Service Manager

About the role

Role Summary

As the Service Manager you will lead a team of Planners who are responsible for planning, scheduling and managing our tradespeople’s diaries all whilst keeping residents informed of appointments and status of jobs, along with managing the Sub-contractor Co-ordinator. You will also manage a team of Trade Supervisors who manage all the repairs operatives

You will be driving service delivery to meet, or exceed, KPI targets such attending jobs within service level agreements, meeting first time fix, reducing travel time and No Access to properties as well as providing an excellent customer service to all stakeholders including the client, the resident and internal parties. You will be keeping residents up to date with sub-contractor works and ensuring works are completed in line with complaint resolutions.

A key element of the role is managing and motivating a team, providing clear objectives, direction and leadership, ensuring the values and culture of TCH is embedded between teams and values and behaviours are continuously promoted and practiced within the team.

Salary:

£50,000-57,000

Hours of Work:

40

Contract:

Permanent

Probation Period:

6 months

Notice Period:

1 month

Who are we?

TCH Repairs is our in-house Direct Labour Organisation (DLO), working alongside Town & Country Housing to deliver responsive, high-quality maintenance and repair services to our residents. Their skilled team ensures our homes are safe, well-maintained, and meet the standards our customers deserve. By keeping repairs in-house, we’re able to provide a more personal, efficient, and accountable service.

We provide more than 13,000 homes across Kent, Sussex and Surrey. Over the years, we’ve invested heavily in our homes and continue to do so as part of the Peabody Group. We promote hybrid working and have more than 300 employees based in various locations across our operating area, all working together to build thriving communities and deliver excellent customer service.

Meet your Manager

"I’ve been here at TCH only since September 2024 but have been really lucky to inherit a great team with a strong ethos on doing the right thing.
There are many challenges in the Housing Sector at the moment in general, but as a team we all share the burden and with it the wins that are possible for us and the residents in our homes.
We would love for you to come and be part of our team and bring your energy. We have lots of experiences to share.

I’ve been in housing pretty much most of my working life, in the private and social sector, but one thing I’ve learnt, is there’s never a dull moment!"

Rachel Bancroft, Head of Repairs and Compliance

What will you be doing?

Role Specific Responsibilities

·Responsible for managing and motivating a team and driving area and team performance, providing clear objectives, direction and leadership
·Being the ‘face of repairs’ and the lead on local area issues and being the interface with tenant bodies
·Be responsible for spend in line with the budget and support the budget setting and forecasting processes
·Ensuring and assessing that those employed (contractors and employees) to maintain TCH’s properties have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience.
·Assist with delivering cultural change from technical compliance to resident satisfaction, actively promoting this through a range of activities, and embedding in day-to-day tasks and language.
·Responsible for meeting service delivery targets, including end to end management of the service within a defined area
·Responsible for collaboration and sharing of best practice
·Proactively manage resources, challenge commercial and operational effectiveness and drive a positive culture in line with TCH values and strategies
·Responsible for ensuring that all customer management systems and process are maintained effectively
·Responsible for ensuring all targets are met or exceeded e.g. KPI’s and contractual obligations
·Responsible for ensuring health and safety is maintained by working with the HSE & Compliance Manager
·Responsible for complying with all internal and external policies; preparing for and complying with any recommendations from Audit and inspections
·Provide clear and regular communication to staff ensuring performance, against target, is communicated and any remedial actions plans are cascaded and implemented
·Responsible for management of all operational assets
·Develop, train and retain high quality staff to deliver high levels of customer service, ensuring trades are multi-skilled where appropriate
·Ensuring right level of resources are available, with the right skills to deliver the service
·Responsible for optimising deployment of resources
·Responsible for the end-to-end management of service delivery, from allocation of jobs through to completion
·Optimisation of labour resources through effective use of planning and scheduling tools. Adherence to daily disciplines
·Responsible for monthly operational reviews with the Field Supervisors identifying any performance issues and creating remedial actions plans
·Authorise written response to formal complaints
·Ensure compliance with all internal and external policies
·Attend contract management meetings as appropriate
·Ensure that contracts deliver value for money, customer excellence in service delivery and strong technical performance.
·With the support of HR, manage staff conduct and performance, ensuring compliance with company policies and standards.
·Always act as an ambassador for TCHR and act as a leader
·Keep up to date with changes in legislation, sector practice and ensure this is cascaded appropriately and reflected in policy and/or procedural change.

