Operational Landscape Technician in Sheffield

The successful candidate will provide effective landscape activity where your flexibility and diverse skill set will be an asset as you will be part of the team implementing a multi-skilled service at locations across the central campus and wider locations, including AMRC. You will play a key role in the cold weather plan, where you will operate tractor-mounted equipment, including gritters and ploughs. During periods of peak business activity, you will be required to support the team by delivering additional external services throughout the external estate. The successful applicant will demonstrate a positive attitude toward change to support continuous improvement and a commitment to Integrated Management System (IMS) principles. You will work closely with the EFM landscape strategy, management plans and biodiversity action plan. The substantive role is operational, active and physical, requiring regular manual handling, use of power tools, vibration-causing equipment and driving works vehicles. You will be a good communicator and be able to form positive working relationships with a wide range of people, both within the university and outside. You will use your experience of effective supervision within the landscape industry to provide on-site support to operational staff during the absence of the allocated supervisor.

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Carry out effective seasonal and scheduled landscape operations, taking lead responsibility for work during the absence of the supervisor.
• Work throughout TUOS locations and carry out unsupervised, independent work as required.
• Identify and develop solutions to problems identified, seeking advice and guidance from more senior team members as appropriate.
• Identify and carry out technical landscape activity aligned with best practices.
• Monitor and maintain all portable and driven landscape equipment, including tractor-mounted equipment, ride-on mowers and vehicles.
• Safe and competent use of all portable and driven landscape equipment, including tractor-mounted equipment, ride-on mowers and vehicles.
• Support the full requirements of the cold-weather plan activity, to include the operation of the tractor and vehicle-mounted equipment.
• Monitor and replenish levels of landscape equipment and stock following the process and procedure.
• Respond to standard and non-standard landscape queries, knowing when to involve others.
• Work flexibly throughout all UOS and satellite locations to support business needs, including but not limited to the Main Campus, ACS and AMRC.
• Travel independently to identified working locations and be able to carry out lone work as required with minimal supervision; drive the team to locations across campus.
• Support all current landscape services, including but not limited to external cleaning and cleaning of roof spaces, UOS-wide, during peak periods of business activity.
• Monitor and review works carried out by yourself and others, ensuring that set standards are met.
• Carry out minor reactive building works such as paving and pointing to a high standard.
• Promote landscape services by consistently striving to improve standards and levels of service delivery across the green spaces.
• Comply with current health and safety legislation when carrying out tasks across all locations of the University.
• Respond effectively to customer queries using your knowledge and experience, and assess when to involve more experienced team members.
• Report any site-related health and safety issues to your operational supervisor as soon as reasonably practicable.
• Monitor quality of work in line with quality and safety standards, reporting findings and providing effective solutions.
• Ensure all mandatory training is carried out in line with IMS compliance objectives.
• Support the department with internal team audits to ensure compliance with HSWAS 1974, ISO9001 and ISO14001 integrated management systems.
• Ensure all the University's policies and procedures are correctly followed in all tasks.
• Assist other Landscape Service Teams as required and appointed by the Landscape Operations Manager via the weekly rota.
• Provide effective solutions to challenges, resolving work-related problems by providing effective, safe and efficient systems of work.
• Carry out other duties commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Essential Criteria:

• NVQ 3 in horticulture or equivalent in-depth technical operational experience within the landscape industry.
• A full UK driving licence.
• Hold a relevant health and safety qualification (IOSH Managing Safely) or be willing to undertake training.
• Experience in using and maintaining a range of specialist landscape equipment and plants.
• Demonstrated experience in the preparation and use of standard and non-standard equipment used in external estate management activity.
• Experience in recording and logging all work tasks to support information procedures.
• Evidence competency to carry out minor hard landscaping work estate-wide.
• Ability to communicate with staff at all levels within TUOS.
• Able to provide assistance, information and guidance to junior members of the team, using skills drawn from experience and detailed learning.
• Ability to prioritise the workload of yourself and others to carry out the operational landscape delivery.
• Motivated to work in all weathers, including the winter clearance programme.
• Willingness to work flexibly through the UOS satellite location, to include ACS, Main Campus and satellite locations.
• Willing to carry out continuous development and role-specific training.

Benefits:

• Minimum of 38 days annual leave, including bank holidays and closure days (pro rata), with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A range of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women's and Parent's networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development, access to learning and mentoring schemes, integrated with our Professional Services Shared Skills Framework.
• Paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies.
• Support for those going through the menopause.
• Paid time off and support for fertility treatment.
• More family-friendly policies.

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.