Maintenance Operative

Role overview

This is a permanent, full-time Maintenance Operative position based at Copper Beech Care Home on Eastbourne Road, Ridgewood, Uckfield TN22 5ST. The working pattern is 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm, with some flexibility needed to suit the demands of the role. The pay rate is £14.10 to £17.30 per hour, depending on experience.

A full driving licence is required. The role may also involve providing maintenance support to nearby care homes within a reasonable distance of the main site, up to 1 hour from the normal place of work, when needed.

About the care home

Copper Beech is a purpose-built care home designed for a broad mix of nursing and residential needs, including post-operative care, convalescence, dementia and palliative care. It offers respite and long-term care options tailored by experienced professionals to each resident’s needs.

The home includes modern safety features, underfloor heating and wheelchair access. It also has comfortable colour-coordinated furniture, plus patio and garden spaces for relaxation. Residents receive weekly GP visits for personalised medical reviews. Meals and snacks are prepared for residents to enjoy in the dining area or privately in their rooms, with dietary needs and personal preferences considered. The home also encourages an active lifestyle through hobbies and activities such as arts and crafts, bingo and games.

What the role involves

The main purpose of the position is to keep the home’s facilities operating smoothly by carrying out maintenance and repair work to a high standard. You will work in line with Bupa’s operating procedures, legal requirements and industry best practice, while helping maintain the home’s standards and first-impression presentation.

Key duties

• Complete health, safety and compliance checks through the digital systems provided, within the timeframes set by Bupa procedures and compliance tools.
• Deal with and close maintenance actions assigned to the Maintenance Manager or the home in the compliance system.
• Maintain cleanliness and safety across the home and grounds in line with environmental health expectations, fire authority requirements, legionella controls and health and safety rules.
• Carry out repair and maintenance work promptly, to a strong standard and with good value for money, while keeping the decoration aligned with the organisation’s standards for appearance.
• Review and act on residents’ preferences regarding their personal space, ensuring this is recorded.
• Log defects, source quotations and coordinate repairs using Bupa-approved contractors.
• Escalate any defects that cannot be repaired to the Home Manager or Property/Maintenance Manager as appropriate.
• Support refurbishment and capital works projects with minimal disruption to residents, visitors and staff.
• Ensure tools and equipment are stored securely and kept in safe working condition.
• Help induct new colleagues on emergency exits, fire points and evacuation procedures, and keep a record of instructions given when required.
• Provide maintenance support to other local care homes when requested, within a reasonable travel distance from the base site.

Skills and experience needed

You should have a strong practical understanding of building services, including heating systems, hot and cold-water distribution, ventilation, electrical distribution and plumbing. A solid grasp of building fabric maintenance is also important, along with experience of planned maintenance systems and accurate record keeping.

Applicants should understand statutory compliance requirements and have experience working to them. You will need to be comfortable working in a multi-disciplinary team, be computer literate, and provide good customer service. Flexibility is important because priorities can change within a care home environment. Practical painting and decorating skills are also required.

A relevant building, electrical or plumbing qualification such as City & Guilds, BTEC, ONC or HNC is preferred. If you do not hold one, substantial hands-on experience in property maintenance and general repairs may be considered, ideally of at least 3 years.

Benefits

• Access to My Healthcare, including 24/7 support, advice and treatment, with remote GP appointments, physiotherapy and mental health support.
• An annual allowance worth around £350 to use on selected Bupa healthcare products.
• Wagestream access, allowing early withdrawal of up to 40% of earned pay.
• 28 days of holiday.
• Enhanced sick pay for frontline teams in addition to statutory sick pay.
• Long-service rewards, including e-cards, extra holidays and money.
• A free meal on every shift.
• An interest-free annual travel loan for public transport season tickets.
• Access to Bupa pension plans.
• Parental leave options for adoption, birth parents and co-parents.
• A Menopause Plan designed to help women seek advice, choose treatment and take control of their health.
• Discounts at a wide range of gyms and fitness facilities across the UK.

About Bupa

Bupa is a health insurer and provider that operates without shareholders, so customers remain the focus. Its purpose is to help people live longer, healthier, happier lives and contribute to a better world. The organisation describes its approach as being brave, caring and responsible.

Bupa values diversity and encourages applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. It is also a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer and aims to offer an interview or assessment to every disabled applicant who meets the minimum requirements, with reasonable adjustments available during recruitment.

Additional notes

This role is not at or above RQF Level 3 and is therefore not eligible for sponsorship under the UK Points Based Immigration System.

Work area

Care Home - Facilities & Home Support.