August 2017
Dear Applicant
Post of Estate Caretaker
Please find enclosed Application Pack for the above post.
The closing date for the return of completed applications will be 12 noon on Monday 28th August 2017. Please complete the application form provided and do not include a C.V.
If you have any queries or would like further information please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours faithfully
Sandra McPhee
Corporate Services Officer
Encl.
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: Estate Caretaker
GRADE: Employers in Voluntary Housing Grade TAS 2/3
RESPONSIBLE TO: Chargehand Estate Caretaking
ACCOUNTABLE TO: Director through the Customer Services Team Leader and Customer Services Manager
RESPONSIBLE FOR: Coordination of Apprentices and Trainees
DATE: July 2017
JOB PURPOSE
General
The purpose of all staff employed by the Cadder Housing Association is to positively promote and serve the Vision, Values and Aims of the organisation. The Association is the main service provider in Cadder and we require all staff to excel and be highly motivated to make a positive contribution to achieving our overarching aim, which is to ‘Make Cadder Better’. The post holder must be dynamic, committed and flexible in their work, as well as being able to communicate and liaise effectively with all departments and staff members to produce a high quality and responsive service to our tenants, other customers and key stakeholders.
Specific
The specific purpose of the post of the Estate Caretaker is primarily to provide a high quality and responsive estate caretaking service to meet organisational targets for performance in landscape, grounds and property maintenance works.
The Estate Caretaker will contribute towards effective upkeep and maintenance of all landscape, common and grounds maintenance areas, thus ensuring Cadder is an attractive area for local resident and visitors.
The Estate Caretaker will contribute towards the work and duties of the Customer Services Department and support the in-house trade team through labouring duties to provide a high quality repairs service.
The Estate Caretaker must comply with the Association policies and procedures, as well as legislative, regulatory and good practice requirements in the provision of estate caretaking and maintenance duties. The post holder will be required to undertake any duties commensurate with their role and grade to ensure the provision of effective and efficient services to our tenants and other customers in the delivery of the housing service.
Objective 1
Provision of a high quality estate caretaking service
Tasks and Responsibilities
The Estate Caretaker will:-
Ø Grass cutting of front & side gardens, backcourts and open spaces as required. Maintain Trees, shrubs and beds to common and garden areas.
Ø Clean backcourt, bin areas and paved areas weekly or more frequently as required
Ø Removing bulk from backcourts and open spaces areas
Ø Clean and maintain all landscaped areas including slabs, surrounds, removing and dumping furniture and rubbish as required
Ø Sweeping stairs and wash stairs and walls in common closes.
Ø Cleaning window sills, windows and railings in the common close.
Ø Work occasionally from heights from scaffold platform, ladders or mechanical equipment
Ø Moss and graffiti removal
Ø Removing graffiti from close and stair walls. This may require painting the area / section of the wall that has graffiti.
Ø De-littering designated communal gardens, backcourt areas and the Cadder area.
Ø Sweeping up and removing broken glass or any other spillages as required
Ø Identifying any common repairs, broken windows etc. to the office
Ø Carry out property inspections and anti-vandal patrols as directed by the Chargehand Estate Caretaker.
Ø Wearing and using protective clothing and equipment provided under Health & Safety
Ø Attending appropriate training as agreed with the Chargehand Estate Caretaker.
Ø Utilising the Associations transport for the removal of uplifted material for disposal.
Ø Liaise with staff in the Customer Services Team to ensure that problem areas are dealt with promptly and effectively.
Ø Carrying out any additional duties as specified by the Chargehand Estate Caretaker.
Objective 2
Contribute towards the development of apprentices and trainees on work and training placements.
Tasks and Responsibilities
The Estate Caretaker will :-
Ø Direct and assist the work of any landscape and grounds maintenance apprentice(s) or trainee employed by the Association;
Ø Support the training and development of apprentices or trainees with tools, plant or equipment to undertake landscaping, grounds or property maintenance tasks in keeping with the duties of the estate caretaking service.
