Horticulture Crew Leader

City of Kingston Careers; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 76,000 - 81,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

Flexible work options

Annual leave loading 17.5%

Professional development

Accrued day off every four weeks

Salary packaging

Parental leave

Job summary

City of Kingston is seeking a Horticulture Crew Leader to guide a small team delivering high‑quality maintenance across parks and public spaces. Based in Dingley Village, the role blends hands‑on work with daily crew coordination to meet service standards.

The ideal candidate has supervisory experience in horticulture, a Certificate III in Horticulture, a valid Victorian driver’s licence, and a focus on safety and teamwork in outdoor environments.

Qualifications

• Supervisory or leading-hand experience in horticulture or open space maintenance.
• Certificate III in Horticulture or equivalent practical qualification.
• Sound knowledge of WHS and safety practices outdoors.
• Ability to coordinate a field crew and communicate effectively.
• Current Victorian driver's licence; HR licence is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate a field crew in parks, gardens, and reserves.
• Plan daily work schedules and allocate tasks to the crew.
• Ensure works comply with safety rules, legislation, and policies.
• Mentor crew members and foster a collaborative team culture.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Horticulture knowledge

Driver's license

Team coordination

Safety compliance

Education

Certificate III in Horticulture

Job description

• Great opportunity to join the Kingston Open Space Team in a supportive and collaborative environment
• Full Time - Permanent role
• $76,383 - $81,228 per annum plus superannuation (dependent on experience)
• Location: Dingley Village

The Role

As a Horticulture Crew Leader within the Open Space team, you will lead a small crew delivering high-quality horticultural maintenance across Kingston's parks, gardens, and public open spaces. Based at Dingley Village, this hands‑on leadership style balances practical fieldwork with day‑to‑day crew coordination, ensuring works are completed safely, on time, and to a standard the community can take pride in.

• Lead and coordinate a field crew in the maintenance of parks, gardens, streetscapes, and reserves across the municipality
• Plan and prioritise daily work schedules, allocating tasks in line with seasonal requirements and service standards
• Ensure all works are carried out in accordance with safe work practices, relevant legislation, and Council policies
• Mentor crew members, supporting skills development and a positive, collaborative team culture

About You

• Demonstrated experience in horticulture or open space maintenance, with a background in a supervisory or leading-hand capacity
• Certificate III in Horticulture or equivalent practical qualification and experience
• Current Victorian driver's licence; HR licence or similar an advantage
• Solid understanding of workplace health and safety obligations in an outdoor environment
• Strong communication skills and the ability to coordinate a team effectively in the field

The right candidate will be able to demonstrate the City of Kingston’s values of

We make a difference We show care and respect We take pride in our work We are better together

Don’t meet every single requirement for this role? At Kingston Council, we recognise that different experiences make for great community outcomes. If you are excited about this role, but your experience doesn’t perfectly align to the criteria we encourage you to submit your application.

Please note that some roles have mandatory qualifications, licences, registrations, or experience requirements that must be meet.

Enquiries:

For any enquiries about the position, please contact Chris Nicholson Horticulture Coordinator, at [e-mail]

To be considered for this role, applicants must have the legal right to work in Australia.

For any reasonable adjustments or access needs during the application or interview process, please contact the Hiring Manager or email us at [e-mail]

About Kingston

Kingston Council’s collective focus is on delivering exceptional service that achieves our vision and meets community expectations.

We are an inclusive, resilient community with a thriving economy, where we all share a safe, sustainable environment. The City of Kingston is south-east of Melbourne and is approximately 20km from Melbourne's CBD. We employ over 1,600 people in a diverse range of roles including engineering, customer service, administration, finance, family, youth and children's services, sport and recreation, health, parks and gardens, planning, arts and management.

Why you’ll love working for us?

At Kingston Council, we believe in fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued. We support diversity and encourage applications from persons of all backgrounds. Here are some reasons why you might love working with us:

• Hybrid work options – average 2 days working from home (or pro rata)
• Flexible Work Options, including remote and work flexible work hours
• Yearly annual leave loading payment of 17.5% of base salary (excludes casual staff, sessional staff and Senior Officers)
• Learning and development opportunities through professional development programs
• Access to accrued day off every four weeks (Full time employees only)
• Salary Packaging
• Purchase leave options
• Career development opportunities,
• Study/development assistance
• Discounted gym memberships
• 16 weeks paid parental leave for both primary and partner carers
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Social club events
• Close to Public transport
• Free Onsite parking

For further information visit our website Join our team - City of Kingston

Kingston City Council is an equal opportunity employer, committed to reconciliation and being a child safe organisation.

We are dedicated to attracting, retaining, and developing people of all genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages.

Applications are encouraged from all sectors of the community, and we strongly encourage applications from the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community. We support adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, as well as during employment.