Manager, Maintenance and Auxiliary Services

Role Overview

This leadership position is responsible for the full spectrum of maintenance and auxiliary services at a major university campus, reporting directly to the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance & Operations. Every day involves coordinating the physical upkeep of academic, administrative, and residential facilities, supervising outsourced service teams, and ensuring that utilities, cleaning, landscaping, and transport operations run without disruption. The work directly underpins the university’s core mission by creating a safe, functional, and pleasant environment for learning, teaching, research, and campus life.

Key Responsibilities

• Facility upkeep: lead preventive and corrective maintenance programmes for all university buildings, infrastructure, and equipment, prioritising rapid response to service requests and minimising downtime across campus.
• Auxiliary service oversight: manage the delivery of cleaning, waste management, landscaping, transport, and catering support, ensuring these services meet agreed quality standards and support the daily rhythms of the institution.
• Utility and infrastructure management: monitor the operation and efficiency of water, electricity, HVAC, and other essential services, implementing cost-control measures and sustainability initiatives to optimise usage.
• Health, safety, and regulatory compliance: conduct routine inspections and risk assessments, enforce occupational health and environmental standards, and coordinate emergency preparedness with the university’s security and safety teams.
• Project coordination: oversee minor construction, refurbishment, and renovation projects, liaising with consultants and contractors to ensure work is delivered on time, within budget, and to the required quality.
• Vendor and contract management: drive procurement, contracting, and performance evaluation for all service providers and contractors, maintaining strong supplier relationships to guarantee service continuity.
• Budget and resource stewardship: prepare and manage the departmental budget, track expenditure, and provide regular operational and financial reports to senior leadership.
• Asset lifecycle management: maintain a current inventory of all facilities, equipment, and assets under maintenance, planning for repairs, replacement, and optimal lifespan.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Education: a master’s degree in facilities management, real estate management, business administration, or a closely related field, combined with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, construction management, quantity surveying, or a similar discipline.
• Professional credentials: certification in facilities or real estate management, or in project management, is highly desirable; membership in a relevant professional body is expected.
• Experience: at least five years in facilities management, maintenance operations, auxiliary services, or real estate management, gained within a large institution or an environment of comparable complexity.
• Outsourced services expertise: proven track record of managing external service providers, contractors, and service level agreements, including performance monitoring and vendor evaluation.
• Technical and managerial skills: strong working knowledge of building systems, maintenance planning, budgeting, and project coordination, along with leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making ability.
• Communication and collaboration: excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to engage academic departments, student services, housing teams, and administration, and to communicate maintenance schedules and disruption updates clearly.
• Compliance awareness: attention to detail, a quality orientation, and thorough understanding of risk management and regulatory compliance in a campus environment.

What We Offer / Why Join

This role offers the chance to make a meaningful contribution within a modern, progressive, international, and multicultural institution where facilities and support services are foundational to the student experience. You will operate at a senior level, with the autonomy to drive improvements, introduce sustainable practices, and shape the operational strategy of the campus.