Start date: ASAP

Job Purpose

The Grounds Team is a close-knit unit with responsibility for maintaining the school grounds to a high standard of appearance. The role of Head Groundskeeper is responsible for supervising the day to day running of the team, maintenance and land management of 3 sports fields, two all-weather pitches, woodlands, gardens, walkways and parking areas to the highest possible standard.

Accountable to: Estates Manager

Key responsibilities

Grounds

• Provide and maintain first-class playing surfaces and sports pitches, including cricket wickets and to ensure the garden and grounds are maintained to an exceptional standard.
• Work closely with our busy and thriving Games Department to ensure you fully understand the Games programme, have a good understanding of Games’ requirements and embrace the need to ensure the School’s comprehensive sports fixtures list runs smoothly.
• Maintain the cleanliness, tidiness and general appearance of all external areas of the School including gardens and hard surfaces.
• Work with Estates Manager to plan, budget, implement, monitor and evaluate all grounds-related projects (e.g. playing fields, landscaping and grounds development) and works carried out by contractors monitoring quality, cost and performance.
• Ensure the efficient maintenance and availability of playing surfaces, sports equipment such as football/ hockey goals, rugby posts, cricket equipment, play equipment or outdoor structures across the site and grounds-related machinery, equipment and materials.
• Provide support in adverse weather conditions, including snow/ice clearance from pathways around the site.
• Preserve the security of all playing areas and the maintenance of the hedges, fences and gateways surrounding them.
• Maintain appropriate awareness of grounds industry and health & safety developments and inform the Grounds Team and others how these may impact the school.

Team Management

• Co-ordinate the Grounds Team to achieve their tasks, work schedules and objectives, and always encourage maximum commitment and efficient service.
• Hold regular team meetings and ensure that members of the team are up to date with developments in the Estates Team, and the school as a whole.
• Conduct staff probationary reviews (where applicable) and annual staff appraisals in line with the School’s Professional Development Policy.
• Meet with key stakeholders and Estates Manager on a regular basis to encourage school wide communication.

Health & Safety

• Ensure you and the Grounds Team promote the wellbeing and safeguarding of our pupils, staff and visitors.
• Ensure you and your team complies with all relevant national and local regulations including Health and Safety at Work, PUWER, First Aid, COSHH, and environment management.
• Possess a thorough understanding of legislation relating to grounds-related chemicals and dangerous substances and actively promote safe working practices and risk assessment.
• Manage the grounds-related facilities, plant, buildings and equipment; ensure that all grounds equipment is correctly stored, maintained and serviced.
• Possess a good working knowledge of the safe use of plant and machinery.
• Responsible for the correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for self and Grounds Team, including ordering of replacement PPE as required.

Sustainability

• Look to use organic or sustainable methods for grounds management wherever possible.
• Work to the school Biodiversity Enhancement Plan to follow and update the site management plans for woodlands, biodiversity, planting and maintenance.
• Foster biodiversity on site, including managing our woodland in a sensitive manner, and ensure that the requirements of grounds upkeep do not come at the expense of the environment.

Personal Characteristics

• A positive “can do” attitude and approach to their work
• Enthusiastic about working outdoors and have an interest in the natural environment
• Take pride in your work and maintain high standards
• Be organised, thorough and flexible in your planning
• Work well as part of a team and leading that team
• Understand the broader needs of a diverse range of stakeholders
• Be personable, empathetic and a good communicator
• Be willing to undertake further training and personal development
• Commitment to safeguarding

Person Specification

Essential

• Extensive experience of grounds management, including sports turf management
• Ideally hold a minimum Level 3 in Horticulture or equivalent (Grounds Management & Maintenance, Greenkeeping, Sports Turf Management etc)
• Extensive experience of using and maintaining grounds related plant and powered machinery (mowers, blowers, cutters, strimmers etc)
• Hold relevant pesticides training (PA1 & PA6 Certificate)
• Possess a good working knowledge of relevant Health and Safety legislation and how to apply it
• Not adverse to working in inclement weather conditions
• Clean driving licence and ability to drive tractors, mules, and ride-on mowers
• Ability to plan work assignments and set priorities

Desirable

• Hold a CS30 crosscutting chainsaw qualification
• PA2 pesticide certification
• Brush cutting and /or flail arm competency
• Pond management
• Budget planning and management

Review and Amendment

This job description should be seen as enabling rather than restrictive and will be subject to regular review. It may be adapted to best fit the skills and needs of the appointed candidate.

Crosfields School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.