Maintenance Assistant

Job Description

Contract: Full time (40 hrs per week)

Deadline: 20th October 2026

Job Role:

The primary responsibility of the Maintenance Assistant is to support the Estates Team leader and the Head of Estates, in delivering a planned / preventative maintenance programme for the Ditchley Estate, mansion, grounds, and outlying properties. This will include, general repairs, planned maintenance, building development, project work, and responding to any emergencies as they arise.  The maintenance assistant will form part of the collective team referred to as the “Estates team”.

The primary purpose of the Estates Team is to ensure the house, grounds and additional Foundation properties are kept safe, secure and in good order always.

This is a key holder position, with accommodation provided on site.

Apply: email covering letter and CV to [email protected]

This role will involve:

• Working at heights
• Manual handling
• Operating electrical equipment and machinery
• Operating vehicles
• Using broad range of hand tools and equipment
• Working occasional weekends to provide a “duty cover” / out of hours, to cover emergencies on the estate.

Key responsibilities

• Painting and decorating
• Non-specialist plumbing (e.g. changing tap washers, unblocking drains)
• Non-specialist carpentry
• Grounds-related maintenance work (eg repairing stone walls)
• Assisting the Gardens team if required (e.g. mowing lawns, raking leaves, trimming hedges)
• General maintenance tasks (eg non-specialist repairs of furniture, fixtures and fittings of mansion and office spaces; high cleaning/maintenance: mirrors, ceiling lights, chandeliers)
• Routine Health and Safety checks (eg legionella, fire routes)
• Waste management and recycling: recycling/disposal of all waste from the house and offices, eg bottles, cardboard, paper and other items
• Coordinating with external contractors
• Ensuring all communal areas, entrances and pathways are always clean and clear, particularly in adverse weather conditions (e.g. clearing snow, gritting etc.)
• Preparation of tenants’ properties

Fire:

• Support the estate team leader with the Maintenance of the fire alarm system, responding to call outs, including weekly testing.

Security: 

• Support the estate team leader with the maintenance of the intruder alarms on the Estate properties and associated buildings.
• Respond to all alarm calls while on duty.
• Ensure the house and grounds are always secure, but with a particular focus before, during and after events, and during operational hours.

Essential services:

• Support the estate team leader with the routine Maintenance of the biomass, ensuring the safe operation.
• Respond to all biomass breakdowns, whilst on duty.

Environment Agency compliance:

• Support the estate team leader with the safe operation of the Estate sewerage system operating within Environment Agency guidance.
• Respond to all faults whilst on duty.

Event Support:

• Support the house / operations team as required to prepare the house and grounds for events.

Person Specification

• 3 years’ experience in a maintenance environment.
• Understand: Electricity / low voltage / distribution boards / heating controls / fire controls / Mechanical / boilers / heating / ventilation /calorifiers/etc Plumbing / water systems / Joinery /woodworking.
• A willingness to work flexibly, including some evenings and weekend.
• Have undertaken fire warden training or be willing to undertake.
• Clean driving licence
• First aid certification, current/or willing to undertake.
• Adaptable: able to work across a broad range of tasks, disciplines, and teams.
• Excellent team worker: personable, respectful and pleasant manner.
• Good range of general maintenance skills, ability and aptitude.
• Motivated, enthusiastic and willing to undertake further training.
• Attention to detail and problem-solving.
• Basic level of computer literacy.
• Knowledge of COSHH regulations.
• Knowledge and awareness of Risk Assessments.
• Awareness, understanding of historic houses.
• Reliable, with good time management.
• Comfortable with guest-facing role.

This is a keyholder position and the postholder is required to: 

• live on site in accommodation provided.
• Become part of the “duty team”
• Provide out of hours emergency cover for essential services.
• Provide security for the house, estate and properties.
• Respond to all fire, burglar alarms whilst on duty.
• Be part of the foundation’s emergency salvage plan.
• Respond to all incidences on the estate whilst on duty, and liaise with external agencies if required, e.g. Police, Fire service, farm.
• Whist on duty, Be point of contact for residents and public who are visiting or transiting through the estate.