BEMS Assistant Manager

The University of Birmingham Estates Office is responsible for both the master planning and stewardship of our extensive estate. Our team is made up of over 180 dedicated members of staff, including many apprentices studying an extensive range of subjects; all striving to deliver a world class university experience for the benefit of all students, staff, academics and visitors.

Our estate is large and varied covering 672 acres, with over 200 buildings of different ages, complexities, physical condition and use, ranging from grade 1 and 2 listed properties to brand new state of the art learning and research spaces. It consists of two main campus sites (Edgbaston & Selly Oak) along with properties in Stratford upon Avon, Ansty (near Coventry), Coniston and Dubai. The total gross internal area of the estate is 538,000 m2. Three quarters of the non-residential estate is in building condition A and B and we spend £20M/year on energy and water.

We operate and maintain our own Energy Centre that generates 75% of our power and provides heat to our buildings via combined heat and power plants, which is distributed by our extensive HV network and district heating systems, and an extensive OT network which supports a wide range of critical business systems including energy metering, lighting, fire, security, radio, access control in addition to the 660 outstations and 35,000 i/o of the BEMS.

ROLE SUMMARY

To be the operational lead for the BEMS Team to ensure that the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the Building Energy Management Systems "BEMS" (largely Schneider EcoStruxure Building Operation and Sigma BEMS systems, the latter being phased out) is completed to a satisfactory level. Ensuring that the Team meet all the strategic objectives that have been set out for the Team/Department, including supporting the ambition of the University to become a top 50 University, decarbonise the campus, increase fiscal efficiency including delivery of energy efficiency and reduce costs of maintenance, and support the wider team with the development of a secure and intelligent campus.

To work with and advise the BEMS Manager to drive improvements in environmental control, energy efficiency, intelligent controls and planned preventative maintenance. Improving how the BEMS Team deliver value.

Provide a responsive and efficient service provision, expert advice and guidance to the wider Estates teams and the end users around campus. Continually developing and improving the reactive and planned maintenance to ensure all the BEMS assets are supported to ensure maximum uptime.

The post holder and team will provide specialist technical and statutory advice on Building Energy Management Systems and controls to the Estates Office colleagues and the wider University.

To lead on contractor management as relates to the BEMS maintenance and small works quotes.

Health and Safety management for the Control Engineers in the Team.

MAIN DUTIES

- Lead the day-to-day operations of the reactive and proactive maintenance of the BEMS, managing the Team to ensure all works are delivered on time and to the required standard and a service orientated culture.

- Managing the BEMS Team, diagnose and report on defects; ensure its effective operation to deliver operational efficiencies, advise on remedies and additional procedures/practices to limit recurrences, implementing as necessary or when outside direct sphere of control working across the office to achieve the result. Developing and utilising the capabilities of alarm and reporting procedures to formulate pro-active management strategies.

- Provide expert guidance and advice to the University estates teams and end users in relation to the operation and development of BEMS, and other relevant control systems. This includes advising on procedures, policy, SOPs for the operation, maintenance and advancement of the BEMS.

- Assess proposed changes/improvements to service provision and/or legislative requirements. Advise on the resource implications including making detailed proposals (business cases) for improvements to systems, energy efficiency and operations.

- Working with Facilities/Technical managers within buildings, on call staff and other stakeholders, review the alarms generated by the BEMS system, especially "critical" alarms to ensure they meet user's needs and the out of hours service provisions.

- Manage specialist contractors for the delivery of maintenance, reactive and improvement works.

- Lead and champion the supervision of Health & Safety for the BEMS Team ensuring that risk assessments and method statements are completed to a satisfactory level for all tasks. Work closely with the Estates Office's Head of Health and Safety to develop suitable policies and working practices. Implement and manage corporate and local safety policies/practices, including undertaking the role of "Authorised Person".

- Deputise for the BEMS Manager during periods of leave/absence.

- Actively manage equality, diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenge unacceptable behaviour in line with university policies.

- Any other duties commensurate with the grade.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

- Educated to degree level or equivalent qualification plus substantial work experience in a relevant technical/scientific and/or management/supervisory role in a specialist area. A higher degree may also be held. Where no equivalent qualification is held, a proven track record of extensive and substantial work experience in a series of progressively more demanding and relevant roles will be required.

- Broad knowledge and substantial functional experience across the range of available control strategies, including design, commissioning, servicing, programming and management systems, preferably within a similar environment.

- Extensive experience with Schneider EcoStruxure Building Operation and Sigma BMS systems, including service, commissioning, configuration and programming of all system functions.

- Proven technical specialist knowledge and understanding in a relevant technical area (specialists will require advanced technical expertise).

- Proven ability to develop and deliver a service orientated culture.

- Evidence of literacy and numeracy.

- Experience of championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in own work area.

- Ability to identify issues with the potential to impact protected groups and take appropriate action.

- A clear understanding of university strategy and how activities need to be targeted to support that over the short and longer term.

BENEFITS

The University offers 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. There are three high quality subsidised day nurseries on campus. The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston with excellent transport links including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus there is a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, an art gallery, museum and botanical gardens. The Birmingham Professional programme provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential.