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Caretaker (Upper School)
Location: Cambridge
Salary: £26,620 per annum (Which includes weekend work enhancement)
Hours: An average of 37.5 hours per week, working 4, 5 or 6 days over 7.
The School is one of the country’s leading independent co-educational day schools for children aged 3-18, who attend their Pelican, Prep or Upper.
Their aim is to be a leading employer of choice. This means they strive to be a school where staff say they are proud and excited to work, and feel valued, respected and motivated.
They are committed to providing a very competitive salary and benefits scheme at the same time as offering a wide range of opportunities for personal and professional development. They want their staff to feel engaged and purposeful so that they, in turn, help pupils to be happy and successful.
The Role
They currently have a vacancy within their Domestic Services team for a reliable, hardworking and proactive Caretaker. This opportunity will allow a self-motivated individual to be a part of a dynamic team to ensure cleanliness and readiness of their school buildings for daily activities as well as evening and weekend events.
The successful candidate will work collaboratively with the Housekeeping team to maintain high standards of appearance across the site and promptly address any issues that may arise, along with ensuring site security, traffic stewarding, assisting with room set-ups and general porterage.
Key Responsibilities
Caretaking
- Act as Duty Caretaker as required, to include:
- ensuring high standards with regards to the appearance of the site at all times
- responding to activation of the fire alarm or intruder alarms in accordance with procedures
- responding to any urgent requests from the Director of Operations, Domestic Services office, Reception, and Estates Office
- be responsible for the site out of hours and respond to requests/enquiries from visitors or parents and groups hiring the premises
- Movement of furniture and equipment around the school as required
- Preparing the hall and other rooms/spaces for various functions including setting out furniture
- Sorting and delivering any items of mail
- General porterage, handling deliveries and their distribution
Health and Safety
- Undertake all work in accordance with health and safety legislation and the School’s procedures
- Participate in health and safety related testing and checks, as required
- Be aware of health and safety when moving around the site and report any potential hazards to the Domestic Services/Estates Office
Security/Fire Safety
- Maintenance of site security including locking and unlocking the various internal and external buildings, classrooms and perimeter gates as required
- Setting and un-setting the School’s varied alarm systems
- Taking an active role in response to activation of either School’s fire alarm system or any of the various intruder alarms
- Checking doors and windows and advising the Domestic Services office on possible breaches in security
- Ensuring general safety procedures are followed and a means of escape maintained when setting up furniture for events
Oversight of School functions/out of hours lettings including responsibility for:
- Emergency evacuation in the event of activation of the fire detection system (liaison with the Fire & Rescue Services, resetting the system)
- Security of the premises
- Traffic control and parking
Cleaning
- Daily cleaning duties as required and as directed by the Domestic Services Manager and their Deputy
- Emptying bins and clearing litter and other rubbish from internal and external areas
- Assisting in the deep cleaning of areas during holiday periods
Skills and Qualifications
- Honesty and reliability.
- High standards and attention to detail – the ability to achieve and maintain a consistently high standard of work.
- The ability to work alone and as part of a team, communicate with staff at all levels and to establish good working relationships.
- Good organisational skills and self-motivation.
- Excellent communication skills: the ability to deal with pupils, staff, visitors and parents in a confident and friendly manner, and with tact and diplomacy when required.
- Ability to cope with a varied and demanding workload and to remain calm in challenging, and emergency situations.
- Given the nature of the work associated with the role, the post holder should be prepared to undertake both a range of manual handling and an array of manual tasks, while also being prepared to move around our large site for prolonged periods.
- Familiarity with Health & Safety in the workplace as it relates to the role.
To Apply
If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for this reputable School, please click apply to be redirected to their website to complete your application.
Closing Date: 14th October at midday.
Applications will be considered as they are received; The School reserves the right to make an appointment before the closing date.
The School actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
Safer Recruitment
The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including references from previous employers, a Disclosure and Barring Service check at the enhanced level, as well as eligibility to work in the UK (in compliance with UK immigration regulations). All work carried out at the School on a regular basis amount to regulated activity. This role is also exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
