The Chief Engineer is responsible for ensuring the venue’s physical plant, equipment, and building systems operate safely, reliably, and efficiently at all times. In a restaurant, club, or lounge environment, this role is critical to protecting guest experience, supporting uninterrupted service, and maintaining compliance with health, safety, and operational standards. The Chief Engineer leads all maintenance activity across front-of-house and back-of-house areas, balancing preventive planning with rapid response to breakdowns and technical issues.
- Organisational position and reporting
- Sits within the Facilities & Maintenance function as the senior technical leader for the property.
- Typically reports to the General Manager, Operations Director, or Property/Facilities Manager, depending on the venue structure.
- Works closely with department heads, including kitchen, bar, events, housekeeping, security, and procurement, to coordinate maintenance priorities and minimise disruption.
- Core responsibilities
- Oversee the maintenance and repair of all building systems, including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, lighting, refrigeration, kitchen equipment, and safety systems.
- Develop and manage preventive maintenance schedules to reduce downtime and extend asset life.
- Respond quickly to urgent faults, breakdowns, and emergency situations, often outside standard hours.
- Monitor compliance with statutory requirements, building codes, fire safety, and workplace health and safety regulations.
- Manage maintenance budgets, contractors, service providers, spare parts, and equipment inventories.
- Maintain accurate logs, inspection records, and asset documentation to support accountability and compliance.
- Lead or supervise maintenance technicians and trades staff where applicable, setting standards for quality, response time, and professionalism.
- What success looks like
- The ideal Chief Engineer is highly technical, calm under pressure, and strongly organised.
- They are proactive rather than reactive, with a practical mindset and strong problem-solving ability.
- They communicate clearly with both technical teams and non-technical managers.
- They take ownership, show strong attention to detail, and understand how facilities performance directly affects guest satisfaction, safety, and revenue.
- They thrive in fast-paced, high-standard environments where reliability, discretion, and rapid decision-making are essential.