Assistant Manager - Grounds Maintenance

Suffolk County Council; Lowestoft; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health package

Pension scheme

Wellbeing initiatives

Learning & development

Discounts

Car benefit scheme

Cycle to work

Job summary

East Suffolk Services Limited in Lowestoft is seeking an Assistant Manager to lead the Grounds Maintenance teams across East Suffolk Council and commercial contracts, delivering safe, efficient and high-quality public spaces.

You will manage resources, monitor performance, ensure health and safety compliance, and collaborate with customers and partners to drive service improvements and growth.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in grounds maintenance.
• Formal horticultural qualification to NVQ Level 3 or equivalent.
• Knowledge of health and safety legislation.

Responsibilities

• Lead frontline grounds maintenance teams and manage resources.
• Monitor performance and ensure compliance with health and safety requirements.
• Coordinate with customers, partners and stakeholders and conduct inspections.
• Contribute to service improvements and commercial growth opportunities.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Stakeholder management

Health & safety

People management

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Horticulture

Job description

• East Suffolk Services Limited
• Location: Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 2EF
• Salary: £39,152 - £42,839 per annum
• Hours: 37 hours per week
• Contract: Permanent

Be part of a dynamic team that makes a difference.

At East Suffolk Services, we proudly deliver a wide range of essential local services that support the lives of over a quarter of a million residents and thousands of businesses across our district.

We’re a growing organisation with ambition, purpose, and a strong commitment to delivering high-quality services for our communities. As part of our team, you'll play an important role in helping to shape and improve the public spaces that residents and visitors enjoy every day.

This is more than just a job. This is a fantastic opportunity to support, and give back to, your local community.

We currently have an opportunity for an Assistant Manager to help lead and manage our Grounds Maintenance service.

Your role

You will support the day-to-day leadership of our Grounds Maintenance teams, working alongside the other Assistant Grounds Manager to deliver high-quality grounds and public open spaces services across East Suffolk. The role covers both East Suffolk Council and commercial contracts, helping to ensure services are delivered safely, efficiently and to a high standard.

You will lead frontline teams, manage resources, monitor performance and ensure compliance with health and safety requirements. You'll also work closely with customers, partners and stakeholders, carry out quality and safety inspections, and contribute to service improvements and commercial growth opportunities.

As part of the Grounds and Public Open Spaces Management Team, you will help shape and develop services that make a visible difference to local communities across East Suffolk.

What you will need

We’re looking for someone with substantial experience in grounds maintenance, horticulture or a related operational environment who can effectively manage teams, resources and service performance.

You will need:

• Knowledge of the legal requirements relating to Grounds and Public Open Spaces services.
• A good understanding of horticultural best practice.
• Experience of managing staff, performance, development and operational resources.
• Knowledge of health and safety legislation, including risk assessments and COSHH.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• A formal horticultural qualification to NVQ Level 3 or equivalent.

Do you have the skills, experience, or potential to succeed in this role? If so, we'd love to hear from you.

Thinking of joining us? Here’s why you should

At East Suffolk Services, we truly value our employees. We understand that the backbone of any company's success will always be its people and that our continued success depends on recognising talented individuals, supporting their development, and retaining them within our organisation. That's why we are committed to making East Suffolk Services a great place to work. We value our staff.

In addition to a competitive salary, we offer a comprehensive package of benefits designed to support your health, development, and lifestyle.

These include:

• A top-tier health and wellbeing package through Canada Life.
• A competitive, matched pension scheme through Royal London.
• Access to a wide range of support networks and wellbeing initiatives.
• Learning and development opportunities tailored to your role and personal goals.
• Exclusive discounts on technology, travel, retail and leisure.
• A car benefit scheme and cycle to work scheme.

For more information

For an informal discussion regarding this post, please contact Mark Ross, Senior Service Manager, by calling 03300 166111.

Closing date: 11.30 pm, 5 November 2026.

Interview date: Week commencing 16 November 2026.