Grounds Operative in Weston-super-Mare

About the Role

Are you passionate about outdoor work and making a visible difference in your community? Do you take pride in high standards and enjoy leading by example? If so, we would love to hear from you! As a Grounds Operative, you will play an important role in keeping our neighbourhoods looking their best. You will deliver a high-quality grounds maintenance service across our estates, ensuring our open spaces are safe, tidy and attractive places for our customers and communities to enjoy. Working as part of our Estates team, you will maintain a variety of outdoor spaces to a professional standard, taking pride in your work and representing LiveWest's values every day. You will help to keep our communities looking great, while ensuring that health and safety standards are upheld at all times.

Key Responsibilities

• Carry out general grounds maintenance, including grass cutting, hedge trimming, weeding, leaf clearance and shrub bed maintenance to a professional standard.
• Operate and maintain horticultural machinery safely and correctly, including mowers, brushcutters, hedge cutters and blowers.
• Undertake inspections of communal areas, proactively reporting issues such as defects, fly-tipping, vandalism or health and safety concerns.
• Maintain tools and equipment in safe working order, and report faults or damage promptly.
• Follow LiveWest's health and safety procedures at all times, promoting a safe working culture.
• Engage positively with customers, responding politely to queries and referring issues where appropriate.
• Record completed work accurately, using handheld digital technology.
• Support the wider Estates team with seasonal and emergency tasks, such as gritting or reactive response work.

Why Join LiveWest

At LiveWest, we believe in creating better places to live, work and grow. As a Grounds Operative you will be part of a team that makes a real difference to the look and feel of our communities. You will take pride in keeping our outdoor space clean, green and welcoming for our customers, and you will receive the training, tools and support you need to do your best work. If you enjoy working outdoors, take pride in high standards and want to be part of a supportive team that values your contribution, then this is the perfect opportunity for you. This role is full-time, 40 hours per week, and is a mobile role working predominantly in the Somerset/Bristol area. You will ideally be based within a 30-minute commute of these areas. Because no company van is provided, you will share a van as part of a van-share arrangement, so a full UK manual driving licence is essential.

DBS Statement

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable groups. Appointment to this role is subject to a satisfactory basic DBS check.

About the Candidate

To be successful in your application for the role of Grounds Operative you will have the essential skills and experience for a Level 1 role and the following role-specific skills and experience:

• Previous experience in grounds maintenance or a similar outdoor manual role.
• Good physical fitness and ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions.
• Knowledge of basic horticultural practices such as weeding, planting and pruning.
• Understanding of health and safety requirements, including COSHH and PUWER.
• Experience of operating and maintaining horticultural equipment safely.
• Ability to plan and prioritise work, using initiative and working independently.
• Good communication skills and a customer-focused approach.
• Good level of literacy and numeracy.
• Full UK manual driving licence (essential).

Desirable Qualifications

• Horticulture qualification at Level 1.
• PA 1 and PA 6 pesticide certificates.
• LANTRA certified training.

Please note: This role is not eligible for CoS. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK for the full duration of the role without requiring a CoS.

About the Company

Our Reward and Benefits

• Working style: Hybrid working with 2–3 days in the office to support your work/life balance.
• Generous annual leave: 26 days to start, plus bank holidays, increasing to 30 days with length of service – and the option to purchase up to 5 extra days (pro-rated for part-time roles).
• Pension contributions: up to 9% employer contributions with our Defined Contribution scheme.
• Health benefits and perks: a health-care cash plan (worth up to £1,100 annually), virtual GP services, discounted gym memberships, retail discounts and a Blue-Light Card.
• Learning and development: ongoing personal and professional growth opportunities.
• Family support: policies designed to help you balance work and family life, including a new-child payment.
• Well-being matters: prioritise your health with mental-health support, enhanced sick pay, wellness campaigns and free flu jabs.
• Smarter travel: cycle-to-work and car-benefit schemes.
• Giving back: up to four paid volunteering days a year to support our communities.

At LiveWest we are united by a shared mission: to create a home for everyone. Our values guide everything we do – how we work together and how we deliver exceptional service to our customers. Collaboration is at the heart of LiveWest, and we believe that we achieve more when we deliver together. As one of the largest employers in the South West, our team of 1,800 talented colleagues provides a wide range of services to 80,000 customers. We are passionate about nurturing local talent and creating opportunities for people within the communities we serve. We are committed to supporting our colleagues, giving them the autonomy and encouragement they need to thrive and reach their full potential. Together, we are building brighter futures for everyone.

Inclusion at LiveWest

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered. We believe that our differences drive innovation, creativity and excellence, and we strive to create an environment where all colleagues can thrive. As a proud member of Inclusive Employers, a Disability Confident Employer and a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, we are dedicated to supporting all our colleagues and ensuring our workplace is welcoming and accessible to all. We welcome individuals of all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives to join our team. LiveWest is dedicated to equal opportunity and actively works to eliminate discrimination and promote diversity at all levels. Join us in our mission to create vibrant and inclusive communities. Make a difference with LiveWest, where every voice is heard and every contribution is valued.