Civil Maintenance Engineering Assistant

77913

This Civil Maintenance Engineering Assistant will report to the Head of Security and Civil Maintenance and will work within Network Operations based in our Colchester (Hybrid Working Option) office. You will be a permanent employee.

You will attract a salary of £35,061 per annum and a bonus of 3%.

Close Date: 11th December 2023

We also provide the following additional benefits

• Annual Leave
• Personal Pension Plan – Personal contribution rates of 4% or 5% (UK Power Networks will make a corresponding contribution of 8% or 10%)
• Tenancy Loan Deposit scheme
• Tax efficient benefits: cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Occupational Health support
• Switched On – scheme providing discount on hundreds of retailers products.
• Discounted access to sports and social clubs
• Employee Assistance Programme.

Job Purpose:

Civil Maintenance Engineering Assistants (EAs) are central to the safe and efficient management of civil maintenance work programmes including monitoring of performance and improvement. The primary focus involves the processing of works requests and enquiries to the civil maintenance department, creation and issue of instructions for contractors, and monitoring works completion within set budgetary and other performance targets.

This includes the assessment and processing of planned and reactive repair (OPEX) and replacement (CAPEX) work flows and requests and monitoring and instructing planned general maintenance and compliance work programmes (e.g. Asbestos & Legionella Management and Grounds Maintenance (GM) programmes) following safety, network performance, customer service and budgetary targets and constraints.

You will work with the other Civil Maintenance team members and a range of all partners including UKPN Customer Service & Call Centres, Health and Safety, Asset Management, Finance, Network Operations and UKPN framework contractor staff.

Dimensions:

The Civil Maintenance Department is responsible for the safe delivery of the substation civil maintenance, compliance and asset replacement works across the UKPN operational estate. This includes civils related works at 'live' ground electricity substations (up to & including 132KV) and other operational land and buildings within defined geographical areas.

The vast majority of works are delivered with a framework contractor and the safe, efficient and cost-effective instruction of that supplier are important functions of the department EA's.

Principal Accountabilities:

• Manage and process works requests and enquiries to the civil maintenance department with centralised mailboxes and telephone lines; ensure that requests are assessed against agreed priorities, referred for further assessment by others (e.g. Civil Maintenance Project Managers (PM)) and create appropriate contractor works instructions or requests.
• Requests may need to be assessed against multiple data sources (e.g. asset and defects registers, custom UPKN systems such a PowerOn, GSA, civil maintenance records and databases and contractor works records) to ensure works can be prioritised correctly and delivered
• Create, issue, record and track work instructions, quotation requests and purchase orders for UKPN contractors and monitor works completion within set performance targets. Create proforma invoices for 3rd parties.
• Undertake regular reviews of outstanding defect reports, outstanding work and quote requests to identify works requirements and inform works programmes.
• Review completed job costs to identify anomalies and errors to investigate and improve.
• Prepare data and reports (typically monthly) and in preparation for DNO works or GM meetings to include:
• Reactive and planned works programmes
• Reactive OPEX work orders (inc GM) status
• Progress on quotation requests & follow up report enquiries
• Assist Civil Maintenance PM's in the assessment of works requests, evaluation of costs and variations.
• Communicate with and provide updates to important company partners (and occasionally directly with UKPN customers) to ensure the efficient management of enquiries and requests and demonstrate a customer service ethos. Ensure that customer enquiries and issues are addressed promptly and escalated for resolution to PM's or team management.
• Seek opportunities for continuous improvement, process, cost and work efficiency.

Qualifications:

• A good all round level of education and training, preferably to at least ONC/A level or equivalent relevant experience.
• Good customer-facing skills and manner when dealing with internal and external enquiries.
• Excellent knowledge and application of the Microsoft Office suite of applications (Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint & Power BI reports).
• Proficient (or able to become proficient in appropriate training) in:
• Use SAP systems for the management and processing of defects, creation of work orders and purchase orders and tracking costs.
• Suitable knowledge and/or training of general building construction (e.g. brickworks, fencing, roofing, drainage, concrete and steel structures)
• The ability to source and interpret document records or reports such as land registry deeds, utility and cable plans, asbestos records
• An understanding of UKPN's electrical distribution networks, standards, procedures
• Specialist relevant training or knowledge such as asbestos management, tree and invasive species management (e.g. Japanese knotweed) would be beneficial but essential

Nature and Scope:

The Distribution Capital Delivery (DCD) Civil Maintenance team is part of the Network Operations directorate. The team is responsible for the programme delivery of the APP (Asset Portfolio Plan) Civil Maintenance budget and activity lines and works with the framework Civil Maintenance contractor and selected internal operational resources to deliver these programmes.

The Engineering Assistant in Civil Maintenance is an office-based role (hybrid working may be offered) focussed on managing and processing works requests, data systems and financial analysis to support civil maintenance PMs and framework contractors who will be primarily field based. Site visits are not a core aspect of the role but may be offered or required occasionally to develop experience.

The Engineering Assistant role reports to the Head of Security & Civil Maintenance.

In addition to the required or developed practical and technical knowledge and training outlined above. Civils EAs are expected to work collaboratively within the department; provide support, training and advice to others and on occasion providing essential cover for each other during periods of leave etc. Civils EAs are however expected to able to operate and work in a semi-autonomous, manner, managing their workload and plans to meet the needs of the wider DCD civils team, deliver an civil maintenance service and meet the needs and expectations of our customers.

Health & Safety Responsibilities

Managers and supervisors carry both legal and company responsibilities for ensuring the health and safety of their employees, those under their control and those who might be affected by the work undertaken, i.e. public, visitors and employees of other organisations. This includes briefing individuals working for them and ensuring there is the necessary understanding, competence and application of requirements to work safely and without harming the environment.

Employees will ensure they understand the health and safety risks involved in their work activities and their responsibility to apply the controls needed to manage those risks to acceptable levels. Similarly where work activities can have an adverse impact upon the environment, and where there are legal requirements, employees will understand those impacts and the controls they must ensure are applied.

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We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.