Design & Construction Support Officer

Job Title: Design & Construction Support Officer
Starting Salary: £31,537 progressing to £34,434 per annum (pro rata for part time)
Hours: 29.6 (4days a week)
Location: Stevenage - Hybrid
Contract Type: Permanent
Directorate: Resources

About the team

Part of the Design & Construction Delivery team’s role is supporting Hertfordshire’s maintained schools by helping to keep buildings safe, well‑maintained and fit for purpose. Our work plays an important part in supporting the day‑to‑day running of schools and, ultimately, the education and wellbeing of children across the county.

We work closely with internal and external stakeholders across the council to manage building issues, deliver improvement programmes and make sure information about our school estate is accurate and well‑managed.

This role sits within the Non‑Major Projects part of the team and focuses on supporting school condition projects, responding to building issues when they arise, and helping to keep construction and property information organised and up to date.

About the role

This is a varied support role that combines communication, coordination and practical problem‑solving. You’ll be a key point of contact for schools and colleagues when building‑related issues arise, helping to gather information, assess situations and make sure the right action is taken.

You do not need to be a qualified technical specialist - support, guidance and training will be available. What matters most is your ability to communicate clearly, stay organised, handle multiple enquiries confidently and work well with a wide range of people.

Typical responsibilities include:

Responding to school building issues

• Acting as the first point of contact for schools reporting urgent building concerns such as heating issues, water leaks or power problems
• Gathering information, helping assess risks and escalating issues to colleagues when required
• Supporting decisions that help schools remain open and operational

Supporting safety and compliance activity

• Assisting with checks and records linked to health & safety, construction works and asbestos management, with guidance from experienced colleagues
• Helping ensure information is complete, accurate and easy to understand

Information, data and reporting

• Organising and reviewing building and project information so that it can be clearly reported to colleagues, senior managers and the Department for Education
• Supporting annual returns by helping to collate information about school buildings, such as condition data and floor areas
• Producing clear and well‑presented reports to support planning and decision‑making

Supporting capital programmes

• Helping review school funding requests by checking information provided and confirming it meets required criteria before formal prioritisation
• Keeping track of project updates, risks and budgets alongside project and programme managers

Enquiries, communication and stakeholder support

• Managing a high volume of enquiries through shared mailboxes, particularly at busy times
• Communicating with external stakeholders and internal teams in a clear and professional way
• Supporting responses to Freedom of Information requests by gathering and presenting information accurately

Project close‑out and record keeping

• Helping maintain clear project records, including costs, progress updates and final documentation
• Supporting the close‑down of projects by ensuring warranties, drawings and safety information are correctly stored

Systems and administration

• Using council systems such as the Corporate Property Database and SharePoint to upload and manage information
• Helping keep guidance, data and information on internal platforms and school portals accurate and current

About you

Essential

• Experience or a genuine interest in building maintenance, construction, property or a related field
• Confidence using IT systems and databases, with willingness to learn new systems
• Strong communication skills and the ability to explain information clearly to non‑technical audiences
• Good organisation skills and the ability to manage multiple enquiries at the same time
• Confidence working under pressure and meeting deadlines
• A practical, solution‑focused approach and good attention to detail

Desirable

• Experience working with schools, local authorities or other public‑sector organisations
• Experience liaising with contractors or external suppliers
• Basic understanding of health & safety or building compliance (training can be provided)
• A full driving licence

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is within the Technical Services, level 8 job profile. Please locate this via:

Job profiles: Technical services

To hear more about this opportunity please contact Alexander.Digby@hertfordshire.gov.uk for an informal discussion about the role.

Interview Date: to be confirmed

Benefits of working for us

How to apply

As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert / job profile to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.

Additional information

Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Driving required
You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.