37.5 hours per week / permanent / working Monday to Friday 0900-1700.

YMCA DownsLink Group is the leading charity for children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. We offer safe homes, mental health support and trusted advice.

We believe that every child and young person has the right to be safe, heard and to shape their own future. We work alongside them to make that happen.

We are here for children and young people, many of whom face multiple challenges and need our support.

Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections – guide us in all our actions.

Are you an experienced maintenance professional looking to step into a rewarding role? Do you take pride in creating safe, welcoming homes that make a real difference in young people’s lives?

Our services provide supported housing for young people aged 16–25, offering both high (24 hour supported) and medium/low supported levels of housing including young families. We take a trauma informed, and psychologically informed approach, supporting residents to build essential life skills, identify personal goals, and work towards their aspirations, enabling them to move on to fully independent living.

Our Maintenance team works across multiple properties to ensure our residents have safe, good‑quality homes. We work closely with project staff to identify and complete repairs, carry out ad hoc cleaning and decoration, ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, and prepare empty homes for new residents.

This role will supervise a small team of maintenance workers within Brighton & Hove, and you will have previous experience of managing a team. You will be experienced of working in pressurised situations and will be able to prioritise your time and that of others in order to provide the best possible service, you will be a proven problem solver, and you will promptly identify where work expectations exceed capacity, or if external contractors are required to complete technical tasks. You will have excellent people skills and be able to communicate effectively with residents, contractors, maintenance staff, and project staff and managers.

The postholder is responsible for the day‑to‑day delivery of maintenance, repairs and improvement works across their locality, monitoring team performance and ensuring compliance inspections and remedial actions are completed on time and to a high standard, with customer satisfaction at the centre of the service.

You will manage a team of operatives, providing clear direction so all work is completed safely, professionally and efficiently. The role ensures safe working practices are consistently followed, supports value‑for‑money delivery, and contributes to organisational targets — including working towards Net Zero commitments.

If you’re enthusiastic about this opportunity but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway and demonstrate how your experience is transferrable. You may be just the right candidate.

Experience and Knowledge

• Experience of leading and managing a high-performing team of operatives
• Knowledge of UK legislation and regulations relating to repairs and maintenance for landlords, compliance and Health & Safety in the workplace
• Knowledge of health and safety in the workplace
• NVQ2 or above, or relevant experience of working in a trade background (e.g. decorating, carpentry, plumbing, tiling)
• Good customer relationship skills, with the ability to build and maintain respectful relationships quickly and manage challenging behaviour, escalating issues as needed

If you would like any further information or an informal discussion about this post, please contact Chris.McKeever@ymcadlg.org. Should you require any assistance with our application process, please email us at Recruitment@ymcadlg.org.

CLOSING DATE: Sunday 12th July at midnight.

TO APPLY: Scroll down the page to the application form. Please also download the job profile (below), which includes the full role description and person specification.

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to provide work permits or visa sponsorship for this role, so applicants must already have the right to live and work in the UK independently.

An inclusive workplace We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment.

Accessibility If you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please do contact us.

YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns.

Successful applicants will undergo a thorough background screening process, conducted by an accredited third-party provider. This includes an Enhanced DBS check (with Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists) as well as comprehensive reference and activity check.