Workshop Supervisor
| Posting date: | 26 August 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £25,829 to £29,726 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 19 September 2025 |
| Location: | Plumpton, Lewes |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Plumpton College |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | WorkSuperAug25 |
Summary
This year Plumpton College is welcoming more students than ever. Thanks to this continued growth and expansion within the division for motor vehicle, metalsmithing and agricultural machinery, we are delighted to be expanding the capacity of our technician team who provide crucial support to the lecturers, instructors and students within the curriculum area.
Working alongside technicians in motor vehicle and metalsmithing, the Workshop Supervisor will report directly to the Workshop Manager and hold day-to-day functional responsibility for the agricultural engineering workshops, machinery and engineering equipment. This role requires a commitment to safe working practices, teamwork and collaboration, and a shared goal of ensuring that high-quality teaching and learning can be delivered by the educators within the division. Managing the requirements of the different workshops throughout the day and monitoring stock levels, repair requirements and requests from teaching staff means that strong communication and organisational skills will be advantageous, as is a background in engineering with practical working knowledge of a wide range of machinery and equipment.
The successful candidate will have outstanding technical skills within a workshop environment and be organised and strategic with regards to the day-to-day management of the workspace and daily briefings and reviews with the individual section technicians. They will manage stock within the workshop areas and coordinate provision of resources required in the agricultural engineering area.
Job Responsibilities:
a. Manage and maintain department audits, inventories and maintenance service repair records.
b. Manage and maintain health and safety within the workshops to include records, documentation, inspections, examination and test reports and safety audits for the workshops, including risk assessments, COSHH, LEV and first aid facilities.
c. Take day to day responsibility for management of the workshop technicians, carrying out daily briefings at the start and end of the day. Meet with technicians regularly to support their ongoing development and performance in their job roles. Lead on student interns undertaking work experience within the wider team.
d. As directed by the Workshop Manager, ensure that day to day maintenance, repair & development of all teaching equipment is undertaken in a timely manner.
e. Organise and support the preparation of divisional workshop teaching resources for practical lessons, including part time provision, in liaison with relevant staff members.
f. Take direct responsibility for the preparation of Agricultural Engineering workshop teaching resources for practical lessons, including part time provision, in liaison with relevant staff members.
g. Participate in programme team meetings as required, supporting programme reviews, marketing and promotional activities to ensure ongoing support for college quality assurance processes and promotional activity.
h. Ensure that workshops are prepared and presented professionally in support of college promotional events.
i. Maintain effective communications with programme staff, including assisting to ensure that we can support the needs of students.
j. Participate in an annual appraisal of performance as laid down in the agreed guidelines. Check that appraisals are conducted for your team members, and that appropriate support and development is provided to enable them to support the achievement of college objectives.
k. Undertake staff development appropriate to the needs of the College, department and that identified by the appraisal process.
l. Undertake ordering of consumables as instructed, ensuring adherence to budget and college ordering procedures.
m. Maintain efficient management records for machinery, equipment & stores, providing regular updates, and reports as required by the Workshop Manager.
n. Undertake any other reasonable duties from time to time as requested.
Why Join Us?
At Plumpton College, we live our values—Ambitious, Professional, Enterprising, Passionate, Supportive—in everything we do
We offer a competitive salary alongside a generous benefits package, including up to 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata), and up to 5 efficiency days at Christmas. Staff are enrolled in the Local Government Pension Scheme and have access to comprehensive CPD opportunities and in-house teacher training where applicable. As a Disability Confident Committed employer and a signatory of the Menopause Pledge, we are proud to foster an inclusive and supportive workplace.
New colleagues benefit from a structured induction and a supported six-month probationary period, as well as a strong coaching culture with in-house L5 trained coaches.
Employees also enjoy a range of lifestyle and wellbeing benefits such as eligibility for a TOTUM card and Blue Light Card, free eye tests, free use of our onsite gym, cycle-to-work scheme, discounted Plumpton wine and courses, free onsite parking, and an Employee Assistance Programme.
Our commitment to staff wellbeing and community is further demonstrated through regular networking events, active EDI and Sustainability committees and social events at Christmas
Apply today – we may close early if we receive strong applications!
