Maintenance Manager

Service & Maintenance Manager | HVAC | South London | £75,000–£85,000 plus Benefits Package

Build & Lead a New Department | Established Mechanical Contractor | Technical Leadership | Commercial Responsibility

An established Mechanical Building Services contractor is looking for an experienced Service & Maintenance Manager to establish, lead and develop a new dedicated Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) department.

This is an opportunity for someone who enjoys combining technical knowledge with commercial responsibility, taking ownership of service delivery, customer relationships and the development of a profitable maintenance operation.

The company has more than 25 years of experience within the Building Services industry, delivering mechanical design, installation and commissioning across a varied client base. Its wider project experience includes commercial offices, education, healthcare, retail, cultural buildings and high-end residential developments.

You will work closely with the Managing Director and Office Manager, with an initial team of two Service Engineers reporting to you. As the department develops, you will have the opportunity to shape its working practices, strengthen customer relationships and contribute directly to its long-term success.

For an experienced Service & Maintenance Manager who enjoys building something and seeing the results of their work, this offers genuine ownership, technical variety and the opportunity to make a lasting contribution within an established business.

The Opportunity

As Service & Maintenance Manager, you will take responsibility for establishing the department and overseeing its operational and commercial performance.

The role combines technical leadership, engineer coordination and customer management with responsibility for service standards, budgets, profitability and developing additional business.

Your responsibilities will include:

* Establishing effective departmental processes for scheduling, reporting, customer communication and service delivery.

* Managing planned preventative maintenance programmes against contractual requirements and agreed timescales.

* Coordinating reactive maintenance, breakdowns and emergency call-outs.

* Planning engineers' workloads, providing technical support and maintaining efficient resource allocation.

* Overseeing service reports, asset registers, job sheets and maintenance documentation.

* Managing departmental budgets, quotations, supplier arrangements and external contractors.

* Building strong customer relationships, attending contract reviews and identifying opportunities for additional maintenance business.

* Monitoring revenue, costs and profitability, reporting commercial performance and potential risks to the Managing Director.

* Conducting site inspections and maintaining appropriate health and safety standards.

You will work closely with the Office Manager to ensure the department operates efficiently, customers receive a responsive service and engineers have the support and information needed to deliver their work.

This is an opportunity to take meaningful ownership of a developing department, balancing day-to-day operational responsibilities with the commercial judgement needed to build a successful maintenance operation.

About You

You will bring strong experience within HVAC or Mechanical Building Services maintenance, together with the technical knowledge, organisational ability and commercial awareness to lead a service operation.

We are looking for:

* At least five years' relevant service and maintenance management experience, or substantial experience in a senior service-engineering position.

* Strong technical knowledge of HVAC equipment, including air conditioning, chillers, boilers, air source heat pumps, BMS and associated controls.

* A practical understanding of maintenance, fault diagnosis and repair.

* Experience leading engineers or subcontractors and coordinating operational workloads.

* Experience managing planned preventative maintenance programmes and reactive service requirements.

* Commercial awareness covering quotations, budgets, cost control, maintenance contracts and profitability.

* Strong organisational skills and confidence managing competing priorities.

* Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office and service management or scheduling systems.

* Relevant technical qualifications, such as NVQ Level 3 or above, or an engineering HNC.

* A full UK driving licence.

You should be approachable, organised and commercially minded, with the confidence to resolve technical challenges, support colleagues and develop lasting customer relationships.

Applications are also welcomed from experienced Senior HVAC Service Engineers who have demonstrated leadership, operational coordination and commercial responsibility and are ready to progress into a dedicated management position.

What's on Offer?

* £75,000–£85,000 basic salary, reflective of experience and seniority.

* Opportunity to establish and develop a new dedicated service and maintenance department.

* Direct working relationship with the Managing Director.

* Support from an established Mechanical Building Services business and experienced Office Manager.

* Initial responsibility for two Service Engineers, with scope to develop the department as the business grows.

* Opportunity to influence service standards, operational processes and customer relationships.

* Genuine ownership of departmental performance and the opportunity to contribute to long-term business growth.

Location and Working Arrangements

The company is based in South London, with the position combining office-based management responsibilities, site inspections, customer meetings and technical support.

You will oversee planned preventative maintenance, reactive works and emergency call-out coordination, ensuring the team responds effectively to customer requirements.

The precise arrangements for office attendance, site travel and any personal participation in out-of-hours support will be discussed during the recruitment process.

Interested?

If you are an experienced Service & Maintenance Manager with a strong HVAC background looking for the opportunity to build a department, lead a team and make a direct contribution to an established Mechanical Building Services business, please apply with your up-to-date CV or contact Rob Green at David Leslie Ltd for a confidential and informal discussion.

We would also welcome enquiries from experienced Senior HVAC Service Engineers who possess the technical, leadership and commercial capabilities to make the transition into service management.

Also suitable for: HVAC Service Manager, Air Conditioning Service Manager, Mechanical Maintenance Manager, HVAC Maintenance Manager or Senior HVAC Service Engineer seeking progression into management