Grounds Maintenance Operative

Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council; Stowmarket; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

A local district council in the UK is seeking a motivated individual for the role of Grounds Maintenance Crew within the Public Realm team. This full-time position requires a hands-on approach to maintaining parks and open spaces. Candidates should have experience in grounds maintenance, strong communication skills, and the ability to operate equipment safely. The role includes various responsibilities like litter picking and waste clearing, contributing to the cleanliness and appeal of community areas.

Benefits

Generous leave entitlement

Competitive Local Government Pension Scheme

Wellbeing support programs

Private health care options

Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme

Paid volunteering days

Flexible working arrangements

Learning and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in grounds maintenance and proficiency in a range of related tasks.
• Ability to operate grounds maintenance equipment safely and effectively.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage positively.

Responsibilities

• Deliver a variety of grounds maintenance services across council-owned parks.
• Litter picking, clearing fly-tipped waste, and general cleansing tasks.
• Maintain cleanliness and appeal of public open spaces.

Skills

Grounds maintenance experience

Ability to operate maintenance equipment

Strong communication skills

Proactive approach

Health and Safety awareness

Basic computer literacy

Full driving licence

Job description

• Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils
• Address: Chilton Depot, Alexandra Road, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2XH
• Salary: £27,694 - £31,022 per annum (plus contractual overtime - see hours)
• Hours: 40 hours per week (37 hours plus 3 contractual hours overtime)
• Contract: Permanent

Join our team

We are looking for a motivated person to join our Grounds Maintenance Crew within our Public Realm team.

If you share our values and our motivation to make a difference for our residents, clients, and communities, we would love to hear from you.

About the role

The Public Realm Team are responsible for the day-to-day management of the district councils' countryside sites and open spaces. These include informal recreational sites, local nature reserves, parks and smaller picnic areas.

This role is based at our Sudbury depot and plays a vital part in maintaining the cleanliness, tidiness and overall appeal of the joint district and its public open spaces.

You will be responsible for delivering a variety of grounds maintenance services, which are practical and physically demanding.

These services will be carried out across council-owned parks, play areas, open spaces, and communal areas, and will involve the use of specialised vehicles, machinery, and equipment.

Duties also include litter picking, clearing fly-tipped waste, and other general cleansing tasks.

This is a full-time role of 40 hours per week, worked over five days (Monday to Friday).

The position operates on an annualised hours basis, with working hours varying between the Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter seasons.

About you

We are looking for someone with experience in grounds maintenance who is passionate about the environment and eager to contribute to making local areas cleaner, greener, and more welcoming for residents and visitors alike.

You will enjoy working outdoors, whether independently or as part of a team.

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate:

• experience in grounds maintenance and proficiency in a range of related tasks, or transferable skills that suit the role
• ability to operate grounds maintenance equipment safely and effectively
• strong communication skills, with the ability to engage positively with the public, colleagues, and supervisors, and a commitment to good customer care
• a proactive and flexible approach, including a willingness to undertake cleansing tasks to meet operational and seasonal service demands
• awareness of Health and Safety legislation, practices, and personal responsibility
• basic computer literacy, including the ability to use email and mobile devices
• ability to maintain accurate records of work completed
• a full driving licence and the appropriate qualification to tow a trailer.

We welcome applications both from candidates who meet the qualifications and experience outlined in the person specification as well as those with some relevant experience and a strong desire to learn and grow within the role.

About us

At Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils we are passionate about building communities that people want to live, work, visit and invest in.

We serve around 200,000 residents across our two districts and are well known for our collaboration and partnership working across public, private and voluntary sectors.

We believe that the heart of Suffolk is an incredibly special place to live and work, with:

• 60 conservation areas
• two National Landscapes
• many picturesque market towns.

It is no surprise we are ranked among the top 50 places to live in the UK (United Kingdom).

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• generous leave entitlement (26 days a year, rising to 31 days after 5 years)
• competitive Local Government Pension Scheme
• wellbeing Support and Employee Assistance Programs
• private Health Care Options
• electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme
• paid volunteering days
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements (Business needs permitting)
• great learning and development opportunities.

For more information, visit our Employee Benefits page .

Our ways of working

We believe work is what we do, not just where we go.

We work in a hybrid way, with a mix of office, home, and remote based working (Business need permitting). Our hybrid working arrangements support flexibility and collaboration, helping our teams to thrive.

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, providing opportunity and ambition for all, supporting and enabling our people to deliver the best possible services for our residents.

For more information

For an informal discussion please contact Mike Hooper by either calling 07720 159040 or emailing: [e-mail]

Please read the Job Description and Person Specification (pdf). before applying for this job opportunity.

Closing date

5 pm, 11 January 2026.

Promoted as SPJ (Standard Plus Job) on Suffolk Jobs Direct.

How to apply

Please ensure your:

• application form is fully completed, including employment and education history
• supporting statement clearly addresses how you meet the criteria in the Person Specification.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.