Groundskeeper & Maintenance

Department of Education Victoria; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Education Victoria is seeking a dedicated Grounds and Maintenance Assistant for Umarkoo Primary School, Wollert. You will help maintain outdoor areas, perform minor repairs, and support daily operations to create a safe, welcoming school environment.

Role requires hands-on grounds work, ability to work with minimal supervision, and collaboration with the Maintenance Manager and school staff to support student learning and facilities upkeep.

Qualifications

• Experience in physical grounds and garden work.
• Ability to perform minor repairs on school buildings and grounds.
• Capacity to work independently or with a team.
• Willingness to support small projects under supervision.
• Proven flexibility and reliability in a school environment.

Responsibilities

• Assist with general grounds and maintenance tasks as required.
• Maintain grass areas: mowing, trimming, edging and spraying.
• Establish/maintain garden beds and mulchings.
• Carry out general maintenance and minor building works.
• Ensure grounds are safe and well-organised.
• Support staff during events and daily operations.

Skills

Gardening

Handyperson

Grounds maintenance

Minor repairs

Team collaboration

Flexibility

Tools

Gardening tools

Maintenance tools

Job description

Department of Education Victoria – Wollert VIC

1d ago , from Department of Education & Training Victoria

Umarkoo Primary School is a new, purpose-built school that opened in 2026 to serve the growing community of Wollert. Opening with 52 students, our school currently has an enrolment of 95 students, continually growing week to week, with an enrolment capacity of 520 students.Moving into 2027, our class structure will have two Foundation classes, three Junior classes, two Middle classes and one Senior class. Navigating the growth and development needs in our new school is a large part of our daily excitement and challenge, requiring our team to bring an accelerated level of flexibility, adaptability, teamwork and positivity each day. Within our new school development strategy, setting solid foundations for indicative growth remains a key priority. Education Support, Teacher Assistants, a Psychologist and IT support are substantial members within our team, supporting leaders, teachers, students and parents in creating who we are at Umarkoo and the levers necessary to drive school improvement.

Our environment has been purposefully designed to create conditions that support our students in learning and play, while fostering a community spirit that envelopes students, staff and families as one. Our facilities provide opportunities to balance both explicit, distraction free core learning with playful, joyous collaboration, creativity and curious exploration. Collaboration, opportunities for team teaching and seeing our classrooms as professional learning zones that are visible and open to all builds team efficacy and mindsets that see our students as a collective responsibility.

Our vision,Everyone Belongs. Everyone Learns. Everyone Grows.guides our intention and actions each day.We are guided by a strong philosophical approach that is seen in our four pillars and aligned principles: Connected Relationships-Restorative Practice, Powerful Learning - Explicit Teaching, Access for All - Cognitive Engagement, Learner Agency - Cognitive Drive. All decisions are framed within these strategic levers to bring about the best possibilities and outcomes for all learners at Umarkoo. .

We are seeking passionate, positive, energetic learners to continue to shape our established culture of connection and excellence. People joining our Umarkoo team will be expected to bring intentionality in forming relationships and become comfortable in an environment that prioritises evolved learning, collaboration, strong communication, problem solving, flexibility, and adaptability in both mindset and action.

At Umarkoo, we value:

• Kindness in our relationships and interactions,
• Curiosity in our approach to learning, inquiry and each other,
• Courage in our actions and decisions,
• and a strong sense ofCommunity.

Our motto articulates our values succinctly, guiding all we do:Kind hearts. Curious minds. Courageous spirits. One Community.

Selection Criteria

KSC 1 Demonstrated ability to carry out a physical role, with demonstrated gardening/handypersonaptitude and experience.

KSC 2 Demonstrated ability to efficiently manage and maintain grounds and gardens and complete grounds works as required within a school environment. Skills in the use of tools/technical equipment as relevant to the position.

KSC3 Demonstrated technical knowledge, expertise and proficiency in minor repairs and maintenance to the interior and exterior of buildings within a school environment. Skills in the use of tools/technical equipment as relevant to the position.

KSC 4 The capacity to be directed to support minor projects.

KSC 5 Demonstrated abilityto be flexible and work independently to maintain the school buildings and grounds.

KSC 6 Demonstrated abilityto work with and colloborate with the Maintenance Manager to support student learning programs.

Role

Range 3 is distinguished by the introduction of management responsibility and accountability for the delivery of professional support services. The role will usually impact beyond the work area or professional field. It seeks to gain cooperation of other staff members or members of the school community to achieve specific objectives, such as in school administration, operations or educational programs.

Direction on targets and goals is provided but the position will have some degree of latitude in determining how they are achieved. This latitude will generally be limited by standard procedures and school policy.Deviation from standard procedures and school policy will require guidance and direction from senior management.

The provision of business management responsibilities becomes a feature at range 3.Management of staff to achieve the expected outcomes is a key responsibility.Staff management issues will be resolved with minimal reference to senior management, although guidance will be required in more complex cases.Senior management will be provided with timely reports and advice, although this will generally be confined to matters relating to the immediate work area, service provision or educational program and is unlikely to impact substantially on whole of school operations.

This is the minimum range for positions that carry a mandatory qualification requirement of not less than four years.Professional student support positions become a feature at range 3 (e.g. therapists, psychologists) where standard professional services are delivered.Professional support and guidance will be close at hand and deviation from standard procedures and school policy will require guidance and direction from senior management.

An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students, but must not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) or its successor.Supervision of students cannot be required except where it is an integral part of the employee¿s position or involves supervision of students individually or in small groups, in controlled circumstances, where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities may include but is not limited to:

• Assist with general grounds and maintenance tasks as required, including:
  • Maintaining all grass areas including mowing, trimming, edging and spraying
  • Establishing/maintaining garden beds.
  • Mulching and watering.
• Undertake general maintenance and minor building works
• Checking the school grounds to ensure the grounds are safe
• Keep storage facilities clean, tidy and safe, including signage for OHS risks
• Work through a schedule of regular tasks and maintenance audits as directed.
• General setting up and packing away after major events
• General handyperson duties as directed
• Demonstrate the ability to work independently and also with minimum supervision within a team environment.
• Other duties as directed.

Who May Apply

Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of the position.

Diversity and Inclusion

The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department.The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces.It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (seeWorkplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via*******@education.vic.gov.au

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

Child Safe Standards

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy

DE Values

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees,including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview