Parks & Countryside Officer (Level 2), Maldon

Maldon District Council is working in partnership with Essex Shared Services to support the role of Parks and Countryside Officer (Level 2), a full-time position.

Role Purpose: To provide a grounds maintenance service across the Maldon District in order to maintain the Council's parks and open spaces to a high standard.

Accountabilities - Service Delivery:

• Work in partnership with others to achieve high standards of grounds maintenance across our 25 parks and open spaces across our District, including the flagship sites of Promenade Park in Maldon & Riverside Park in Burnham on Crouch.
• Organising own working methods within guidelines to ensure safe working and adherence with health and safety procedures and instruction.
• To undertake weekend and bank holiday duties on a rota and to provide out of hours cover for events and civil emergencies.
• The Parks & Countryside team work "annualised hours" averaging 38 hours a week across the year, working 46 hours per week during April to September, with hours lowering down to 29 hours a week during the winter months.
• Undertake general gardening and grounds maintenance duties to include:
• Leaf clearance; bin emptying; sweeping; litter picking.
• Strimming; rotary and cylinder mowing; use of associated groundcare machinery and implements.
• Care of beds; basic glasshouse work.
• Initial marking and overmarking of sports pitches.
• Pesticide applications and calibrations.
• Basic maintenance of vehicles and equipment.
• Litter and bin collection.
• Basic machinery operation and vehicle driving.
• Ability to undertake at least two of the following additional elements:
• Tractor driving with specialist implements - e.g. - side arm flail, verti-drain.
• Use of heavy ride-on mowers and plant.
• Repair and servicing of a range of equipment.
• Undertaking play equipment inspections.
• Specialist glasshouse work - propagation from seed and cuttings etc.
• Preparation and maintenance of flower and shrub beds and borders.
• Felling and processing small trees with a chainsaw.
• Fine turf management.

The Experience You Will Bring:

• NVQ level 2 or equivalent in Horticulture, Amenity Management or similar, or reasonable experience in Grounds Maintenance functions and settings.
• Two or more competency certificates in the following (or similar work-appropriate training):
• Pesticide Spraying licence.
• Brushcutter/clearing saw licence.
• Chainsaw licence (C30/C31 equivalent).
• Ride on/pedestrian mower certificate.
• Amenity tractor with trailer/PTO mounted implements.
• Woodchipper.
• Full UK driving licence and access to own transport for work purposes.
• Ability to operate machinery including grass cutting and light vehicles.
• Knowledge of relevant Health and Safety measures and requirement to take responsibility for own actions.
• Good knowledge of care of bedding plants, shrubs and borders.
• Good plant knowledge and identification skills.
• Ability to prune trees and shrubs to high standard.
• Good knowledge of relevant health and safety measures and risk assessments.
• Recent experience in a range of horticultural and grounds maintenance functions.

Be part of Maldon District Council - 'Where Quality of Life Matters'.

Maldon District Council is a local authority 'Where quality of life matters'. Our Corporate Plan sets out our vision and priorities for the next three years and will be reviewed regularly to make sure we are on the right track. Using a range of data and what we know about the needs of our residents, we have set out what we will be doing and what we aim to achieve between now and 2028.

In addition to a competitive salary, you will be entitled to a range of benefits, including:

• The Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Generous holiday entitlement.
• Flexible and agile working.
• Employee assistance programme.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Salary sacrifice car lease scheme.
• Discounted local gym membership.
• Free parking.

Maldon District Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable groups including children, young people and adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Disclosure and Barring checks will be undertaken according to the responsibilities of the role. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, culture and experience. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, sex, disability or marital status. Maldon District Council is committed to the employment and career development of disabled people. To demonstrate our commitment, we have been accredited as a Disability Confident Employer.