Gardener/Groundsperson

Reading Borough Council; Reading; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

On-site nursery

Season ticket loan

Lease car scheme

Job summary

Reading Borough Council is seeking a motivated Gardener/Groundsperson to maintain and enhance our outdoor spaces to a high standard. This full-time role (37 hours per week) starts at 7:00am, Monday to Friday, within the Streetscene Team.

The role involves hands-on work across parks and open spaces, with a focus on safety and quality workmanship. You will operate a range of ride-on and pedestrian mowers and handheld tools, manage planting features, perform litter clearance, and work both

Qualifications

• Valid driving licence with C1 + E; CPC beneficial.
• Experience of outdoor manual work.
• Experience using a range of powered machinery.
• Able to identify and maintain ornamental planting including shrubs, trees and bedding.

Responsibilities

• Maintain ornamental planting features including annual bedding, perennials, shrubs and minor tree works.
• Operate ride-on and pedestrian mowers and handheld machinery (strimmers, hedge cutters, chainsaw).
• Clear litter and maintain parks and gardens (hard landscaping, furniture, buildings).
• Ensure all work complies with health and safety guidelines.
• Identify and report hazards across the grounds.

Skills

Driving licence

Outdoor work

Powered machinery

Plant maintenance

Initiative & teamwork

Job description

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

We are looking for a motivated and skilled Gardener/Groundsperson to join our team and help maintain and enhance our outdoor spaces to a high standard. This is a hands‑on role ideal for someone who takes pride in their work and enjoys working outdoors in all weathers. Maintaining our Parks and Open Spaces are some of our core service deliveries. We are currently looking to recruit into our service as part of our Streetscene Team. We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

About the role

This role is a full time (37 hours per week) and will require you to start at 7.00am and will be working Monday to Friday only.

Responsibilities

• Maintenance to a high standard of a wide variety of ornamental planting features such as annual bedding and perennial displays, ornamental lawns, shrub beds and minor tree works.
• Use and maintenance of a variety of ride‑on & pedestrian mowers, handheld machinery (Strimmers, Hedge cutters & basic chainsaw).
• General litter clearance, cleaning and maintenance of parks and gardens, including hard landscape, furniture and buildings.
• Ensure that all work is completed safely and in line with health and safety guidelines.
• Identify and report any issues or hazards across the grounds

About you

The following experience is required for this role:

• You will need to hold a minimum driving licence including C1 + E & CPC would be beneficial.
• Experience of outdoor manual working.
• Experience of using a range of powered machinery.
• Able to identify and maintain common ornamental planting including shrubs, trees and annual bedding plants.
• Ability to work on your own initiative as well as part of a team.

You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place. Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do

Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential

Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way

Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed

Our offer

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment. A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
• On‑site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
• Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax

For more information on this position

please contact Chris Camfield – Streetscene Manager on 0118 937 3040 or email [e-mail]

Closing Date: Sunday 25 th October 2026 Interview Date: To be confirmed Interview in person at 19 Bennet Road, Reading, RG2 0QX

Interview format

• Question & answer panel interview
• Plant identification Test
• Formal route planning, vehicle defect and Hand Held Machinery tests
• Interview process will last for approximately 1.5hrs