Grounds Maintenance Contract Manager

Ground Control; Watford; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Performance bonus

Pension scheme

Private GP service

Life insurance

Subsidised gym membership

Holiday buy scheme

Job summary

Ground Control is seeking an experienced Contract Manager to take ownership of a diverse portfolio across Reading and surrounding areas. You will lead from the front, drive performance across sites and build strong client relationships in a fast-paced environment.

The role requires a proven track record in grounds maintenance or multi-site service delivery, strong leadership of field teams, and commercial awareness to protect margins while seeking growth.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing grounds maintenance or multi-site contracts.
• Strong leadership with operational teams and subcontractors.
• Excellent client relationship management and stakeholder communication.
• Experience turning around underperforming contracts and driving improvements.
• Commercial awareness including budgeting and growth opportunities.
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel across the region.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of grounds maintenance across a large portfolio.
• Develop and strengthen client relationships as primary contact.
• Manage field teams and ensure performance standards.
• Drive regional performance across 300+ sites.
• Identify growth opportunities and contract enhancements.
• Ensure health and safety compliance and contractual obligations.

Skills

Contract management

Client relationships

Leadership

Budget management

Health & safety

Job description

Contract Type: Full time, permanent Typical Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday Lead from the front. Take ownership. Drive performance across a thriving region. Contract Manager Location: Reading and surrounding areas Salary: Competitive Contract Type: Full time, permanent Typical Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday Lead from the front. Take ownership. Drive performance across a thriving region. At Ground Control, we're looking for an experienced Contract Manager to take ownership of a diverse portfolio across Reading and the surrounding areas. This is an opportunity for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys building strong client relationships, and isn't afraid to challenge the status quo to drive better results. You'll oversee a varied portfolio of commercial grounds maintenance contracts, managing multiple field teams, supporting operational performance, and ensuring clients receive an exceptional service. With a strong operational network behind you and the autonomy to make decisions, you'll play a key role in shaping the success of the region. In this role, you'll take responsibility for a substantial portfolio of contracts and work closely with clients, field teams and internal stakeholders to deliver outstanding results.

What you'll do;

• Lead the delivery of grounds maintenance services across a large and varied portfolio, ensuring sites are maintained to high standards and contractual obligations are consistently achieved.
• Develop and strengthen client relationships, acting as the primary point of contact and proactively managing service delivery, feedback and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Manage and hold field teams accountable for performance, setting clear expectations, maintaining standards and ensuring resources are utilised effectively.
• Drive operational excellence across approximately 300+ sites, prioritising workloads, resolving issues quickly and ensuring service levels are achieved.
• Take ownership of contract performance, identifying underperforming areas and implementing improvement plans that deliver measurable results.
• Manage a busy and fast-moving workload, balancing site visits, customer requirements, reactive issues and day-to-day administration.
• Identify opportunities for additional works and contract growth, working closely with customers to provide value-added solutions.
• Work collaboratively with Regional Operations Directors, Contract Managers, HSQE teams and support functions to deliver safe, efficient and commercially successful contracts.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety standards, contractual requirements and industry regulations at all times.

What you’ll get;

• A well-established portfolio with a wide range of commercial clients
• The autonomy to manage your region and make decisions that drive performance
• Structured onboarding, training and support from experienced operational leaders
• Industry-specific training and qualifications where required
• Ongoing development through GC University and leadership programmes
• The opportunity to progress your career within a growing national business
• A collaborative environment where fresh thinking and new ideas are encouraged

What we’re looking for;

• Proven experience managing grounds maintenance, landscaping, facilities management or other multi-site service delivery contracts
• A confident leader with experience managing operational teams and holding suppliers or subcontractors accountable for performance
• Strong client relationship management skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders and handle challenging conversations professionally
• Experience turning around underperforming contracts, improving service delivery and driving operational improvements
• Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage multiple demands in a fast-paced environment
• Commercial awareness, including experience managing budgets, quotations, contract performance and identifying growth opportunities
• Someone who brings energy, initiative and fresh thinking, and is comfortable challenging existing ways of working when improvements can be made
• A resilient and self-motivated individual who can balance operational demands while maintaining high standards of customer service
• Strong communication skills and the confidence to build credibility with clients, field teams and senior stakeholders alike
• A full UK driving licence, as you'll be travelling extensively across your region

Why Ground Control? We're a business that values people who take ownership, think independently and care about delivering great results. You'll join a supportive operational team where your experience, ideas and leadership can make a genuine difference from day one. If you're an experienced Contract Manager looking for a role where you can take ownership of a high-profile region, build strong client relationships and help shape future success, we'd love to hear from you.

Proven experience managing grounds maintenance or horticultural contracts (or similar multi-site service delivery environments), with a clear understanding of operational standards, seasonal demands and what "good" looks like on-site A confident, organised leader who sets clear expectations, follows through on commitments and takes ownership of regional performance and culture Someone who builds trust quickly with clients and teams: credible, communicative and able to handle difficult conversations with fairness and professionalism A calm, solutions-focused problem solver who can prioritise, make sound decisions under pressure and tackle issues early before they escalated Strong commercial awareness, able to spot extra works opportunities, protect margins and balance quality with efficiency High personal standards around safety, quality and service delivery, with the judgement to maintain them even when resources are stretched A full UK driving licence, as you'll be travelling across your region to meet clients, support teams and ensure consistent delivery

At Ground Control, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. We believe that diversity drives innovation and success, and we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic as defined in the Equality Act 2010. We actively support and promote an inclusive culture, ensuring fair and equitable treatment throughout the recruitment process and across all stages of employment, including training, development, promotion, pay, and termination. We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants and employees, and to creating a working environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying, or victimisation. We expect all colleagues to uphold our values of dignity, respect, and inclusion. We take a zero-tolerance approach to any form of discriminatory behaviour and are committed to continuous improvement through training, inclusive policies, and accountability at all levels.

Benefits;

• Competitive salary - aligned with your skills and experience
• Performance linked bonus: Bonus opportunities aligned to your level and contribution
• Pension scheme - helping you plan for the future
• Recognition schemes - celebrating and rewarding great work
• Private GP service - fast, convenient access to medical support
• Life insurance - providing added peace of mind
• Subsidised gym membership - supporting your health and wellbeing
• Holiday buy scheme - purchase up to 5 additional days of annual leave