Facilities Assistant

Job description

Job Title: Facilities Assistant

Department: Estates
Reporting to: Buildings Manager

**Salary**: £22,750 per annum
Hours: 37.5 hours per week rota’d over 7 days
Holiday: 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays pro rata.

American Museum & Gardens
The mission of the American Museum & Gardens is to educate, stimulate, and inspire its visitors to further the understanding of American history and culture. The Museum carries out this mission through the presentation of its historic rooms, its decorative art and Folk Art collections, also its special exhibitions, publications, learning programmes, and gardens. Our organisation is the only one of its kind outside the boundaries of the United States. We welcome, on average, 60,000 visitors a year.

About the role
The role is key in providing operational assistance for the American Museum & Gardens, within the Estates Team. The primary purpose of this post is to undertake general maintenance duties and cleaning across all buildings to a high standard, porterage and setting up and striking of rooms for corporate and private functions, and working with the curatorial team helping with exhibition change overs. This is an important post within the Estates department working closely with other departments and assisting with projects. The unique character and qualities of the site dictate that this post holder must be able to work without supervision and be able to deal with some demanding issues, in a responsible, sensitive, and professional manner.

This is a hands-on role that will at times include accessing various areas of buildings, and undertaking various cleaning tasks and moving furniture and equipment required for events. Due to the historic nature of the buildings, not all areas in which the post-holder works are step-free or enjoy level access.

You will act as a key holder for the site. You will be responsible for opening and closing the museum on a rota’d basis.

The post holder can look forward to working in a Grade I Listed Manor House featuring collections from the United States of America. The Exhibition gallery houses x2 temporary exhibitions per year of which the post holder will be involved in helping to set up. The Estate is set within 125 acres of land just outside of Bath. With both woodlands and formal gardens on offer.

General Duties

Responsibilities involve several key activities as outlined below:
1. To undertake general cleaning duties as specified including the cleaning of public toilets, the unblocking of toilets and sewerage drains and clearing up after corporate and private functions and conferences.

2. To undertake specific cleaning duties within the buildings, maintaining the visitor routes and keeping general storage spaces clear and free from rubbish.

3. To ensure that all buildings are locked and unlocked as required, and secure when outside of normal opening hours. To undertake regular patrols, and record details where necessary.

4. To be aware of the location and operation of all security and fire alarm systems for all buildings and to respond to any alarms in accordance with the standard procedures.

5. To have good general building knowledge, such as location of stop cocks, boilers etc.
6. To undertake the setting up and striking of rooms, sometimes to tight schedules, for corporate and private functions and conferences to the appropriate plans and specifications. This includes the moving of furniture and set up of audio & visual equipment.

8. To undertake internal and external general maintenance duties around the buildings and estate as required. This may include working at height on ladders and possible exposure to inclement weather conditions.

9. To promote good relations with members of the public, clients, contractors, and suppliers by carrying out the duties of the post in an efficient, courteous, and equable manner at all times.

Other
- Promote and support the charitable aims of the organisation
- Take positive action to promote Equal Opportunities in all aspects of the organisation
- Agree to abide by organisational policies such as Health and Safety, Safeguarding etc.
- Maintain confidentiality in all areas relating to the organisation
- Maximise income and minimise expenditure whenever possible
- To be flexible and undertake any other reasonable duties appropriate to this role

Personal specification

Essential:

- General cleaning experience and understanding of COSHH.
- General health and safety knowledge of risk assessments and maintaining control measures.
- Adaptable and flexible approach to work with good organisational skills.
- Excellent customer service, presentation and ability to communicate effectively at all levels.
- Strong team player with a collaborative work style.
- Able to effectively prioritise workload in a fast-paced, dynamic workplace and use initiative when working within set schedules.
- Able to plan own time effectively and multi-task.
- Practical and hands on with