Job Advertisement: Fabric Operative – Engineering

Company: Supportive Bridge Staffing Agency

Location: St Edmunds Hospital, Bury St Edmunds

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent (37.5 hours per week, flexible shift pattern, including participation in an on-call rota on a rotational basis with occasional weekend/evening work)

Salary: Up to £30,000.00 per year (dependent on experience, training, and qualifications)

About Us

At Supportive Bridge Staffing Agency, we connect dedicated professionals with premier healthcare environments. We are currently partnering with St Edmunds Hospital—part of the prestigious Circle Health Group, Britain’s leading provider of independent healthcare—to find a skilled and detail-oriented Fabric Operative to join their on-site engineering and maintenance team.

Role Overview

As a Fabric Operative, you will provide essential painting, decorating, and general building fabric maintenance services across the hospital's clinical and non-clinical areas. You will ensure high standards of finish and workmanship on both a reactive and planned program basis, helping maintain a safe and welcoming environment for patients and staff.

Key Responsibilities:

Provide painting, decorating, and general building fabric maintenance services across hospital facilities.
Complete fabric tasks including decoration, joinery works, and general maintenance of patient- and staff-facing areas.
Carry out touch-up repairs and refurbishment works across clinical and non-clinical areas on both a reactive and planned program basis.
Ensure high standards of finish and workmanship in all maintenance and refurbishment activities.
Deliver redecorating works in line with property lease obligations (external redecorations every 5 years, internal non-clinical areas every 7 years, and clinical areas during major equipment replacement or at least every 10 years).
Provide advice on refurbishment requirements and support the planning of decoration and fabric maintenance programs.

Candidate Requirements

To thrive in this role, applicants should meet the following criteria:

Experience: Proven experience in painting, decorating, and general building fabric maintenance, preferably within healthcare or similar regulated environments.
Certifications: Current Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card at the appropriate level, alongside PASMA or ladder training for working at height.
Technical Skills: Ability to carry out basic plumbing tasks (including TMV maintenance and minor repairs), hang a range of wall coverings (wide width, fabric-backed, and paper-backed), and complete high-standard decoration and refurbishment tasks.
Knowledge Base: Basic understanding of health and safety regulations, applicable legislation, and a working knowledge of COSHH regulations.
Background: Engineering training program or partially completed apprenticeship with a specialization in painting, decorating, or carpentry. Experience working alongside contractors and facilities teams in large buildings is essential.

Salary & Benefits

In addition to a competitive salary of up to £30,000.00 per year, this position offers a comprehensive benefits package managed through Circle Health Group:

Holiday: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing to 30 days with service.
Healthcare: Private Pension Scheme and Private Healthcare Scheme covering pre-existing conditions.
Family Support: Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption pay, plus Friends & Family hospital discounts.
Security: Non-contributory life insurance.
Wellbeing & Rewards: Staff engagement hub with discounts, extensive rewards, wellbeing resources, and employee recognition programs.
Growth: Industry-leading training, development, and career progression opportunities.