CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER COUNCIL BOROUGH COUNCIL

JOB DESCRIPTION QUESTIONNAIRE

JOB TITLE	Site MANAGER – (Primary School)	JOB REF NO	AAAD5007

BASIC JOB PURPOSE

To undertake efficient maintenance of the building and site, including certain technical and administrative duties to ensure their most effective use.

NO	MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
1.	Maintain the school building, including effecting repairs and improvements in order to fulfil the school’s specific responsibilities under LMS. Undertake minor repairs (electrical, plumbing, glazing, joinery) as necessary.
2.	Monitor and operate the engineering system and advise management of any faults in order to ensure the most economical use of fuel and water.
3.	Discuss with and monitor the work of contractors engaged by school to ensure specified standards are achieved.
4.	Monitor, operate and maintain appropriate site security systems, including opening and closing the building at the beginning and end of the school day, lettings outside school hours and responding to call outs as necessary in order to provide satisfactory security arrangements.
5.	Maintain and monitor Health and Safety standards, reporting any failures to comply with the school’s statutory obligations in this area and ensure that contractor’s work meets Health and Safety Regulations.
6.	Supervise the work of cleaning staff; allocate, and gives guidance upon the performance of, day-to-day tasks to be undertaken.
7.	Organise and carry out portering and cleaning duties (including the moving of heavy furniture) which will secure the most efficient use of resources.
8.	Order supplies in order to maintain the necessary stock of appropriate resources.
9.	Manage lettings of the school buildings and site in order to maximise income
10.	Carry out banking duties as required.
11.	Carry out other duties appertaining to the use of the premises as may be necessary from time to time in accordance with the reasonable requirements of the Head Teacher.
Notwithstanding the detail in this job description, in accordance with the School's/Council’s Flexibility Policy the job holder will undertake such work as may be determined by the Headteacher/Governing Body from time to time, up to or at a level consistent with the Main Responsibilities of the job.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUPERVISION/DIRECTION/COORDINATION OF EMPLOYEES

Employees directly supervised by Job Holder

No and FTE	Levels / grades	Types of work	Where based
Several Part-time staff	Cleaners	Cleaning of designated school buildings (internal)	Primary School

What does the supervision / management of these employees involve? (eg allocating work, training for the job, assessing performance - see guidance notes)

The Job Holder ensures that all cleaning tasks have been completed; allocating work tasks and gives guidance upon the performance of the tasks to be undertaken by Cleaners. The Job Holder also participates in the recruitment of cleaning staff.

Other Employees supervised by Job Holder (not in a direct line relationship)

Not Applicable

Does the job involve supervision, direction or management of people who are not employees? eg contractors, students on secondment

No and FTE	Levels / grades	Types of work	Where based
Contractors (eg, electricians, plumbers, drainage and heating engineers, glaziers, etc).	Specialist servicing and maintenance of buildings and equipment.	Special School

What does the supervision of these people involve?

Informing them of work to be completed, check work on completion

Does the Job Holder develop policy or provide advice and information which impacts on the supervision / direction / coordination of employees?

Yes

The Job Holder will discuss with the Head teacher whether to engage the services of contractors for a specific task or whether to carry out the job themselves.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL RESOURCES

Give details of any direct responsibility for financial resources.

Financial responsibility	Value of the financial resource (p.a.)	How often is the duty performed?
Cleaning supplies budget holder.	Between £1,000 and £10,000; depending upon size of school	Daily
Managing income from lettings	Up to £5,000	Weekly
Cheques and cash-handling	Weekly

Does the Job Holder develop policy or provide advice and information which impacts on financial resources?

Yes / No

RESPONSIBILITY FOR PHYSICAL RESOURCES

Give details of any direct responsibility for physical resources.

