Garden Services Specialist/Assistant – Full Time – Permanent

Rushmore Hill,

Kent, TN14 7NN

Tel: 01959 532269 Fax: 01959 534092

Email: rushmorehill@coolings.co.uk www.coolings.co.uk

Coolings Nurseries Limited Directors: A. Daly, G.D. Carvosso, I. Hazon. VAT Reg. 207 4180 88 Registered in England No. 1534529 Registered office at Rushmore Hill, Knockholt TN14 7NN

Location: Coolings

The Gardener’s Garden Centre Rushmore Hill Knockholt Kent TN14 7NN

Type: Permanent, Full Time

Our eligible staff are part of an exciting Employee Ownership Trust

Benefits & Perks

• We provide uniforms to our staff.
• Enhanced long service benefits.
• Free onsite parking.

Role Overview

We are looking for a practical, capable and organised person to join our premium garden centre team as a Garden Services Specialist / Assistant who will primarily be working installing irrigation solutions for our highly valued client base, but will also support other aspects of garden care and maintenance, including lawncare. In addition, there is the added and career-enhancing function of supporting the Head of Operations with operational and administrative assistance during the periods of the year when garden services hits its offpeak levels.

During the main irrigation season, particularly from March through to July, the primary focus of the role will be visiting customers' gardens and land to install, maintain and assist with irrigation systems. The role will also support the ongoing care and maintenance of customers' lawns and garden areas, carrying out practical lawn care tasks to help maintain them to a high standard. The successful candidate will be trained in our irrigation systems and will develop the practical skills and knowledge required to carry out installations to a high standard.

Outside of the main irrigation season, the role will become more focused on supporting the Head of Operations with the smooth running, maintenance and organisation of the garden centre and its wider operations. This will include assisting with areas such as health and safety, compliance, IT, logistics, site upkeep and general operational tasks.

This role would suit someone who enjoys being hands-on and outdoors, but who is also organised, responsible and comfortable undertaking administrative and operational tasks when required.

Key Responsibilities

Irrigation Installation, Lawn Care & Customer Gardens

• Visiting customers' gardens, grounds and land to carry out irrigation installations.
• Assisting with the planning and preparation of irrigation installations.
• Learning and applying the principles of different irrigation systems.
• Preparing materials, tools and equipment for installation work.
• Carrying out digging, trenching, pipework and other physical installation tasks.
• Testing irrigation systems and resolving basic installation issues.
• Carrying out maintenance, adjustments and repairs to existing irrigation systems.
• Ensuring installations are completed safely and to the required standard.
• Communicating professionally with customers when attending their properties.
• Carrying out lawn mowing, edging and general lawn maintenance.
• Undertaking lawn feeding, weed control, scarifying, aerating and overseeding where required.
• Identifying lawn issues and reporting areas requiring further treatment or repair.
• Maintaining and safely using lawn care tools, machinery and equipment.
• Ensuring lawn care work is completed efficiently and to a high standard.

The successful candidate will not necessarily need previous irrigation installation experience, as training can be provided. However, they will need to be practical, mechanically minded, willing to learn and confident carryingout physical outdoor work in varying weather conditions.

Operations Support

During quieter periods of the irrigation season, the role will work closely with the Head of Operations, providing practical and administrative support across the business.

This may include:

• Assisting with the day-to-day smooth running of the garden centre.
• Supporting health and safety processes, risk assessments and ensuring agreed procedures are followed.
• Assisting with site inspections and identifying potential hazards or maintenance requirements.
• Helping maintain health and safety records, documentation and operational checklists.
• Supporting compliance-related tasks and ensuring operational requirements are followed.
• Helping to organise tools, machinery, vehicles and other operational resources.
• Assisting with contractors, deliveries and visiting suppliers where required.
• Helping manage the monitoring of contracts and services from relevant suppliers.
• Helping prepare the site for seasonal changes, events or operational requirements.
• Carrying out general administrative tasks connected with operations.
• Assisting the Head of Operations with projects and other operational priorities.
• Taking responsibility for individual tasks and seeing them through to completion.

The Person

We are looking for someone who is practical, reliable, proactive and willing to learn.

The ideal candidate will have:

• A practical, hands-on approach to work.
• An interest in irrigation, horticulture, gardening or outdoor environments.
• A willingness and ability to learn how irrigation systems work and how to install them.
• Good practical problem-solving skills.
• The ability to use basic tools and equipment safely, or the willingness to learn.
• An organised approach to completing tasks.
• A proactive outlook that involves noticing what needs doing and “getting on with it”, rather than waiting to be told.
• The ability to follow procedures and take responsibility for their work.
• Good communication skills to effectively engage with colleagues, customers, contractors and suppliers.
• The ability to work independently when required, while also being part of a wider team.
• Computer and administrative skills, and a willingness to develop them.
• The flexibility to move between different types of work depending on the operational needs of the business.
• A reasonably good level of health and fitness to be involved in work that involves a fair degree of physicality.

Experience & Qualifications

Previous experience in irrigation installation is desirable but not essential, as training will be provided to the right candidate.

Experience in one or more of the following areas would be beneficial:

• Horticulture or gardening.
• Garden centre or nursery work.
• Grounds maintenance or landscaping.
• Irrigation or landscaping installation.
• Lawn care or turf maintenance.
• Construction or other practical trades.
• Property or site maintenance.
• Facilities or operations.
• Logistics or warehouse environments.
• Health and safety or compliance support.
• An administrative or office-based operational environment.

Equally, someone with a strong operations, facilities, logistics or administrative background who has a genuineinterest in horticulture and is comfortable undertaking practical outdoor work could be well suited to the role.