Department: Property
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Field Based
Reporting To: National Property Manager
Compensation: Up to £50,000 depending on experience
Description
We are looking for an experienced Estates Maintenance Manager to lead planned and reactive maintenance and support long-term capital investment planning across our UK retail store and distribution centre estate.
This is a national role to continually improve the condition, performance and appearance of our estate while ensuring our maintenance expenditure delivers excellent value for money.
As Poltronesofà continues to develop its UK presence, we want our stores to increasingly reflect the high standards of presentation and quality associated with the Poltronesofà brand across Europe. We are therefore looking for someone who combines strong technical knowledge with commercial awareness, high standards and a proactive approach.
Reporting to the National Property Manager and working alongside the Store Development Manager, you will lead the Estates Helpdesk while providing technical oversight to our Facilities Management contractor and wider maintenance supply chain.
You will spend regular time across our UK stores and distribution centres, alongside time at our Customer Support Centre in Sunderland. You must be prepared to undertake regular UK travel.
What does the role involve?
- Lead the delivery of planned, preventative and reactive maintenance across the UK estate.
- Ensure all statutory compliance requirements relating to buildings, building services and equipment across the UK estate are met, with inspections, testing and servicing completed on time, accurate records maintained and remedial actions tracked through to completion.
- Provide technical assessment of maintenance issues, ensuring jobs are properly prioritised and the right solutions implemented.
- Identify recurring defects and move the estate to a more proactive and preventative maintenance approach.
- Act as technical lead for our Facilities Management contractor and specialist suppliers, monitoring performance, responsiveness, quality, SLAs and KPIs.
- Ensure value for money from maintenance expenditure by challenging the need, scope, specification and cost of works and reviewing contractor quotations and proposed solutions.
- Tender maintenance and FM contracts, prepare requests for proposals (RFPs), analyse returns and recommend suppliers based on technical capability, quality and whole-life value.
- Challenge poor workmanship, repeat visits, unnecessary call-outs and ineffective repairs, ensuring contractors remain accountable for the quality and durability of their work.
- Drive improvements in the condition of buildings, building services and equipment, and the cosmetic appearance of our stores.
- Undertake regular estate inspections, identifying issues proactively and working with Store Managers to raise and maintain property standards.
- Lead the Estates Helpdesk, improving prioritisation, communication, ticket management and the quality of maintenance information and reporting.
- Support the development and maintenance of the estate asset register and planned maintenance programme. Use asset condition, remaining useful life and maintenance costs to develop costed multi-year capital replacement plans, prioritised by safety, operational risk and business need.
- Make recommendations to senior management on maintenance strategy and capital investment, supported by clear business cases, repair-versus-replace assessments and whole-life costs. Work with the National Property Manager and Store Development Manager to align recommendations with budgets and development programmes.
Who are we looking for?
- Proven experience managing maintenance across a multi-site UK estate, ideally in retail, logistics or a similar environment.
- Strong knowledge of building maintenance, planned and reactive works, and FM contracts, including scope, service levels and commercial terms.
- A good understanding of health and safety requirements relevant to building maintenance and contractor management, with the ability to assess risks and promote safe working practices.
- Experience managing contractors and specialist suppliers, tendering contracts, preparing requests for proposals (RFPs) and analysing tender returns, with the confidence to challenge cost, quality and performance.
- Relevant technical, engineering or facilities management qualifications. A recognised qualification in health and safety management would be desirable.
- Strong commercial awareness, attention to detail and property presentation standards.
- A hands-on, proactive approach with the ability to work closely with store and operational teams and see issues through to resolution.
- Experience using asset condition and maintenance data to develop lifecycle replacement plans, capital budgets and investment recommendations.
- Strong communication skills to engage effectively at all levels, with the ability to prepare clear papers and recommendations for executive presentation.
What Success Looks Like
- Improved estate condition, presentation and reliability.
- Fewer recurring maintenance issues and stronger contractor performance.
- Better control of maintenance costs and a clear, prioritised plan for long-term capital investment.
- A shift from reactive maintenance to a planned, proactive and commercially focused approach.
- UK stores consistently reflecting the high standards of the Poltronesofà brand.
What’s in it for you?
- 33 days holidays including bank holidays
- Car Allowance
- Employee benefits platform – access to 100s of high street discounts and more – holiday discounts, gym discounts, cinema discounts, e-vouchers, cashback and more!
- Colleague Discount
- Enhanced Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Leave
- Access to our dedicated Employee Assistance Programme – to give you free access to advice and information on a range of topics
- Virtual GP – Access to a GP service 24/7
- Salary finance scheme
- Pension Scheme
- Death in Service
