About this role
Job summary
The Estates Officer (Mechanical) role at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust is a key position responsible for maintaining and managing essential mechanical systems that support safe, highquality patient care. The postholder will lead senior trades staff and specialist contractors, ensuring all maintenance, repairs, and installations are delivered efficiently and with minimal disruption to clinical activity. Close collaboration with clinical teams is central to the role, with clear communication on work progress and operational impact. Candidates will need strong technical expertise across complex systems such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, steam, and medical gases, alongside confident leadership and problemsolving skills.
UHB offers an outstanding employment package, including the NHS Pension Scheme, 27--33 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays, flexible working options, extensive NHS staff discounts, wellbeing support, professional development opportunities, and access to onsite facilities. This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated mechanical professional to develop their career within one of the UK's largest and most respected NHS Trusts.
Main duties of the job
The Estates Officer (Mechanical) at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust plays a vital role in maintaining the mechanical infrastructure that supports safe, highquality patient care. The postholder will lead senior trades staff and specialist contractors, ensuring maintenance, repairs, and installations are delivered efficiently and with minimal disruption to clinical services. Strong communication and collaboration with clinical teams are essential, alongside the ability to diagnose and resolve complex issues across systems such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, steam, and medical gases.
The role includes acting as an Authorised Person under relevant HTMs, ensuring compliance with health and safety standards, particularly around water safety and legionella control. Responsibilities include routine testing, interpreting codes of practice, and escalating noncompliance. The Estates Officer will also manage resources through the CAFM system, prioritising tasks, overseeing procurement, and ensuring high productivity and workmanship across the mechanical workforce.
This position contributes to policy development, audits, and continuous improvement, requiring adaptability, independence, and a commitment to safe working practices. Aligned with the Trust's values of kindness, connection, and boldness, the Estates Officer plays a key part in supporting the delivery of outstanding patient care through reliable, wellmanaged mechanical systems.
About us
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We do this by developing compassionate and culturally competent leaders, being values driven in all that we do and by creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on the diversity of our people. As such we want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds, and for each of you to feel supported for the diversity you bring, to achieve your full potential. For those staff with a disability, including physical disability, long term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, this also means being committed to making reasonable adjustments needed for you to carry out your role.
Job description Job responsibilities *Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
*Basic education to GCSE/'O' Level in Maths and English or post-Secondary Education training in a relevant field *NVQ Level 3 in a relevant Mechanical Engineering or Building Services Engineering discipline plus additional knowledge acquired through the completion of City & Guilds of London Institute Certificate in either; oCourse 205 in Mechanical Engineering Maintenance Part 2 (205-3) oCourse 596 in Plumbing Advanced Craft Certificate (596-2) in Both - Sanitary Plumbing Plus, Installation and Maintenance of Domestic Heating Systems and Appliances. oCourse 596 Plumbing Craft Certificate (596-1) Plus course 599 Construction Service Welding Advanced Craft oDegree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience
Experience Essential
* Experience in a complex HVAC engineering environment *LTHW Systems *Domestic Hot and Cold-Water Systems *Experience of Managing and Supervising teams
Desirable
*Ventilation and air conditioning *Pumping and pressure boosting *Vacuum and compressed air plants *Automated water treatment plant *Firefighting installations *Computerised building management controls *Laundry equipment *Patient handling equipment such as beds, hoists, wheelchairs, etc. *Hydrotherapy pool *Has detailed knowledge of Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999. Interprets the regulations and notifies line manager of any non-compliance as and when encountered. *Holds a current certificate of training and is competent in the operation and use of bonded abrasive wheels for compliance with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998 *Water storage *Potable Water distribution systems *Thermostatic Mixing Valves *Domestic above ground drainage *Be multi skilled to make safe Mechanical/Electrical/Fabric Systems
Additional Criteria Essential
*Available for undertaking overtime *Available for potential future shift working *Physically demanding role requiring manual handling of loads, extremes of temperature and the ability to work at heights or in confined spaces *Appreciation of their own limitations
Desirable
*Valid Driving licence
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
Address Heartlands Hospital
Bordesley Green E
Birmingham
West Midlands
B9 5SS
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.uhb.nhs.uk/jobs.htm (Opens in a new tab)