Physical resource	Nature of responsibility of Job Holder	How often is responsibility exercised?
Buildings: Classrooms, toilets, offices, specialist areas (eg, swimming pool, heating system)	Maintenance and minor improvements Cleaning of designated areas Security – opening/closing building (named key holder), operating and testing of alarms Health and Safety checks Checking of heating plant Maintaining correct temperature. Security – ensuring boiler room is locked	Daily

Site: eg, grassed and wooded areas, driveways, play areas, etc	Litter picking, path clearance, graffiti removal etc Carrying out H & S checks Routine maintenance of play areas and equipment	Daily
Fixtures, Fittings and Furniture: Locks, windows, doors, fitted furniture	Ensures in good working order, H & S checks, day-to-day maintenance Moves furniture and large items as requested	Daily
Tools/equipment/cleaning materials: Hand/small power tools; washers, driers, fridges, Hoovers, buffers, etc Cleaning materials/chemicals	Safe daily use and storage Checking for good working order/PAT testing Taking fridge temperatures Safe daily use and storage	Daily
Vehicles: School Minibus	Security/garaging of vehicle Cleaning interior/exterior; checking/ topping up oil, fuel, and tyres; taking for service and MOT	Daily/Weekly
Records: Stock records of cleaning materials, towels, toilet paper, etc Meter readings	Maintains records of cleaning stocks used, raises replacement requisitions(to School Bursar) Checks deliveries to store Reads and records meter readings, water temperatures etc	Daily/Monthly

Does the Job Holder develop policy or provide advice and information which impacts on physical resources?

Yes / No

If yes, give details

Job Holder makes recommendations on:

purchases of equipment;

prioritisation of work – eg, which building improvements/maintenance should take highest priority.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR IMPACT ON PEOPLE

Task/Duty	Who benefits?	How they benefit?
Organising/managing general cleaning and maintenance tasks, including risk assessments of such tasks	Primary school pupils; teaching/support Staff	Clean, safe environment where risk is minimised.
Maintenance and testing of swimming pool (if there is a pool on school site), sports equipment, etc.	Primary school pupils; teaching/support Staff; any external users of pool.	Compliance with all health and safety requirements thereby minimising risk of infection, etc.
Letting of school premises	External organisations	Use of appropriate facilities for their activities/meetings

Does the Job Holder develop policy or provide advice and information which impacts on people?

YES/NO

KNOWLEDGE

Type of knowledge	What knowledge is essential?	Why are these needed?	How is it normally acquired?
Literacy and Numeracy	Ability to read, write; together with basic arithmetical ability	To read instructions, keep records, read meters, mix chemicals to correct ratio	General education
Equipment and Tools	Ability to: Use hand/small power tools Use electrical cleaning equipment Test, set and disarm alarms	To clean and maintain school and security of buildings and site	Previous experience plus on-the-job experience
Specialist	Understanding of: Basic plumbing, joinery and electrics Basic and specialist cleaning processes Safe storage of materials and chemicals	To clean and carry out basic maintenance	DIY skills and experience of institutional/ domestic cleaning
Policies and Procedures	Knowledge of: Health and Safety Regulations, Safer Handling Guidelines, School Security, Hazardous substances	To ensure compliance, carry out checks	Induction, training, manuals and guidelines
Organisational	Basic knowledge of school organisation. Knowledge of contractors and Council Service level agreements	To understand how things are organised and why To know who to contact in an emergency	On-the-job experience On-the-job experience

How long would it take for a Job Holder to become fully operational?

Two weeks: competent to carry out Health and Safety, cleaning and security responsibilities.

One month: understand all daily responsibilities and checks.

One Term: reasonably competent in all duties; understand the ethos of the School, its systems, and the needs of different school users.

There are some cyclical aspects of the job which may only be experienced over the period of a full year.

MENTAL SKILLS

What sort of situations/problems does the Job Holder typically have to deal with?

Example

Planning and priorities: the Job Holder receives a list of requests for work from the school staff. The Job Holder determines what can be left until later and what is urgent, when to carry out the work – this may mean waiting until there is clear access (eg, to a classroom), obtaining materials whilst keeping an overview and fitting in routine cyclical tasks.

Example

Carrying out minor improvements/repairs to equipment/facilities: when requested to erect shelving, display boards, etc the Job Holder assesses what needs to be done; determines what height, loads, etc.; and plans and executes the project. Consideration must also be given to the impact of the work on the health and safety of pupils and staff (eg, should they be excluded from the work area, etc).

Give an example of the most difficult or demanding situation/problem the Job Holder has to solve.

Example:

Resolving faults in School systems (ie, heating, alarms, etc): the Job Holder checks/tests the various options and possible causes; determines possible solutions; carries out repair/remedial work if within the competence of the Job Holder, or obtains expert technical assistance if the work is outside the competence of the Job Holder.

Approximately how often would the example in (b) occur?

A few times per annum

Give details below of the mental skills required in the job and reasons why they are needed.

Mental Skill	Why Needed?
Planning	Requests for work and cyclical maintenance tasks Scheduling/co-ordinating maintenance work during school closure periods.
Judgment	When to carry out repairs and when expert help is needed Determining material requirements to carry out jobs Potential impact on school of problems with pool/boiler Undertaking basic Health and Safety Risk Assessments
Analytical/fact-finding/ problem-solving	Fault finding in School systems/equipment and carrying out repairs Determining requirements for projects

INTERPERSONAL AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS ESSENTIAL FOR THE JOB

Skill	Used for?	With whom?
Oral and Written skills.	General exchange of information. Writing clear instructions for contractors, etc. Maintaining accurate logs eg, fire log, pool log, etc. Maintaining records of tasks undertaken Stores records	Contractors, School staff, Pupils and Parents, other school users/visitors Contractors. Inspectors. Bursar, Head teacher, Governors
Persuasion/motivation - including tact/ negotiation skills.	Receiving and giving instructions (some negotiation about priority maintenance work) Obtaining information Day to day supervision, induction, demonstration of tasks, listening Diffuse situations in non-confrontational way	Staff, pupils, parents, governors, contractors, visitors Cleaners Trespassers on site

PHYSICAL SKILLS ESSENTIAL FOR THE JOB

Give details (if any) of the physical skills essential to do the job properly.

Physical skill	Used for?	Any precision/speed requirements?
Hand/eye co-ordination and dexterity	Using hand/small powered tools for general maintenance and cleaning work Setting/disarming alarm systems Checking heating systems
Sensory perception (Visual/Olfactory)	Looking for fine changes in water colour, and to smell for high/excess levels of chlorine; when conducting quality/safety tests of swimming pool water

INITIATIVE AND INDEPENDENCE

Allocation of work

How is work allocated to the Job Holder?

Generated by school staff in the form of work request slips, which detail maintenance work that needs to be undertaken. Work is also generated from the annual plan – eg, in terms of general maintenance such as decorating. Some work is reactive to emergencies and Health and Safety issues.

What is a typical cycle for allocating work to the Job Holder eg hourly, daily, weekly?

Daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, half-termly, termly and annual cycles of work. Other work is reactive either to emergencies or special requests.

Scope for initiative

How much freedom/discretion does the Job Holder have:

to change the way work is done?

(e.g. recommending changes in policy, procedures, resources)

Limited - the Job Holder can decide on the most appropriate solutions to maintenance issues but must always work within defined policies and procedures and/or with the specific sanction of the Head teacher.

to allocate their time to duties?

There are some routine daily tasks (eg, doors and alarms, general checks on the tidiness/cleanliness of the school, checks on the heating systems, swimming pools, etc) that the Job Holder must complete. Otherwise, all general maintenance tasks are prioritised by the Job Holder.

What is the level of guidance/instruction available?

School Health and Safety policy, Council Policies, procedures and guidelines

What sort of direction, management or supervision is given to the Job Holder?

The Job Holder is not closely supervised but teaching/senior support staffs are usually available during normal school hours for help and guidance. The Job Holder is expected to use initiative to resolve problems within own remit when no staff are on site. If there was a serious problem, the Job Holder would be expected to contact the Head teacher.

Give three examples of problems or decisions the Job Holder would be expected to deal with themselves without reference to a supervisor/manager. How often do these occur?

