Trades Supervisor - Housing Repairs Team

We&©re looking for a motivated Trades Supervisor to join our responsive repairs and maintenance team. This is a key role ensuring the delivery of high-quality building maintenance and repair works that meet customer expectations and comply with all relevant health and safety standards.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

About the Role:
The role will be based at our depot at 19 Bennet Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG2 0QX

As our Trades Supervisor, you&©ll take the lead in overseeing the day-to-day operations of a team of skilled trade operatives and sub-contractors. Your main goal? To ensure that repairs and maintenance work is completed efficiently, safely, and to the highest standards.

You&©ll be responsible for:

• Allocating and programming repair jobs to the right staff at the right time
• Supervising trade operatives on-site, ensuring compliance with health & safety procedures
• Monitoring quality, performance, and productivity, and identifying training needs
• Managing sub-contractors and ensuring their work meets our standards
• Conducting toolbox talks, 1:1s, skills assessments, van stock checks and regular site visits
• Supporting apprentices and trainees with hands-on development
• Assisting in budget monitoring and providing feedback for service improvements

This is a varied and rewarding role offering you the opportunity to shape the delivery of services that directly improve homes and lives across Reading.

About You:
You&©ll be a qualified trades professional with a recognised apprenticeship or City & Guilds qualification (or equivalent), and substantial experience in your trade. You&©ll bring practical knowledge of building construction techniques and relevant legislation, including a solid understanding of Health and Safety regulations$ûespecially CDM requirements. While an SMSTS or IOSH qualification is desirable, it&©s not essential.

As a natural team leader, you&©ll have experience supervising trade operatives or sub-contractors, with the ability to motivate, guide, and assess the work of others. You&©ll be confident delivering toolbox talks, providing constructive feedback, and ensuring that work is carried out safely, efficiently, and to a high standard. You&©ll also be comfortable liaising with a range of people$ûfrom contractors to customers$ûand capable of handling complaints with tact and professionalism.

Strong communication, organisational, and problem-solving skills are essential. You&©ll be able to manage competing priorities, maintain accurate records, and support apprentices and trainees as they learn on the job. A flexible and proactive approach is key, along with a valid UK driving licence and access to transport, as the role will involve travel between sites.

You&©ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you&©ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do

Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential

Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance $ú striving to be even better $ú and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way

Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed

Our offer:

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you&©ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities
• Modern working environment at 19 Bennet Road, Reading
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
• Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax

To arrange a confidential discussion on this position please contact Stuart Andrews $ú Housing Repairs and Maintenance Manager - stuart.andrews@reading.gov.uk

Closing Date: Monday 21st July 2025
Interview Date: To be confirmed

Interview Process: Formal interview, basic written and practical test

Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.