Maintenance Team Leader

Housing Maintenance Team Leader – Cambridge

Team Leader

City Services – Homes & Properties
Permanent | Full-time (37 hrs) | Cowley Road / Hybrid | Out of Hours / On-Call Requirement | Salary: £41,771 – £47,181 per annum, pro rata for part time.

We’re looking for two highly capable Housing Maintenance Team Leaders to take operational responsibility for some of the most complex and high‑demand maintenance environments within Cambridge City Council’s property portfolio.

This role is for someone who can operate confidently at the point where technical expertise, leadership, contract management, compliance, tenant experience, and operational delivery converge. You’ll be expected to bring deep trade knowledge, strong operational awareness, and the resilience to keep services moving in a fast‑paced, high‑pressure environment.

• Day‑to‑day operational delivery of repairs, planned works, and voids across a large and diverse range of council homes.
• Lead a team of around 20 Multi‑Skilled Operatives, setting standards, monitoring performance, and driving continuous improvement.
• Oversee major repair and refurbishment activity, using primary trade expertise and secondary trade knowledge to guide technical decisions.
• Manage performance of external supply chain contractors, ensuring quality, timeliness and value for money across works totalling £1–5 m annually.
• Direct delivery of emergency and out‑of‑hours repairs as escalation manager or substitute on a rota basis.
• Ensure full compliance with all relevant Health & Safety and CDM regulations, including risk assessments, asbestos procedures, safe systems of work, and void standards.
• Identify, diagnose, and resolve complex building problems across electrical, plumbing, heating, structural and fabric elements.
• Lead on void and repairs and maintenance turnaround performance, ensuring properties are inspected, repaired and re‑let within tight KPIs.
• Monitor budgets, value for money, control spend, influence procurement activity, and provide operational insight for future financial planning.
• Work closely with tenants, including those who are vulnerable or in distress, providing firm, professional, and empathetic support.

• At least 5 years’ experience in social housing maintenance, with minimum 2 years’ supervisory responsibility.
• A primary trade relevant qualification at Level 2 minimum or 5 years strong secondary trade experience, preferably in at least carpentry, plumbing or electrical.
• Proven experience diagnosing complex building maintenance issues and implementing effective solutions.
• Strong understanding of SOR codes, building regulations, H&S legislation, void standards, and landlord compliance.
• Experience in prolific use of Housing Management systems such as MRI & Accuserve etc.
• Experience managing supply chain contractors, monitoring performance, and challenging poor delivery.
• Ability to work under constant demand in a high‑volume operational environment.
• Excellent communication skills, including handling complaints, disputes, and sensitive tenant situations.
• Resilience, adaptability, and the ability to set priorities independently in a dynamic, pressured service.
• Clean driving licence.

You will play a central part in ensuring that Cambridge’s tenants have safe, secure, well‑maintained homes, while shaping the quality, performance and professional culture of our maintenance teams. The expectations are high because the impact is significant.

As well as being part of a supportive team delivering meaningful work that directly impacts our communities, we offer a supportive and rewarding working environment with a wide range of benefits:

• Excellent learning and development opportunities supported via a range of sources and methods and, where applicable, recognised through Digital Badges.
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and Additional Voluntary Contribution (Shared AVC) Scheme.
• Agile and Flexible working options.
• Generous annual leave starting at 25 days, rising to 30 days after five years’ service, plus 8 days public holidays (pro rata for part time), with the option to purchase additional leave.
• Family friendly…