Objective 3
Contribute to the provision of repair works to properties in conjunction with the Association’s trade persons/handyperson
Tasks and Responsibilities
The Estate Caretaker will :-
Ø Assist with clearing out empty properties as required
Ø Assist with cleaning empty properties as required
Ø Carry out labouring duties to assist tradesperson/handyperson as required
Objective 4
To ensure high standards in working practices
Tasks and Responsibilities
The Estate Caretaker will:-
Ø keep all items supplied by the Association in good order
Ø keep the workshop in good order together with other users of the facility
Ø ensure that he/she is fully conversant with the Associations Health and Safety Policy and Procedures
Ø ensure that he/she complies with the Associations Health and Safety Policies
Ø ensure that tools and equipment are maintained in good working condition
Ø ensure that he/she advises the Chargehand Estate Caretaking of any gaps in training or qualification which may arise due to changes in law or good practice.
Ø ensure that he/she undertakes any training or qualification which the Association considers necessary to allow him/her to improve his/her working performance
Ø Drive the company vehicle and comply with vehicle maintenance and repairs procedures
Ø Maintain driving licence accreditation and show evidence of this annually by submitting driving licence for inspection.
Objective 5
To assist in ensuring that the Association complies with its policies on customer service
Tasks and Responsibilities
The Estate Caretaker will:-
Ø ensure the confidentiality of all information which he/she comes into contact with in the course of his/her employment
Ø Meet customer expectations in accordance with service requirements
Ø Provide accurate and timely information on progress to customers with advice that is easily understood
Ø be courteous and professional to all recipients of the Association’s service
Ø update daily work records so that accurate records of completed jobs is achieved.
Ø work out with normal working hours, if required with reasonable notice
Signed as Accepted by…..………………………………………………
Full Name (printed)……………………………………………………….
Date…………………………………………………………………………
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Estate Caretaker
Essential Criteria / Desirable CriteriaEducation & Qualifications / Basic literacy skills.
Driving licence.
Relevant qualification
.
PA1 – PA6 (Pest Control and Weed Killing) / SVQ Level 2 Horticulture and Landscaping certificate
Lantra Award
Training in garden maintenance / construction industry / common area cleaning.
Chainsaw Certificate
(NTCP Qualification)
Clean Driving Licence
Experience / Experience in manual working environment
3 years’ experience of ground maintenance or commercial cleaning works / Experience in tree felling / pruning
Skills, Abilities & Personal Attributes / - Good timekeeping.
- Manage workload.
- Conscientious.
- Flexible
- Good Communication Skills
- Neat and tidy appearance
- Pleasant friendly manner
- Able to work on own initiative or as part of a team
- Customer Focussed / Basic Construction skills.
Awareness of Housing Associations.
Interested in learning new skills
Knowledge / An awareness of H&S in relation to functions of the job.
Other requirements / Awareness of equality issues and commitment to meet the Association’s policy and codes of practice.
Able to meet Cadder HA’s
Conditions of Service
Willing to wear uniform
Able to perform heavy / manual duties
Physically fit
Standard Disclosure
Applications for Employment
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Cadder Housing Association is a Registered Social Landlord and a Registered Scottish Charity and was formed in 1994. We evolved through two housing stock transfers in 1994 and 1998 from Scottish Homes and now own 648 properties and provide a factoring service to 402 owner occupiers in the area.
1.2 Cadder has a healthy mix of tenement and main door properties in the area, although these are manly three and four apartment properties.
1.3 Cadder has high levels of deprivation where most of the area is within the worst 10% most deprived areas in Scotland based on the Scottish Indices of Multiple Deprivation.
1.4 Cadder has been transformed in recent years through the Community Energy Saving Project (C.E.S.P) in partnership with British Gas. The C.E.S.P delivered significant energy improvements to our tenants’ homes, which include an insulated render system, new double glazing windows, new ‘A’ rated boilers and central heating systems, all at a cost of circa £8million, of which the Association’s contribution was £5.1million. These improvements have made our tenants’ home warm and comfortable, whilst reducing their energy costs.
1.5 The Association’s housing stock is in very good condition and improving through our major repairs programme, which is support by our compliance with Scottish Housing Quality Standard and 97% compliance with the new Energy Efficiency Standards in Social Housing (E.E.S.S.H). The Association aims to achieve EESSH by summer 2018 against a target date of March 2020.
