Grounds Person

Arena Racing Company; Sittingbourne; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

Arena Racing Company’s Central Park Greyhound Stadium is seeking lively, hardworking staff to join our grounds team. You will help maintain the track, external areas and presentation for race meetings, often outdoors in variable weather.

This role supports a dynamic racecourse environment with a strong emphasis on safety and welfare. The position requires initiative, reliability and good teamwork, with driving experience (tractor/hare handling) considered an advantage.

Qualifications

• Good time management and organisation for outdoor maintenance tasks.
• Ability to work flexibly in varying weather conditions.
• Reliable and able to work as part of a team with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Learn and carry out track maintenance and keep required records.
• Prepare track surfaces before trials and race meetings using tractors and equipment.
• Maintain grass and non-running surfaces for raceday presentation.
• Learn to drive the hare.
• Maintain external areas, car parks and customer-facing spaces.
• Keep external areas weed- and litter-free.
• Check and test racing equipment and complete records.
• Follow Health & Safety policies and GBGB rules.
• Prioritise greyhound welfare and report concerns to management.
• Work unsocial hours as needed, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
• