Job summary
Join our Estates & Facilities team as a Civil Operative and take responsibility for maintaining the essential infrastructure of a high-security healthcare environment. You'll carry out a wide range of technical tasks, including building fabric repairs, glazing, carpentry, painting, and basic plumbing, while ensuring compliance with statutory regulations and HTM standards. This role requires strong practical skills, problem-solving ability, and a commitment to safe working practices. You'll also support security systems maintenance and develop specialist expertise such as locksmithing. If you're motivated by precision, safety, and technical excellence, this position offers variety, challenge, and the chance to work in a unique setting where your skills truly matter.
Main duties of the job
As a Civil Operative, you'll carry out a broad range of technical tasks to maintain and improve the hospital's infrastructure. This includes repairing and replacing locks and security systems, maintaining fixtures and fittings, and performing building fabric repairs such as plastering, tiling, and joinery. You'll undertake painting and decorating to a high standard, glazing repairs, and basic plumbing tasks such as clearing waste blockages and installing ligature prevention measures. You'll support planned and reactive maintenance, assist other trades, and ensure all work complies with HTM regulations, Health & Safety standards, and Trust policies. Strong practical skills, problem-solving ability, and attention to detail are essential, along with the ability to work under pressure and communicate effectively with colleagues and contractors. This role offers variety, responsibility, and opportunities to develop specialist skills such as locksmithing.
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.
The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached.
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached.
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Industry recognised qualification/apprenticeship plus relevant experience to professional level or equivalent training and experience.
- City and Guilds Part II, NVQ Level 3 or other recognised qualification.
Desirable
- Accredited Health & Safety training course
- HASAW Qualification
- Locksmith Course
- Other Industrial recognised training
Experience
Essential
- Minimum of 3 years post qualification experience across the trades within a commercial environment.
- Substantial post training building maintenance experience and experience of installation works and fault finding
- Experience working in a reactive and pressurised environment.
- Experience undertaking surveys and audits (e.g. condition surveys and hazard spotting).
Desirable
- NHS experience
- Experience working alongside other maintenance specialisms (e.g. electrical, plumbing & building trades).
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Good knowledge of Health and Safety Legislation, Building Regulations, and Data Protection.
- Well-developed problem solving skills
- Sound knowledge of workshop safety practices including safe systems of work, risk assessment & COSHH data sheets.
- Good analytical skills; able to compile, analyse problems and to find solutions.
- Asbestos awareness
Desirable
- No licensed work (asbestos)
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Self-motivated and able to work without supervision
- Excellent Customer Service Skills; able to communicate effectively with patients, staff and visitors.
- Able to prioritise many conflicting project demands
- Good written and verbal communication
- Excellent attention to detail
- Able to work calmly under pressure, prioritise and meet deadlines
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Industry recognised qualification/apprenticeship plus relevant experience to professional level or equivalent training and experience.
- City and Guilds Part II, NVQ Level 3 or other recognised qualification.
Desirable
- Accredited Health & Safety training course
- HASAW Qualification
- Locksmith Course
- Other Industrial recognised training
Experience
Essential
- Minimum of 3 years post qualification experience across the trades within a commercial environment.
- Substantial post training building maintenance experience and experience of installation works and fault finding
- Experience working in a reactive and pressurised environment.
- Experience undertaking surveys and audits (e.g. condition surveys and hazard spotting).
Desirable
- NHS experience
- Experience working alongside other maintenance specialisms (e.g. electrical, plumbing & building trades).
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Good knowledge of Health and Safety Legislation, Building Regulations, and Data Protection.
- Well-developed problem solving skills
- Sound knowledge of workshop safety practices including safe systems of work, risk assessment & COSHH data sheets.
- Good analytical skills; able to compile, analyse problems and to find solutions.
- Asbestos awareness
Desirable
- No licensed work (asbestos)
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Self-motivated and able to work without supervision
- Excellent Customer Service Skills; able to communicate effectively with patients, staff and visitors.
- Able to prioritise many conflicting project demands
- Good written and verbal communication
- Excellent attention to detail
- Able to work calmly under pressure, prioritise and meet deadlines
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
