MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT (COMPLIANCE)

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OVERVIEW

Maintenance Assistant (Compliance)
Facilities Manager
N/A
Maintenance team members
2 – St John’s College Graded Pay Scale
£24,531 per annum
Continuous
Full time (37 hours per week)

Working arrangements:  Monday – Thursday: 07:30 – 16:00

Pension:
Holidays:

Start date:
Closing date:
Interview date:

Friday: 07:30 – 15:30
St John’s College Personal Pension Plan
27 days + statutory days + customary days per annum
(pro rata)
ASAP
20th Oct 25
30th Oct 25

ABOUT ST JOHN’S COLLEGE

St John’s College is one of the smallest Durham colleges, renowned for our welcoming
atmosphere. Founded in 1909 and set in a series of beautiful, listed buildings in the
heart of Durham city, our community enjoys stunning views of Durham Cathedral and
boasts  gardens  and  lawns  stretching  down  to  the  River  Wear.  Each  year  we  have
around 250 students resident in the College, both undergraduates and postgraduates
studying  for  degrees  at  Durham  University,  as  well  as  students  of  Cranmer  Hall,  a
theological College within St John’s. The College has a degree of independence within
the  University,  both  financially  and  in  its  governance,  meaning  that  we  have  the
freedom to do things a little differently. Throughout the year, the College’s Christian
ethos translates into warm hospitality. All our different staff teams work closely together
with our students to create the unique John’s experience.

JOB SUMMARY AND PURPOSE

The  College  Maintenance  Department  carries  out  preventative  maintenance  and
routine repairs of all College properties.  Where necessary work will be carried out by
contractors appointed and directed by the maintenance department. Also responsible
for maintaining the grounds within the estate and conducting various compliance and
safety  checks  in  line  with  current  legislation  including  fire,  electrical  safety  and
legionella.

The role encompasses five key work areas:

•  Waste and recycling
•  Compliance checks
•  Maintenance
•  Servicing meeting rooms
•  May be required to take part in an out of hours on-call rota

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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Waste/Recycling processes
To support the smooth and safe running of the College estate by collecting, handling,
and disposing of rubbish and recycling in line with college procedures and
environmental standards.

•  Proactively collect and remove rubbish and recycling from designated areas
across the site, working with other operational teams where appropriate.
•  Ensure waste is sorted correctly between general rubbish, recyclables, and

other disposal streams.

•  Transport waste to the appropriate collection or storage points safely and

efficiently.

•  Maintain cleanliness and tidiness in waste and recycling areas.
•  Follow all health, safety, and environmental guidelines.
•  Report any issues, hazards, or maintenance requirements to the supervisor.

Compliance
To ensure college remains safe, compliant, and well maintained by carrying out
regular checks and monitoring of essential systems and equipment in line with
statutory and college requirements.

Conduct scheduled compliance checks, including but not limited to:

➢  Legionella temperature monitoring
➢  Fire alarm testing
➢  Fire protection and emergency equipment inspections

•  Record and report all checks accurately and in a timely manner.
•  Escalate any faults, failures, or risks to the facilities manager or contractor.
•  Ensure compliance with health, safety, and regulatory requirements at all

times.

General Maintenance

•  Undertaking minor joinery tasks.
•  Undertaking minor painting and tiling tasks.
•  Undertaking ad hoc tasks, for example but not limited to: replacing light bulbs,
shades, starters; fixing of signs; boarding / taping up of broken windows;
hanging curtains and fixing curtain rails.

•  Undertaking other general and routine specialist cleaning for example but not

limited to: routine cleaning of extractor fans, smoke detectors and light
diffusers; cleaning up following contamination of surfaces by human waste or
body fluid spillage.

•  Carrying out the following work in respect of grounds, paths, steps, road, and

car parks:
➢  Proactively keeping areas free of litter, leaves, etc. and clearing and

cleaning of litter bins

➢  Clearing snow and gritting pathways, ensuring that salt bins are

maintained with sufficient stocks

➢  Keeping drains, drain covers, and down-comers clear.

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Servicing Meeting Rooms

•  Supporting all events in College including room set- up and clearance.
•  Re-configuring furniture and equipment as required to facilitate meetings and

conference guests.

On Call Rota

•  May be required to undertake duties as part of the maintenance on-call rota

responding to maintenance issues. One week in a 4-week cycle.

General

•  Maintain a safe and secure working environment, adhering to all relevant

Health & Safety measures specific to the workplace.

•  Any other tasks as directed by the Facilities Manager and commensurate with

the grade.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Criteria

1  Basic numeracy and literacy. (GCSE standard)

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Capable of working on own initiative whilst building
positive working relationships and working as part of
a team.
Ability to deal effectively with staff, students,
contractors, and visitors at all levels.
Ability to accurately follow instructions, both written
and oral
Willingness to work flexibly, including
evenings/weekends as part of on-call rota, and to
develop new methods of working
Knowledge of Health and Safety and safe working
practices
Experience in conducting compliance-related checks
relevant to Health & Safety (e.g., fire alarm testing,
legionella monitoring, emergency equipment checks)
Skills in minor maintenance work (e.g., joinery,
painting, tiling, basic repairs)
Ability to undertake physical work, including heavy
lifting, carrying, and working outdoors in all weather

Strong attention to detail and accuracy in record-
keeping

Experience of working in a facilities/maintenance
environment
Skills in IT: ability to use email, online maintenance
logs, and AV equipment
Knowledge of waste management, recycling
procedures, and environmental good practice.
Experience of room setup and supporting events
(furniture/equipment reconfiguration)

Essential
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Desirable

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This role is subject to the successful applicant providing proof of eligibility to work in the
UK.

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APPLICATION PROCESS

Please see St John’s College Privacy Notice for Job Applicants

Applications  should  be  by  letter  or  by  email  with  accompanying  CV,  demonstrating
experience of the essential criteria. In addition, it should contain the names, addresses,
email details and telephone numbers of two referees. All documents should be emailed
to: Ian Jackson i.d.jackson@durham.ac.uk.

For an informal discussion, please contact Ian Jackson on i.d.jackson@durham.ac.uk.

Closing date for applications: 20th Oct 25
Date for interview: 30th Oct 25

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