Expected problem	Nature of available guidance	Typical Frequency
Minor repairs (eg, broken window, storm damage, etc) – the Job Holder decides whether to undertake the work or whether it will be necessary to call in specialist contractors.	Experience, initiative, knowledge of SLA, Health and Safety guidelines	Several times year
If a school room required minor or “emergency” re-painting or refurbishment, the Job Holder would carry out the work.	Experience, initiative	Occasional
Unexpected problem	Nature of available guidance	Typical Frequency
Prioritising/co-ordinating the work of the Cleaners when a member of the cleaning team reports sick.	Experience, initiative, knowledge of SLA,	Occasional

Give two examples of problems or decisions the Job Holder would be expected to refer to their supervisor/manager. How often do these occur?

Problem or decision	Point of referral	Typical Frequency
Significant refurbishment/repairs that are require capital expenditure	Head teacher	Few times per annum
If the Job Holder makes a judgement that the school environment is not safe/conducive for pupils (eg, burst water pipe, failure of heating system, etc).	Head teacher, who would make decision on whether to close the school.	Occasional

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

What sort of physical demands does the job involve? (See guidance notes for examples)

Physical Demand	Typical Duration	How often?	Other details (eg how heavy?)
On feet and walking around building	Duration of shift	Daily
Lifting and carrying: Portering heavy items of furniture, boxes, stores orders, new furniture	Short bursts	Daily
Physical effort: Climbing ladders and steps to ceiling and roof height (to change bulbs, clean, repair, etc) Pulling and pushing – cleaning equipment, trolleys etc	Several minutes Short bursts	At least once per day Daily
Constrained position: Bending, crouching, stretching to clean toilets, carpets, spot clean, clean light diffusers, etc Work in roof space	Daily Occasional

MENTAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB

Nature of task	Mental Demand	Duration	Frequency
Maintaining tidiness/cleanliness, health, safety and security, and physical standard of the school site; resolving any issues/ problems that arise (eg, glass in the playground, trailing leads, testing the pool for safety and hygiene, etc).	Awareness/alertness, attention to detail	Ongoing	Daily
Carrying out minor repairs and cleaning tasks; calculation of materials required, methodology, etc.	Mental concentration – attention to detail.	Short bursts	Daily

To what extent is the job subject to work-related pressures e.g. regular deadlines, frequent interruptions, conflicting demands?

Nature of pressures /interruptions	Source	For how long?	How often?
Interruptions – inherent part of job	Teaching staff waiting for cleaning or portering jobs to be carried out.	Regularly
Deadlines	Routine cleaning and maintenance tasks Cyclical work (eg, during school holidays)	Daily
Conflicting demands	Different staff with requests for work with differing priorities Occasionally, Job Holder must to leave current task: to deal with an emergency/health and safety issue when contractors arrive on site.	Regularly

EMOTIONAL DEMANDS

Nature of the task being performed by Job Holder.	Behaviour/source of the emotional demand	Frequency (per day/wk/month)
NONE

WORKING CONDITIONS

In what kind of places does the Job Holder normally work (eg office, library, gardens, clients’ homes)?

If more than one, give approximate proportion of time in each.

Location of work	Proportion of time
Primary School Site – Grounds and Buildings	100%

If the Job Holder works outside, are they expected to work regardless of the weather or are alternative arrangements made eg work on other duties?

Yes – to clear paths, deal with storm damage and Health and Safety issues (ie, to make grounds safe for pupils and other school users). Other, non-urgent, outdoor tasks can be left for better weather.

What unpleasant environmental working conditions or behaviour from other people are met in performing the job? (See guidance notes for examples)

Working Condition or Behaviour from other people	How long does it last at any one time?	How often does it typically occur?
Diluting of potentially hazardous cleaning chemicals Cleaning toilets, unblocking drains; removal of yellow waste bags (containing human waste products) Litter picking and emptying bins; picking up broken glass, clearing dog faeces from grass, cleaning urine from porch areas, etc Abusive behaviour and bad language from trespassers confronted on site Working alone in building	Few minutes Up to 1 hour Up to 1 hour Few minutes Whole shift during school holidays	Daily Daily Daily Few times per week Few times per annum

What protection is offered (if any) e.g. against adverse weather (clothing, shelter), against infection, security measures etc.

Provision of personal protective equipment e.g. waterproofs, hard hat, safety boots, special face mask and PVC overalls for when working with chemicals, gloves.