Assistant Facilities

This is a 12 month fixed term contract requirement

Based at Alderley Park, Medicines Discovery Catapult is a national Life Sciences service dedicated to turning drug discovery into commercial breakthroughs. We accelerate the development of science, and where there are areas of unmet patient need, we stimulate innovation.

By transforming drug discovery, we can improve patient lives, increase the impact of the UK Life Sciences sector, and create a healthier society and economy. Our interventions work. Since we started, we have helped over 300 companies raise over £1bn of R&D investment. We seek passionate individuals who are eager to collaborate, innovate, and make a tangible difference in the field of drug discovery.

Together, we can unlock new therapies, enhance patient outcomes, and ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of life sciences innovation. If you are ready to make an impact, we invite you to be part of our journey.

The values of the Catapult are:

• Excellence – we continually strive to deliver the best solutions for our partners and for each other. In everything we do, we instil confidence.
• Integrity – Our strong commitment to what we do and why we are here drives us to do the right thing for our partners and each other.
• Community – We're a strong team, we work well together, and we respect each other.
• Innovation - We're driven by the need to make a difference. We constantly look for ways to drive change in our sector and how we work.

Role purpose

The Assistant Facilities & Office Manager will support the Facilities Manager (FM) in the smooth running of services and processes that maintains the core MDC business,including where appropriate, support with Office, Health & Safety, ESG and laboratory activities. They will help ensure that best practices are followed for maximum efficiency and that the most suitable working environment is attained for MDC's employees and their activities.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Support the effective management and maintenance of the facilities, arranging, co-ordinating and planning works with both site central services and external engineers.
• Ensure all areas are maintained in a good state, arranging maintenance and repairs, creating clean, safe, and functional areas, for MDC employees.
• Work with the Facilities Manager to coordinate and manage the Planned Preventative Maintenance and service contracts for the office area.
• Monitor and manage fire extinguisher servicing, regular checks, and storage, and maintain fire log records.
• Manage the access & security in MDC facilities, working with security to monitor access, and maintain a log of visitors and contractors who have been given temporary access, ensuring access is revoked when no longer required.
• Check invoices to ensure services/goods have been received, highlighting any discrepancies to the FM.
• Coordinating and planning of office services, maintenance contracts, desk/office moves, including the office seating plan, Visitor Management System, recycling, non-Laboratory waste disposal, office equipment maintenance, office supplies, mail services and food orders.
• Coordinate statutory inspections & maintain relevant records.
• Provide the general H&S Induction to all new MDC employees, including fire safety, allergy safety and office/site orientation including developing a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan for employees as required.
• DSE Assessor: Ensuring all new starters, fixed workstations, mobile workers, home workers, hot desking and desk moves comply with the Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, and that OH recommended reasonable adjustments are made to support colleagues requiring assistance; working with HR to ensure new starters requiring bespoke DSE equipment are supported when applying for assistance from the Access to Work scheme.
• Ensure appropriate number of first aiders and fire marshals are in place, arrange for training and refresher training and maintaining training records.
• Attend H&S Committee meetings, with specific responsibility for DSE and office areas.
• Lead H&S inspections of the office and kitchen areas, ensuring any concerns/issues are raised with the H&S Manager and that identified improvements are tracked to completion.

Qualifications, experience and knowledge

• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to ensure effective communication with a wide range of contacts both internal and external.
• The ability to multi-task and prioritise workload.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues.
• Demonstration of the ability to work under sustained pressure and to tight deadlines.
• A practical flexible, pro-active approach to work including the ability to prioritise and re-prioritise to achieve successful outcomes.
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• Ability to deal with sensitive information with discretion and to maintain confidentiality always.
• Excellent attention to detail, including proof reading skills, with the ability to maintain a high level of accuracy.
• Excellent IT skills including working knowledge of Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Have completed, or be willing to complete, a HSE-accredited DSE Assessor Training Course and be competent to conduct in-house DSE assessments for all staff.
• Have an awareness of H&S, preferably holding a minimum of an IOSH Managing Safely qualification, or equivalent.

Closing date: Friday 7th November 2025

Please note the closing date for applications may be brought forward if a high volume of applications are received.