Grounds Operative

ST Media Group; Bristol; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 14,000; Part time

Job summary

Join a leading educational institution in Bristol as a grounds maintenance worker. This part-time role involves maintaining vibrant outdoor spaces and ensuring environmental quality across campuses. Ideal for those passionate about biodiversity and sustainability, with opportunities for personal growth and training.

Benefits

Progressive pay rates

Generous annual leave

Career average pension scheme

Onsite nursery

Opportunities for training and development

Qualifications

• Organised person with practical ability and attention to detail.
• Experience in horticulture preferred, including operating grounds equipment;
• Strong communication skills for effective task management.

Responsibilities

• Conduct self-audits on sites to assess needed works and prioritize tasks.
• Perform general external cleaning, litter picking, and gardening duties.
• Ensure deadlines are met for seasonal tasks.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication

Practical ability

Flexibility

Love of the environment

Education

Experience in horticulture

Competencies in grounds equipment

Tools

Grounds equipment

Hand-held grounds maintenance tools

Job description

If you want an exciting role in grounds maintenance, then we may be able to offer you a challenging position here at UWE Bristol, with the opportunity to help create inspiring settings for our staff and students to work, live and study.

We’re committed to our objectives of delivering high quality green spaces combined with biodiversity enhancement across our three campuses. The grounds team are highly valued here at UWE. We’ve recently collected a DEFRA award for our work supporting pollinators, were Highly commended in the UK & Ireland Green Gown awards, achieved Gold status as a Hedgehog friendly campus.

We expect a lot but we’ll offer a great deal in return, starting with stimulating and challenging work and the opportunity to help us achieve our ambition of delivering a beautiful multifunctional and highly appreciated external environment. We will value your contribution, and we’re flexible enough to recognise the importance of a good work-life balance, and are committed to your continued development in order for you to have the job you have always wanted.

About you

We are looking for an exceptionally organised person who can demonstrate great attention to detail and also has a very high level of practical ability. You will be comfortable in self-auditing sites to assess the works required and to prioritise jobs. Excellent communication skills are required to convey your needs and decisions clearly to your supervisor. You will ensure deadlines are met and seasonal tasks are completed at the best possible times.

Also desirable is some experience in horticulture, and possession of grounds equipment competencies or experience operating general grounds equipment e.g. tractor driving, ride-on lawnmower operation, trailer towing etc., as well as a variety of hand-held grounds maintenance tools.

A love of the environment, a drive to help increase biodiversity and a desire to operate in a sustainable manner would also help you to succeed in this role.

You will be happy to work flexibly across our campus locations covering a range of duties such as general external cleaning, litter picking and sometimes waste management duties or gardening.

We will provide you with an environment and the support to flourish. Your duties will be varied and we can guarantee you will never be bored working across our 150acre site with many horticultural features.

Where is this role based?

This post is based at our lively Frenchay campus where we have invested in the latest facilities and resources to give both our staff and students access to everything they need to succeed. There may be a need to visit our other campus.

Why UWE Bristol?

We are one of the largest providers of Higher Education in the South West with 38,000 students and 4,000 staff from right across the globe. Based in Bristol, one of the UK’s most exciting and forward-thinking cities, we are regionally embedded and globally connected, with an established network of employer and academic partners.

We offer a wide range of employee benefitsincluding progressive pay rates, generous annual leave and career average pension schemes as well as retail savings, onsite nursery and opportunities for training and personal development.

Add your individuality to ours

UWE Bristol recognises the power of a truly diverse university community.

We are proud to be part of a vibrant, multicultural city that celebrates diversity, we’re always looking for talented people from all backgrounds to join us. Our people are our strength, and diversity enhances our creativity and leads to better decision-making and problem-solving. Bring your talent and ambition to our growing community and find yourself in a stimulating and supportive environment where you’ll thrive.

We particularly encourage applications from global majority candidates as we are currently under-represented in this area of the organisation, however all appointments are made strictly on individual merit.

As a Disability Confident employer, we welcome applications from those who identify as having a disability.

Further information

Interviews are scheduled to take place at our Frenchay, date to be confirmed.

This is a part-time, permanent post, working 20 hours per week.

UWE Bristol is a campus-based University and it is vital to our success and the delivery of an outstanding experience for our students that our campuses are dynamic and vibrant places to learn and spend time. This role is hands-on and practical and is therefore campus based for all of your time.

To ensure fairness and equity all salary offers will be made in line with the University's salary assessment guidelines and will be based on your relevant skills and experience.

Right to Work in the UK

The University has a legal responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. You will therefore be required to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK, please refer to the Home Office Right to Work Checklist for information on which documents are acceptable.

We are unable to provide sponsorship for this role under the Home Office Skilled Worker visa route. If you do not have current right to work in the UK you may wish to explore other visa options.

Please note that UWE Bristol does not cover any visa or health surcharge costs.

Advice to applicants

We’d love to hear from you - if you are excited about this opportunity please complete our application form as soon as possible.

Tell us how your skills and experience relate to the requirements of this role by describing how you meet each of the essential and desirable criteria listed in the Person Specification section of the Job Description, and include specific examples wherever possible.

Once we have completed shortlisting we will let you know the outcome of your application by email, so please check your inbox for updates.