General

•To adhere to the equal opportunities policy and to actively promote equality of opportunity wherever possible.
•Recognise, respect and promote the different roles and diversity of the individuals within the business.
•To actively contribute towards key performance indicators and professional standards.
•Work in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection Law and be responsible for the integrity of personal information you process. This may include identifying anomalies in data and investigating and correcting them where appropriate. Ensure you attend training on data protection regularly.
•To be responsible for your own health and safety and that of your colleagues, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and relevant EC directives.
•To take responsibility for your own development and professionalism, ensuring that you keep up to date with new developments and continuously expand and build on your knowledge.
•Attend and participate in training and other meetings and staff events as required.
•Be an effective member of your team, presenting a positive impression of your section and the business.

This job description is a guide to the nature of the work required. It is not comprehensive, and it is expected that other duties will be undertaken as this role develops and as may be reasonably expected.

About You

Education & Qualifications

•Appropriate qualifications including GCSE English & Maths or equivalent - Essential
•Full UK Drivers Licence - Essential
•City and Guilds to appropriate level or equivalent - Desirable

Key Skills & Competencies

•Experience of workforce electronic scheduling systems - Essential
•Excellent planning and data interrogation skills - Essential
•Good understanding of Social Housing Building Maintenance - Essential
•Experience of managing teams - Essential
•Proven strong leadership skills - Essential
•Excellent dispute resolution skills - Essential
•IT literate (Microsoft Office) - Essential
•Experience of working in the Housing Sector - Desirable
•Knowledge of Health & Safety legislation, and statutory requirements in relation to the role - Desirable

Behaviours

•Excellent communication, engagement and influencing skills - Essential
•Positive proactive attitude - Essential
•Professional approach with high standards - Essential

Why Choose Us

• 25 days, increasing to 28 days at 5-years of service and 30 days at 10-years service
• Pay review every year.
• Up to £3,000 colleague referral fee.
• Contributory pension scheme with 4% to 10% matched contributions.
• Life Insurance.
• 24/7 Digital GP service and counselling helpline (including face to face sessions)
• Free eye test voucher annually and contribution towards glasses.
• Free annual flu jab.
• Two volunteer days per year.
• Extensive annual staff wellbeing programme of events.
• Career development and vocational training opportunities.
• Flexible annual benefits (for dental, healthcare, shopping vouchers, technology etc.)
• Annual flu vaccinations
• Access to an extensive range of corporate discounts on shopping travel, & days out.
• Social events, including rounders, festive Fridays and lunch time walking
• Travel loan
• Long service awards

Our Values

Our culture is about the shared values, beliefs and behaviours that determine how we do things, then the ways and systems of working that help to get those things done.

Our new values, principles and behaviours will put customers at the heart and provide the foundation for the culture of the new organisation. Only by delivering a cohesive and customer-focused culture will we be able to achieve our purpose and priorites.

We have taken an inclusive and collaborative approach to developing the following values, working together with colleagues, customers and the Board:

Equal Opportunities Statement

TCH is an equal opportunities employer committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity or paternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership, or caring responsibilities.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join TCH.

We are recognised as a ‘Disability Confident Committed Employer’. As part of this commitment, individuals who disclose at application stage that they have a disability, will be invited to interview provided they demonstrate that they meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy. Candidates will be asked if they require any support or reasonable adjustments to enable them to fully participate in the recruitment process.

Apply

Internal Applications

Please send a letter clearly demonstrating how your skills and experience meet the criteria contained on the job description and person specification to recruitment@tch.org.uk.

For internal staff only: Please note, if you're currently on legacy TCH, Rosebery, InTouch, Family Mosaic etc Terms and Conditions and are successful in your application, you will automatically be transferred to the new Peabody Terms and Conditions.

Additionally, if you move to a TCH role on a secondment basis, your Terms and Conditions will not change.

If you have any questions, or require further clarification, please speak to HR.

External Applications

Please complete our online application form by clicking the Apply button below. We reserve the right to bring the closing date forward, so we strongly encourage early applications.

Please note: As an employer, Town & Country Housing does not provide sponsorship as a licensed UK employer.

Key dates

Applications Close:

Tuesday, 25 November 2025

Interview Date:

Thursday, 27 November 2025