Grounds Person / Caretaker

Job Title: Grounds Person

Location: Wakefield

Salary: £19,774

Hours: 37.5 hours per week including overtime at evenings and weekends during busy periods.

Job Type: Permanent, Full time

The Role:

To work as part of the Grounds team and undertake the daily work activities as allocated by the Grounds Manager. Ensure that the sports facilities, gardens and grounds are kept in the best and safe condition for students, staff and visitors to use in line with the Schools’ sport fixture programme and Foundation lettings.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

• Undertake routine preparation and maintenance on a range of sports facilities as instructed. Undertake preparatory and cultivation work to maintain safe quality playing surfaces.
• Sports pitch initial setting out, line marking and maintenance.
• All sports surface preparation including grass, hardstanding and artificial turf.
• Landscaping, mowing, strimming, hedge cutting, aeration, scarifying, rolling and fertilising.
• Grounds winter maintenance, leaf blowing and collection, snow clearance and salt spreading.
• Report any turf related issues to the Grounds Manager, including; pests, weeds, diseases and disorders.
• Ensure vehicles and equipment are regularly maintained, monitor consumable items and spares. Inform Grounds Manager of shortfalls and mechanical defects and breakdowns.
• Able to Drive and carry out maintenance tasks using hand held, pedestrian and ride on powered equipment with skill and precision whilst adhering to all relevant health and safety legislation and codes of practice.
• Goal post erection/dismantling, maintenance and storage.
• Help manage stock control and resources management and alert the Head Grounds Manager if stock is low in any area.
• Carry out additional tasks as required by the Estates and Site Managers, including; car park duty, leaf clearing and collection, winter maintenance, help at open mornings and 2 other major school events.
• Ensure safe use, storage, calibration and disposal of pesticides.
• To securely lock and unlock work areas, and ensure work areas are kept clean, tidy and secure at all times.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with managers and colleagues.
• To undertake evening and weekend working as required, in order to support additional tasks such as; car park duty, leaf clearing and collection, winter maintenance, help out at open days and other major school events and fixtures.

The Candidate:

• Relevant experience in a similar role.
• A knowledge of horticultural, landscaping and sports turf maintenance.
• Demonstrate an enthusiastic, positive ‘can do’ attitude with a willingness to work cooperatively within the team, to be prepared to assist where needed and the flexibility to adapt to ever-changing needs and priorities.
• Ability to discharge duties that can be physically challenging at times.
• Full driving licence including D1, with a maximum of 3 points (training may be provided for the relevant D1). Please note that candidates without a driving licence cannot be considered for the role.
• An understanding of Health and Safety issues including manual handling/working at height.
• Good interpersonal skills to communicate verbally with a wide range of people
• Calmness and efficiency, with the ability to work under pressure at times.
• Able to operate a variety of machinery such as hand held, pedestrian and ride on powered grounds equipment.
• Ability to work additional hours (evenings and weekends) as necessary dependent upon the operational requirements of the Foundation.
• Be able to attend training courses offsite when necessary.
• Computer literate in using mail, word and excel.
• An understanding of child protection.

Benefits:

• Annual holiday entitlement is 4 weeks holiday per annum (increasing to 5 weeks after 5 full years’ service), 10 statutory days and a further 3 concessionary days at Christmas. Holiday entitlement is pro-rata for part-time/term time posts.
• WGSF operates a money purchase pension scheme which employees are eligible to join on commencing employment depending on auto -enrolment requirements. Contribution rates are currently 3.75% for the employee and 8% for the employer, based upon gross salary, with an option to increase up to 5.25% and 11% respectively.
• Foundation staff are eligible for a discount on the fees in respect of their children attending Foundation schools (excluding the Nursery) subject to Foundation policy.
• Subsidised school lunches (during term time only).
• Free car parking.

Please click on the APPLY button and you will be redirected to the School’s careers page to complete your application.

Candidates with experience or relevant job titles of; Gardener, Commercial Gardener, Landscaping, Garden maintenance, Groundskeeper, Caretaker, Groundsman, Groundsperson, Groundswoman, Grounds Keeper, Property Maintenance Supervisor, Property Maintenance, Maintenance Technician, Handyman, Property Maintenance, Grounds Maintenance, Site Maintenance will also be considered for this role.