Casual Public Spaces Maintenance Operatives

The Methodist Church in Britain; England; Hybrid; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

LGPS pension

Flexible working

Training and development opportunities

Discounts on city buses and trains

Job summary

Leicester City Council’s Parks and Open Spaces team is seeking a Grounds Maintenance Operative to help maintain parks and green infrastructure across the city. The role covers horticultural and hard landscape tasks, chemical application, and operating hand and mechanical equipment.

You’ll work outdoors in all weather, with early starts from Monday to Friday and occasional weekend/bank holiday cover. A full driving licence is essential.

Qualifications

• Understanding of COSHH regulations.
• Knowledge of health and safety relating to HASWA.
• Ability to carry out manual handling and lift heavy equipment and materials.
• Ability to work without close supervision, using own initiative.
• Ability to work well in a team.

Responsibilities

• Maintain horticultural and hard landscape features across city sites.
• Prepare and apply chemicals as required.
• Keep sites clean and tidy and manage surfaces for accessibility.
• Maintain sports features such as artificial surfaces.
• Operate and maintain hand and mechanical equipment safely and efficiently.
• Provide friendly assistance and information to park users to maintain service standards.
• Work outdoors in all weathers and wear PPE where appropriate.
• Work under the guidance of the Local Area Manager and Team Leader.
• Occasionally cover weekends and bank holidays to provide additional support.

Skills

COSHH regulations

Health and safety (HASWA)

Manual handling

Initiative

Teamwork

Job description

This casual role sits in the Parks and Open Spaces team at Leicester City Council, working from a grounds maintenance depot across the city's parks and green infrastructure. The work centres on keeping horticultural and hard landscape features in good order, including applying chemicals, maintaining sports surfaces and operating hand and mechanical equipment. Shifts run Monday to Friday from 7:30am, with weekend and bank holiday cover needed at times, and most of the work is outdoors in all weathers. A full driving licence is essential.

What the job involves

• Maintain horticultural and hard landscape features, including buildings, so green infrastructure stays free of barriers to access
• Prepare and apply chemicals
• Keep sites clean and tidy
• Maintain sports features such as artificial surfaces
• Operate and maintain hand and mechanical specialist equipment in line with health and safety guidelines
• Give advice to people using facilities to maintain a high standard of customer service
• Work outdoors in all weathers across the city and wear PPE where appropriate
• Work under the guidance of the Local Area Manager and Team Leader
• Work weekends and bank holidays where required to provide additional cover

Skills & knowledge

• Understanding of COSHH regulations
• Knowledge of health and safety relating to the area of work and HASWA
• Ability to carry out manual handling and lift heavy equipment and materials
• Ability to work without close supervision, using own initiative
• Ability to work well in a team

Checks & eligibility

• Full driving licence

Nice to have

• Previous experience in horticulture, groundsmanship or similar

What’s offered

• Generous annual leave
• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Option of flexible working
• Healthy work/life balance
• Training and development opportunities
• Flexible benefits, including discounts on city buses and trains