Job Title: Estates Worker (Gardener)
Location: Hatfield
Salary: £24,000 – 28,000
Job Type: Permanent / Full Time
About the role:
To be part of a team that looks after an estate of 120 acres. The team is responsible for sports facilities, general grounds work, forestry and hardscaping. This role will incorporate all of above, but is more focused upon the estates elements of the role which may include excavating, hardscaping, grass cutting, fencing and general maintenance.
Main Responsibilities:
- Engage with and adhere to Health and Safety practices
- Undertakes minor construction and landscaping work
- Uses, adjusts and maintains hand tools and basic light machinery and plant in accordance with routine operating requirements to ensure optimal efficiency of safe use
- Uses cylinder and rotary mowers, petrol based mechanical tools e.g. hedge cutter, strimmer, leaf blowers, as required to carry out ground’s maintenance
- Drives vehicles and equipment (including tractors) as required for grounds maintenance operations
- Safe application, storage and disposal of chemicals where required taking into account COSHH and Health and Safety regulations and with regard to weather and events
- Responds to emergency situations as necessary and appropriate
- Keeps the grounds tool store clean and tidy
- Identifies and recommends improvements to work systems, projects and machinery updates
- Carries out gritting, salt spreading, snow cleaning, as necessary
- Maintains good communications with other staff, pupils and visitors, responding politely to any queries
General responsibilities
- Attends Open Days to carry out allocated duties as required
- Attends training and staff INSET sessions as appropriate, in order to provide a consistent approach across the entire staff population
- Adhere at all times to Health & Safety legislation, and all departmental policies and procedures, to ensure the safety of self, colleagues, pupils, staff and visitors
- To follow Queenswood Safeguarding and Child Protection policies
- To play a full part in the life of the School community to support its distinctive mission and ethos and to encourage staff and students to follow this example
- To maintain up to date professional knowledge and personal, professional development
- Carries out any other reasonable duties as requested by the Head of Estates or Bursar
About you:
Technical Knowledge
Essential
- Previous recent and relevant experience of estates work
- Sound knowledge and use of horticultural machinery
- Driving licence
- Self-motivated
- Enthusiastic
- Work to high standards
- Ability to work unsupervised
Desirable
- CS30/CS31 chainsaw qualification
- Certificate of operation for mini digger
- PA1/PA6
- Manual Handling Training
- Asbestos Awareness Training
- Working at Height Training
Safeguarding Children
The appointee’s responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for whom s/he comes into contact will be to adhere to and ensure compliance with the School’s Child Protection Policy at all times and to attend relevant safeguarding update training including off job and online courses. If in the course of carrying out the duties of the post the appointee becomes aware of any actual or potential risk to the safety or welfare of children in the School s/he must report any concerns to the Designated Senior Leader.
Physical & Working Environment
- Use of potentially dangerous chemicals and equipment
- Working at Height with ladders
- Heavy manual handling
- Due to the nature of the role, grounds staff must disclose all health related matters and may be subject to a health assessment to ensure they are physically able to complete their duties in a safe manner for themselves and colleagues
Additional Information
The Role
- Full time position, 52 weeks per annum
- Full time salary will depend on experience and will be between support staff salary (currently from £24,000 to £28,000)
- 28 days holiday + bank holidays per year by prior arrangement with Head of Estates
- Free lunch during term time
- Contributory Pension Scheme to which the School contributes between 3% and 10% depending on personal contributions
- Free car parking on site
- Access to confidential 24-hour counselling helpline
- Child Care Vouchers
Working Time
39 hrs per week, inclusive of a one-hour unpaid lunch break each day. These times are subject to change as appropriate. There may be a requirement for Saturday working and time off in lieu would be given.
If you’re interested in the role and would like to put yourself forward please hit APPLY
Candidates with the experience or relevant job titles of; Groundskeeper, Groundsman, Grounds person, Groundswoman, Grounds Keeper, Gardener, Head Gardener, Garden Maintenance Team Leader, Ground Maintenance, Operative Gardener, Experienced Gardener, Garden Designer, Landscape Gardener, Grounds, Gardener, Garden Maintenance Landscaper may also be considered for this role.
