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- Tasks: Maintain outdoor spaces, operate machinery, and ensure parks are in top condition.
- Company: Join a dedicated team in the public sector focused on community spaces.
- Benefits: Earn £14.12 per hour with flexible hours and potential contract extension.
- Other info: Great opportunity for career growth and teamwork in a dynamic environment.
- Why this job: Make a difference in your community while working outdoors and gaining valuable skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in amenity horticulture and ability to operate various machinery required.
The predicted salary is between 27000 - 29000 £ per year.
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.
Senior Groundsperson - Public Sector employer: Ashton Recruitment
Contact Detail:
Ashton Recruitment Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Groundsperson - Public Sector
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the team! If you can, reach out to current employees or even the hiring manager on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give us insights into the company culture and what they really value in a candidate.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! When you get the chance to interview, be ready to discuss specific experiences where you've used your amenity horticulture skills. We want to hear about those times you operated complex machinery or tackled a tricky landscaping project.
✨Tip Number 3
Flexibility is key! Make sure to highlight your willingness to adapt to different locations and tasks. The more we see that you're ready to jump in wherever needed, the better your chances of landing that role.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows us you’re genuinely interested in being part of our outdoor spaces maintenance team.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Groundsperson - Public Sector
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight your experience in amenity horticulture and operating machinery. We want to see how your skills match the job description, so don’t hold back!
Show Off Your Team Spirit: Since teamwork is key for this role, share examples of how you've successfully worked with others in the past. We love seeing candidates who can collaborate and contribute to a positive team environment.
Highlight Your Flexibility: Flexibility is a must for this position, so mention any experiences where you adapted to changing circumstances or took on varied tasks. It shows us you're ready for anything that comes your way!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Ashton Recruitment
✨Know Your Horticulture
Brush up on your amenity horticulture knowledge! Be ready to discuss your experience with various plants, trees, and shrubs, as well as the equipment you’ve used. This will show that you’re not just familiar with the tasks but also passionate about the work.
✨Showcase Your Machinery Skills
Make sure you can talk confidently about operating commercial grass cutting machinery and complex tractor-mounted equipment. If you have specific examples of how you've used these tools effectively, share them! It’ll demonstrate your hands-on experience.
✨Team Player Vibes
Since this role involves working as part of a team, be prepared to discuss your teamwork experiences. Think of examples where you collaborated successfully with others or took the initiative to help out. This will highlight your ability to fit into their outdoor spaces maintenance team.
✨Health and Safety Savvy
Understanding health and safety requirements is crucial in this role. Be ready to talk about any relevant training or experiences you have in maintaining safety standards while working outdoors. This shows you take your responsibilities seriously and are committed to quality work.