1.6 The Association has an in house Trade & Estate Team to attend to the upkeep and maintenance of the Cadder environment and our properties. In 2005 we established our Estate Caretaking service to maintain and upkeep backcourts, common areas, shrub beds, open spaces and the Cadder estate. The in-house Estate Caretaking service has been highly successful in improving the attractiveness of the Cadder area and maintaining backcourts and common areas to a very high standard.
1.7 In 2013 we extended the Trade & Estates Team to include key trades associated with the repairs service and our aim to commence a programme of new kitchens and bathrooms to all our tenants’ homes. In April 2017 we achieved a major milestone in our major repairs programme, when we completed our 500th installation. The bathroom and kitchen programme will be completed in March 2019 and 2021-22, respectively.
1.8 The trade team are responsible for repairing empty houses, as well as 80% of the reactive repair works, where other more specialist works are undertaken by external contractor’s e.g. roofing, gas, out of hours, glazing, etc. A major improvement to our empty houses was the installation of new kitchens and bathrooms. We have now put in place the resources to install new kitchen and bathrooms to our tenants’ homes through our D.L.O over the next 4 and 6 years, respectively.
1.9 Cadder has embraced employability providing employment opportunities in estate caretaking, painting and clerical and administrations positions to long term unemployed people through Glasgow. Our Training Academy started in 2005 and we have provided more than 500 work and training placements and 60 apprenticeships during this period. In a recent study of our estate caretaking and employability initiative, it was stated that, ‘Cadder was punching above its weight in its contribution to the local employment agenda’.
1.10 The Association completed the development of a state of the art community facility in May 2016 at a cost of £3.2million. The new Cadder Community Centre provides a facility for local residents’ needs and aspirations for services, activities and events. The Centre has the venue for the Glasgow West of Scotland Forum’s Regeneration conferences in 2016 and 2017, where the quality and community space had been praised by many delegates from housing association in attendance.
1.11 The Association is continuing its regeneration agenda with a new build housing development, where we will build 50 new homes on the site of the former St Agnes Primary School. McTaggart Construction Ltd are the contractor for this development, which will transform the gateway to Cadder and this land that has lain barren since the school was demolished in 2010.
1.12 The Association has undertaken a Master Plan study, which will inform the regeneration priorities for Cadder in the period 2015-2030. This study highlighted improvements to further regenerate Cadder for existing tenants and future generations new housing and shop units, car parking, recreational amenities, backcourt regeneration improvements and traffic calming measures.
2.0 Post of Estate Caretaker
2.1 2.1 The post of Estate Caretaker is a key role in the Association’s Direct Labour Department to provide a quality service in the upkeep and maintenance of backcourts, common areas and open spaces in the Cadder area.
2.2 The successful candidate should possess a relevant qualification in ground or landscape maintenance and have a range of experience related to the key tasks and responsibilities associated with the estate caretaking role. You should have a good knowledge of current Health & Safety requirements associated with the role.
2.3 You should have experience in a manual working environment and be able to undertake estate caretaking tasks such as grass and hedge cutting, close cleaning, bulk uplift and removal and de-littering. You will be expected to undertake your role to the tenant and Association’s satisfaction. You must be able to work to deadlines; be customer focused and be able to communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders; and have a driving license. You should be able to work on your own initiative or as part of a team, be conscientious; be flexible in your approach to meet organisational goals; and have a pleasant friendly manner.
2.4 The post will be based in the Cadder area and the hours of work will 35 hours per week between 8.30 a.m. – 4.30 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 8.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m on Friday. There may be a requirement on occasions to undertake additional hours to meet organisational needs and deadlines.
2.5 Cadder Housing Association is a full member of the Employer in Voluntary Housing (EVH) and operated salary scales and conditions of service, which have been agreed by EVH on behalf of member organisations and the Unite Union (Formerly T&GWU).
2.6 The terms and conditions for the Estate Caretaker are as listed:
i. The salary for this post is EVH Grade TAS 2/3 (£17,336 - £20,689)
ii. 35 hours per week;
iii. 25 days annual leave plus 15 public holidays per annum; and
iv. Defined contribution pension scheme.
3.0 Recruitment Process