About the role

People’s History Museum (PHM) is recruiting a Building Manager to join our team. This brand new role will oversee the maintenance and care of our Grade II listed building and adjoining museum extension (completed 2010) as well as the off-site collections store. The role will lead on managing planned and reactive maintenance, as well as leading fire management and security processes. We are seeking a dynamic professional with strong operational planning, risk management, and contractor collaboration skills to ensure the safety, compliance, and welcoming atmosphere of our museum facilities.

The Building Manager will ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, support sustainability initiatives, and maintain a high standard of security across the museum’s buildings and collections. The role will work closely with the Director of Finance and Visitor Experience and Operations Manager.

The role will also support the delivery of major capital projects at the museum to address risks to the heritage building, support decarbonisation across the site and create a stronger, more accessible experience for visitors. Experience of delivering grant funded capital projects is beneficial.

The core purpose of the role is to:

• Lead on planned maintenance and repairs to ensure buildings are safe, compliant and suitable
• Ensure quick resolution of reactive repairs required
• Lead on major capital projects to improve the estate with a focus on sustainability
• Work with the PHM leadership team to embed health and safety across all practice to ensure compliance

About People’s History Museum

People’s History Museum is the national museum of democracy, telling the story of its development in Britain: past, present, and future. PHM invites people to explore the radical stories of people coming together to champion ideas worth fighting for, and to be empowered by the past to make a change for the future.  We are all together in the fight for a fairer world.

PHM currently welcomes a local, national and international audience, attracting 80,000 visitors annually.  The museum involves audiences and communities in many aspects of its work, using models of co-curation, collaboration and crowd-sourcing when developing and delivering programmes of activity.  Engaging people directly in the work of the museum helps to build a passionate and committed audience who become supporters and advocates for PHM, while ensuring we are shaping authentic content representative of diverse audiences, providing an inclusive space for their voices, stories and ideas.  PHM’s innovative approach explores important subjects and issues relevant to us all today.

PHM has an annual turnover of around £1.5 million, with a skilled team of staff, freelance experts and volunteers.  PHM is funded by Arts Council England (ACE) as a National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) and by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Culture and Social Impact Fund.  PHM is an independent museum, charitable trust, and company limited by guarantee, with a Board of Trustees, a Trading Company Board, and an Audit and Risk Committee.

Organisation Chart

Job Description

Building Manager

Salary:                    £32,115 offered as 0.6 role at £19,269 (plus 10% pension contribution)
Hours:                     Part time (21 hours a week) with flexible working
Annual leave:          24 days plus bank holidays offered pro rata
Contract:                 Permanent
Responsible to:       Director of Finance
Location:                 Based at People’s History Museum with the opportunity for agile working in line with the museum’s flexible working policy

Key Responsibilities

Facilities and Building Maintenance

• Oversee the planning and execution of all maintenance activities, including preventative and reactive repairs, regulatory checks and inspections.
• Manage relationships with contractors, suppliers, and maintenance teams to ensure work is completed on time, within budget, and to the required standard.
• Conduct regular building inspections to identify potential issues and manage corrective actions promptly.
• Maintain accurate records of all building systems, equipment, and safety inspections.
• Ensure that building management systems (BMS) and other environmental control systems are functioning efficiently.
• Ensure access to sites for contractors.
• Oversee the museum’s security systems, including alarm systems, CCTV, and access control.
• Manage budgets for repairs and maintenance, ensuring cost-efficiency and adherence to procurement guidelines.

Health, Safety, and Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all relevant health, safety, fire, and security regulations, particularly those related to public buildings and museums.
• Lead the development and implementation of health and safety protocols and risk assessments and training.
• Work with the management team to ensure that health and safety policies are adhered to across the museum.
• Oversee risk assessments and maintain safety records, addressing any trends or corrective actions.
• Review data relating to accidents, incidents, near misses and critical situations, identifying any trends and proposing corrective actions.

Capital Projects and Sustainability

• Lead the planning and implementation of capital improvement projects to enhance and expand the museum’s facilities, with a focus on sustainability, decarbonisation and heritage.
• Coordinate with architects, designers, and contractors on renovation and construction projects.
• Promote green building practices and sustainability initiatives in the museum’s operations and facility management.

Other Responsibilities

• Serve as the key holder for the museum and off site store and coordinate access to buildings outside of regular hours.
• Respond to emergency calls for building issues, such as power outages or water leaks, as necessary.
• Flexibility is required, including occasional evening or weekend work for building access, repairs, or emergencies.
• The role may require the ability to lift and move objects, and to work across two museum sites.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Strong knowledge of building systems, including environmental controls, mechanical and electrical and fire safety systems.
• In-depth understanding of health and safety regulations, fire safety, and building security.
• Proven experience in facilities management, ideally in a museum, heritage or cultural institution.
• Demonstrated ability to manage capital improvement projects and lead multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience working with contractors, suppliers, and external vendors.
• Knowledge of sustainability practices, energy efficiency, and green building initiatives.
• Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to prioritise effectively.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work with staff, contractors, and museum visitors.
• Experience working with contractors, designers, and overseeing tender/quote processes.
• Project management experience, or experience leading capital projects is desirable.

Qualifications

• A relevant qualification in Facilities Management, Building Services, or a related field such as NEBOSH or equivalent health and safety certification is desirable.

How to apply

Please send a copy of your CV and cover letter outlining how your experience, skills and knowledge meet the job description to hr@phm.org.uk with the subject title “Building Manager application”.  Your application will be assessed and scored against the job description using the information provided.

Deadline for applications:   23.00 on Thursday 5 June 2025

Interviews:                        Monday 16 June 2025 in person at the museum.

If you have any questions or would like to arrange to discuss the role please contact Jackie Royle, Finance & Operations Officer at hr@phm.org.uk

Equity

PHM prides itself on being a welcoming and inclusive organisation, profoundly committed to advancing equality and diversity in the broadest sense.  We highly value the benefits that diverse perspectives bring to our  mission.

We recognise the museum sector currently underrepresents global majority, disabled, LGBTQAI+ people, different socio-economic backgrounds and those with intersecting identities in our workforce; PHM is actively working to address this and encourages applications from these backgrounds.  While the successful candidate will be selected purely on merit, in the event of a tie between two candidates with equal experience, we may select a candidate who helps us better represent the communities the museum serves.