Grounds Maintenance Contract Manager Maintenance · Southampton ·

Location: Southampton - Hampshire Area

Salary: Competitive

Contract Type: Permanent, 40 hours per week

Take ownership. Build lasting relationships. Make a visible impact every day. You take pride in creating excellent sites, nurturing your teams, and fostering strong client connections. At Ground Control, we value leadership that is collaborative, supportive, and empowering. We’re looking for a Contract Manager who will care for their region, maintain high standards, and represent the business with professionalism. You’ll have autonomy supported by an experienced operational network, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on your contracts and the people you work with.

What you’ll do

• Take full ownership of your region and play a key part in maintaining strong client relationships and high standards across every site.
• Lead the end-to-end delivery of grounds maintenance services across your region, ensuring each site is well-presented, safe and delivered to the standards expected by our clients.
• Build strong, long-term relationships with customers, acting as their main point of contact and proactively managing expectations, feedback and service improvements.
• Provide clear leadership to DE teams and subcontractors, setting standards, monitoring performance and ensuring work is delivered consistently, efficiently and with pride.
• Plan, organise and prioritise daily and seasonal operations, making sure SLAs are achieved, schedules run smoothly and health and safety requirements are always met.
• Identify opportunities for extra works and service enhancements, using your knowledge of sites and client needs to add value and contribute to regional growth.
• Tackle issues early and maintain strong performance across all contracts, using sound judgement, problem-solving skills and a calm, practical approach to challenges.
• Work closely with Regional Operations Directors, HSQE partners and central support teams to ensure your region runs effectively and clients receive a seamless, reliable service.

What you’ll get

• The freedom to run your region with trust, not micromanagement.
• A region where your leadership shapes performance, client satisfaction and long-term success.
• Scope to grow your portfolio and influence as you deliver strong results.
• Development opportunities through hands‑on leadership, turnaround work and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Competitive package including company vehicle, private GP, wellbeing support, bonus scheme, pension, volunteering days and recognition rewards.

What we’re looking for

• Proven experience managing grounds maintenance or horticultural contracts (or similar multi‑site service delivery environments), with a clear understanding of operational standards, seasonal demands and what “good” looks like on‑site.
• A confident, organised leader who sets clear expectations, follows through on commitments and takes ownership of regional performance and culture.
• Someone who builds trust quickly with clients and teams: credible, communicative and able to handle difficult conversations with fairness and professionalism.
• A calm, solutions‑focused problem solver who can prioritise, make sound decisions under pressure and tackle issues early before they escalate.
• Strong commercial awareness, able to spot extra works opportunities, protect margins and balance quality with efficiency.
• High personal standards around safety, quality and service delivery, with the judgement to maintain them even when resources are stretched.
• A full UK driving licence, as you’ll be travelling across your region to meet clients, support teams and ensure consistent delivery.

About Ground Control

Ground Control is a certified B Corporation, committed to caring for the environment, our people and the communities we serve. Since 1973, we’ve led the industry through quality, sustainability and a genuine commitment to doing the right thing. Our Contract Managers are trusted, supported and given the autonomy they need to deliver work they can be proud of. If you’re a Contract Manager who values professionalism, accountability and the ability to make a visible difference every day, we’d love to hear from you.

Equal Opportunities Statement

At Ground Control, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered to thrive. We believe that diversity drives innovation and success, and we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate based on sex, age, disability, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic. We actively support and promote an inclusive culture, ensuring fair and equitable treatment throughout the recruitment process and beyond.