting Equipment, and Working at Height management.
- Ensure the School buildings and site are secure; doors and windows closed and locked out of School operating hours.
- Monitor contractors employed in association with Health, Safety and Security aspects of the School
- Respond appropriately to requests made via the Maintenance log, prioritising effectively and providing excellent service to stakeholders. This includes close liaison with the Estates Manager.
- Regularly survey classrooms and teaching spaces to identify essential works’ schedules. Flag to the Bursar for inclusion in the compliance software.
- Follow best practice with regard to Manual Handling and Working at Height management.
- Respond appropriately to emergencies and urgent issues as they arise, and deal with the consequences to ensure the continued smooth-running of the School at all times
Risk Management:
- Identify and assess risks in general operations of the School
- Working closely with the Estates manager, ensure the RAMs within the ‘Contractors on Site’ procedures and policies and up to date and maintained
- Monitor key risk indicators and escalate significant exposures
- Produce Risk assessments for a wide variety of School activities and events, liaising on these matters with the Bursar.
- Be responsible for overseeing the implementation of risk controls for a wide variety of School activities and events
Lettings:
- To coordinate and manage lettings at the School facilitated by the SchoolHire platform.
- To conduct administration associated with the School’s external lettings, ensuring all paperwork, including safeguarding and insurance) is held for all lettings.
- Source appropriate new lettings, as required.
- Acting as the point of contact for existing lettings and new enquiries.
- Liaising with School departments to ensure suitability of the lettings space.
- To work closely with the School Accountant to ensure income for lettings is timely and accurate.
Events:
- To liaise with the Estates Manager to coordinate domestic services support for all major School events. Such events currently include the School Production, Folk Dancing Festival, Open Days, Alumni events and any other events, as directed by the Bursar.
- To attend the School’s Event Committee meetings.
General:
- Manage staff holiday requests in such a way as to provide adequate cover at all times
- To attend the Health, Safety and Security Advisory Group meetings.
- To support the Bursar in the progression of the School’s sustainability strategy and associated plans.
- To be aware of and adhere to the School’s code of conduct and confidentiality.
- To adhere at all times to safeguarding policy and procedures.
- To present an approachable and professional manner at all times to staff, pupils, parents and visitors.
- Undertake any other duties which may be reasonably required in the course of the Domestic Manager/School Caretaker’s role
Person Specification
Qulifications
Essential
The professional, technical or academic qualifications that the Applicant must have to undertake the role or the training that they must have received
- NVQ4, degree or extensive practical experience of leadership and management of a team.
Desirable
The professional, technical or academic qualifications that the Applicant would ideally have to undertake the role or the training that they should ideally have received
- Appropriate Health and Safety qualification (ideally IOSH Safety Manager).
Driving license with D1 (driving a minibus)
Experience
Essential
The categories of work or organisations, types of achievements and activities that would be likely to predict success in the role
- Managing a team.
- Solving challenges within resources and making the case for additional resources where appropriate.
- Experience of supporting a wide range of events
- Able to manage suppliers.
Ability to relate well to other staff, demonstrating excellent communication skills.
Desirable
The categories of work or organisations, types of achievements and activities that would be likely to contribute to success in the role
- Knowledge and experience of stock control.
- Experience of health, safety and security management.
- Knowledge and experience of risk management
Skills
Essential
The skills required by the Applicant to perform effectively in the role
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Ability to prioritize day to day tasks and meet deadlines
IT skills: Word, Excel, and Outlook are essential.
Desirable
The skills that would enable the Applicant to perform effectively in the role
- Health & Safety qualified
- Fire Safety qualified
- D1 License
Knowledge
Essential
The knowledge required by the Applicant to perform effectively in the role
- Health & Safety legislation
Desirable
The knowledge that would enable the Applicant to perform effectively in the role
- Working knowledge of School operations
Personal Competencies and Qualities
Essential
The personal qualities that the Applicant requires to perform effectively in the role and to ensure that the Applicant safeguards and promotes the welfare of children and young people
- Motivated to learn and take on new challenges
- Ability to relate to all personnel within the School and the wider School Community
- Able to work independently and to take ownership of tasks
- Willingness to work independently delivering objectives within agreed timescales
Have enthusiasm for handling a range of tasks of varying complexity, while maintaining a positive attitude towards routine demands
