Craft Gardener

Quest Employment Ltd.; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

Quest Employment Ltd. is seeking a Craft Gardener to join Leicester’s Parks and Open Spaces team. The role focuses on maintaining high-quality green spaces across city parks, housing areas and public spaces, using horticultural and grounds maintenance skills.

You’ll work both independently and as part of a team, with duties including using specialist equipment, applying chemicals safely, and keeping records. A full driving licence and willingness to train are essential for a permanent contract.

Qualifications

• Experience in horticulture or grounds maintenance.
• Experience using specialist horticultural equipment and chemicals.
• A full driving licence.
• Good communication and customer service skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively and use initiative.
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather.
• Physical ability for manual handling.
• Willingness to undertake training and gain additional qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Maintaining horticultural features across parks, housing, highways and green infrastructure.
• Preparing and maintaining sports features, including artificial surfaces.
• Maintaining hard landscaping features and buildings.
• Developing new hard and soft landscaping features.
• Using and maintaining specialist equipment and chemicals.
• Driving and operating tractors where qualified.
• Keeping parks and facilities clean and safe.
• Providing advice and assistance to members of the public.
• Completing routine paperwork and maintenance records.
• Identifying and reporting issues to the Team Leader.

Skills

Horticulture

Grounds maintenance

Driving license

Communication

Teamwork

Safety awareness

Education

Qualification in horticulture/grounds maintenance/ecology

Job description

Job title - Craft Gardener

Pay rate - £13.94 per hour

Location - Knighton Park, Evington Park or Abbey Park, Leicester

Shift - Monday to Thursday 7.30am-3.30pm and Friday 7.30am-3pm

Must drive and have a clean license to obtain a permanent contract

Help us keep Leicester green, safe and inviting

Do you take pride in creating and maintaining high-quality green spaces? Are you passionate about horticulture and enjoy working outdoors as part of a team?

We’re looking for a Craft Gardener to join our Parks and Open Spaces service and help maintain some of Leicester’s most valued parks, open spaces and green infrastructure.

This is a practical, varied role where you’ll use your horticultural skills to keep our parks and public spaces looking their best and ensure they remain safe, welcoming and accessible for everyone.

About the role

As a Craft Gardener, you’ll undertake a wide range of horticultural, landscaping and grounds maintenance activities across Leicester.

Your work will include:

• Maintaining horticultural features across parks, housing, highways and other green infrastructure.

• Preparing and maintaining sports features, including artificial surfaces.

• Maintaining hard landscaping features and associated buildings.

• Developing new hard and soft landscaping features.

• Using and maintaining specialist hand and mechanical horticultural equipment.

• Driving and operating tractors where appropriately qualified.

• Safely preparing and applying chemicals such as herbicides, fungicides and insecticides.

• Keeping parks, sites and facilities clean, tidy and well maintained.

• Providing advice, assistance and support to members of the public using our facilities.

• Completing routine paperwork and maintenance records.

• Identifying and reporting issues to the Team Leader.

• Carrying out other duties associated with the role.

You’ll work both independently and as part of a wider team, helping us deliver a high-quality service across the city.

About you

We’re looking for someone with practical experience in horticulture or grounds maintenance and a genuine interest in maintaining high-quality public spaces.

You’ll need:

• Experience in horticulture or grounds maintenance.

• Experience using specialist horticultural equipment and chemicals.

• A relevant qualification in horticulture, grounds maintenance or ecology.

• A full driving licence.

• Good communication skills and the ability to provide helpful, professional support to members of the public.

• The ability to work collaboratively as part of a team while also using your own initiative.

• Good organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines.

• The ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions.

• The physical ability to undertake manual handling and lift heavy equipment and materials.

• A willingness to undertake training and gain additional qualifications where required.

Desirable experience and qualifications

It would be advantageous if you also have:

• A tractor driving/operator qualification.

• Experience driving and operating tractors.

• Experience applying pesticides.

• An appropriate pesticide application certificate.

• Knowledge of the safe use of tractors.

• Knowledge of COSHH requirements and relevant health and safety legislation.

• Experience undertaking ecology-related work.

• An understanding of the needs of diverse communities.

• Knowledge of EMAS requirements.

What you’ll bring

You’ll take pride in your work and have a strong focus on quality, safety and customer service. You’ll be comfortable working outdoors, managing your own workload and responding positively to changing priorities.

You’ll also understand the importance of following procedures and working safely, particularly when operating machinery, using chemicals and undertaking manual work.

Most importantly, you’ll want to make a positive difference to Leicester’s parks and open spaces and help create places that people are proud to use and enjoy.

If you have the practical horticultural skills, commitment and enthusiasm to help us maintain Leicester’s green spaces to a high standard, we’d love to hear from you.