If you would like any information available in a more accessible format, please email recruitment@plumpton.ac.uk
We reserve the right to call candidates to interview/withdraw this vacancy at any time if there is a good level of response. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application as soon as possible.
Working alongside technicians in motor vehicle and metalsmithing, the Workshop Supervisor will report directly to the Workshop Manager and hold day-to-day functional responsibility for the agricultural engineering workshops, machinery and engineering equipment. This role requires a commitment to safe working practices, teamwork and collaboration, and a shared goal of ensuring that high-quality teaching and learning can be delivered by the educators within the division. Managing the requirements of the different workshops throughout the day and monitoring stock levels, repair requirements and requests from teaching staff means that strong communication and organisational skills will be advantageous, as is a background in engineering with practical working knowledge of a wide range of machinery and equipment.
The successful candidate will have outstanding technical skills within a workshop environment and be organised and strategic with regards to the day-to-day management of the workspace and daily briefings and reviews with the individual section technicians. They will manage stock within the workshop areas and coordinate provision of resources required in the agricultural engineering area.
Job Responsibilities:
a. Manage and maintain department audits, inventories and maintenance service repair records.
b. Manage and maintain health and safety within the workshops to include records, documentation, inspections, examination and test reports and safety audits for the workshops, including risk assessments, COSHH, LEV and first aid facilities.
c. Take day to day responsibility for management of the workshop technicians, carrying out daily briefings at the start and end of the day. Meet with technicians regularly to support their ongoing development and performance in their job roles. Lead on student interns undertaking work experience within the wider team.
d. As directed by the Workshop Manager, ensure that day to day maintenance, repair & development of all teaching equipment is undertaken in a timely manner.
e. Organise and support the preparation of divisional workshop teaching resources for practical lessons, including part time provision, in liaison with relevant staff members.
f. Take direct responsibility for the preparation of Agricultural Engineering workshop teaching resources for practical lessons, including part time provision, in liaison with relevant staff members.
g. Participate in programme team meetings as required, supporting programme reviews, marketing and promotional activities to ensure ongoing support for college quality assurance processes and promotional activity.
h. Ensure that workshops are prepared and presented professionally in support of college promotional events.
i. Maintain effective communications with programme staff, including assisting to ensure that we can support the needs of students.
j. Participate in an annual appraisal of performance as laid down in the agreed guidelines. Check that appraisals are conducted for your team members, and that appropriate support and development is provided to enable them to support the achievement of college objectives.
k. Undertake staff development appropriate to the needs of the College, department and that identified by the appraisal process.
l. Undertake ordering of consumables as instructed, ensuring adherence to budget and college ordering procedures.
m. Maintain efficient management records for machinery, equipment & stores, providing regular updates, and reports as required by the Workshop Manager.
n. Undertake any other reasonable duties from time to time as requested.
Why Join Us?
At Plumpton College, we live our values—Ambitious, Professional, Enterprising, Passionate, Supportive—in everything we do
We offer a competitive salary alongside a generous benefits package, including up to 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata), and up to 5 efficiency days at Christmas. Staff are enrolled in the Local Government Pension Scheme and have access to comprehensive CPD opportunities and in-house teacher training where applicable. As a Disability Confident Committed employer and a signatory of the Menopause Pledge, we are proud to foster an inclusive and supportive workplace.
New colleagues benefit from a structured induction and a supported six-month probationary period, as well as a strong coaching culture with in-house L5 trained coaches.
Employees also enjoy a range of lifestyle and wellbeing benefits such as eligibility for a TOTUM card and Blue Light Card, free eye tests, free use of our onsite gym, cycle-to-work scheme, discounted Plumpton wine and courses, free onsite parking, and an Employee Assistance Programme.
Our commitment to staff wellbeing and community is further demonstrated through regular networking events, active EDI and Sustainability committees and social events at Christmas
Apply today – we may close early if we receive strong applications!
If you would like any information available in a more accessible format, please email recruitment@plumpton.ac.uk
We reserve the right to call candidates to interview/withdraw this vacancy at any time if there is a good level of response. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application as soon as possible.