Grounds Person

Location: West Sector, Portadown, however the postholder may be required to work at other locations across the Borough

Salary: Scale 4 SCP 9-13 £26,409- £28,163 per annum

Hours: 37 hours per week on a rota basis, Monday-Thursday 8.00am-4.30pm Friday 8.00am-1.00pm

Duration: Permanent

JOB PURPOSE:

The post holder will work as a member of the outdoor spaces’ maintenance team under the general direction of a Head Grounds person and be responsible for undertaking both basic and skilled work in parks, playing fields, landscaped areas and open spaces either individually or as part of a team.

The post holder will be required to work flexibly regarding time, place and type of work assigned within the Borough in the field of amenity horticulture including the care and maintenance of buildings, sports equipment, sports facilities, general amenity areas, parks and play areas and work diligently, efficiently and effectively to achieve assigned personal and team tasks to the required quality and within the allotted timescales.

The post holder will be required to develop personal competence in the use of plant and equipment and provide customer care services at parks and sports grounds and share knowledge and skills with other operatives.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Drive and operate vehicles and machinery including lorries, diggers, trailers and self-propelled grass cutters and mowers.

Drive and operate a wide range of tractors and operate associated complex tractor mounted equipment such as PTO driven flails, side arm flails, batwing rotary mowers, land levelers, brushes, blowers etc. (list not exhaustive.)

Responsible for the care of and routine maintenance including pre and post operational checks, defect reporting, cleaning of vehicles, plant equipment and tools, as assigned from time to time.

Use powered hand tools and light plant to perform duties to include the use of vehicles such as ride on mowers etc.

Responsible for opening and closing parks and facilities as and when required to include the setting of alarms etc.

Carry out horticultural and constructional operations, including planting, cutting, pruning, soil cultivation, fertiliser spreading and site preparation.

Maintain games facilities and areas to include e.g., football pitches including the marking of games areas and erection/ dismantling of posts.

Carry out basic and skilled horticultural/ sports grounds and arboricultural operations. Identify, maintain and cultivate a wide range of plants, trees and shrubs and take remedial action to control growth of weeds, disease and pests using a wide range of horticultural tools and sundries.

Participate in the development, care, maintenance and caretaking/ supervision of the operational use of parks, sport fields, facilities and amenity areas.

Undertake sports facility maintenance as and when required to include emergency maintenance.

Undertake maintenance and take remedial action to ensure the safe use of synthetic and hard surfaces.

Make decisions on whether to close sports facilities due to adverse weather conditions or acts of vandalism.

Implement arrangements as agreed with tournament organisers.

Ensure that all playground equipment, parks furniture and playground surfaces are checked and meet the required Health and Safety standards for public.

Record and report all defects found in the area of playground equipment, furniture and playground surfaces. This will involve the repair/fitting and the immobilisation of any dangerous items of playground equipment to ensure that this equipment cannot be used by the public.

Complete and return to the Supervisor all the necessary information relating to the playground site checks and to attend as required any hearings relating to any public liability claims which may involve the Council. This may also involve photographing relevant sites required.

Carry out application of chemical pest control methods including calibration of sprayers to control a range of weeds, diseases and pests.

Maintain the orderly condition of grounds, i.e., sweeping, hoeing, raking, mowing, edging, removal of litter/ rubbish/ illegal dumping, dead animals etc.

Maintain buildings and farm outhouses i.e., cleaning (sweeping, mopping and dusting), movement of equipment, materials and livestock as and when required.

Load, unload and move equipment and materials such as mowers, barrows, plants, soil, fertilisers, horticultural tools and sundries.

Supervise the use of parks, sports fields and facilities including maintenance of orderly conduct by the public in line with Council byelaws and ensuring general safety, giving guidance and dealing with any complaints in relation to the relevant site.

Work with minimal supervision and lead task teams accepting responsibility for the direction of the work of trainees and/ or other employees assigned and give training to allocated staff within the competency of the post holder.

Administrative duties associated with grounds maintenance work, distribution and gathering of information by way of questionnaires and surveys.

Undertake duties in other Environmental Services areas e.g. waste and cemeteries.

Undertake any other relevant duties that may be required and are commensurate with the nature and grade of the post.

Experience

• Experience of amenity horticulture operations, to include 12 months’ experience in each of the following areas:

▪ Operating a variety of commercial grass cutting machinery and amenity horticultural equipment;

▪ Amenity horticulture skills;

▪ Operating/ use of tractors and complex tractor mounted equipment (flail, bat wing mower, side arm flail, chipper, PTO driven equipment.)

Key skills, knowledge and attributes

• Ability to work as part of a team;

• Good communication skills;

• Ability to work on own initiative with minimal supervision;

• Ability to work to deadlines;

• Committed to quality work and safe working;

• Understanding of Health and Safety requirements.

Driving

• Hold a full current Driving Licence (valid in the UK) including category B & E.