Senior Groundsperson - Public Sector TLNT1_NI in Craigavon

Position: Outdoor Spaces Groundsperson

Location: Lurgan Park, Craigavon, however the postholder may be required to work at other locations across the Borough

Duration: Temporary contract for 3-6 months, may be extended

Pay Rate: Scale 4, £14.12 per hour

Hours of work: 37 hours per week on a rota basis, Monday-Thursday 8.00am-4.30pm, Friday 8.00am-1.00pm.

The post holder will be part of the outdoor spaces maintenance team, working under the general supervision of the Head Grounds Person. They will be responsible for carrying out both basic and skilled tasks in parks, playing fields, landscaped areas, and other open spaces, either independently or as part of a team. Flexibility will be required in terms of working hours, location, and the nature of duties across the Borough, particularly within the area of amenity horticulture. This includes the upkeep of buildings, sports equipment and facilities, general amenity spaces, parks, and play areas.

The post holder is expected to work diligently, efficiently, and effectively to complete both individual and team assignments to the required standard and within set timeframes. They will be expected to develop proficiency in operating relevant plant and equipment, deliver customer service at parks and sports grounds, and share their knowledge and skills with other team members.

Duties will include:

• Drive and operate vehicles and machinery including lorries, diggers, trailers and self-propelled grass cutters and mowers.
• Drive and operate a wide range of tractors and operate associated complex tractor mounted equipment such as PTO driven flails, side arm flails, batwing rotary mowers, land levellers, brushes, blowers etc. (list not exhaustive.)
• Responsible for the care of and routine maintenance including pre and post operational checks, defect reporting, cleaning of vehicles, plant equipment and tools, as assigned from time to time.
• Use powered hand tools and light plant to perform duties to include the use of vehicles such as ride on mowers etc.
• Responsible for opening and closing parks and facilities as and when required to include the setting of alarms etc.
• Carry out horticultural and constructional operations, including planting, cutting, pruning, soil cultivation, fertiliser spreading and site preparation.
• Maintain games facilities and areas to include e.g., football pitches including the marking of games areas and erection/ dismantling of posts.
• Carry out basic and skilled horticultural/ sports grounds and arboricultural operations.
• Identify, maintain and cultivate a wide range of plants, trees and shrubs and take remedial action to control growth of weeds, disease and pests using a wide range of horticultural tools and sundries.
• Participate in the development, care, maintenance and caretaking/ supervision of the operational use of parks, sport fields, facilities and amenity areas.
• Undertake sports facility maintenance as and when required to include emergency maintenance.

Essential Criteria:

• Experience of amenity horticulture operations, to include 12 months' experience in each of the following areas:
• Operating a variety of commercial grass cutting machinery and amenity horticultural equipment;
• Amenity horticulture skills;
• Operating/ use of tractors and complex tractor mounted equipment (flail, bat wing mower, side arm flail, chipper, PTO driven equipment).
• Ability to work as part of a team;
• Good communication skills;
• Ability to work on own initiative with minimal supervision;
• Ability to work to deadlines;
• Committed to quality work and safe working;
• Understanding of Health and Safety requirements.
• Hold a full current Driving Licence (valid in the UK) including category B & E.

Desirable Criteria:

• Pesticides Certificates PA1 and PA6a.
• Two of the three following qualifications: Chainsaw operation qualification; Current First Aid Certificate; NVQ Level II Amenity Horticulture or equivalent.
• One year's supervisory experience.
• One year's experience of: Customer care; Sports ground maintenance.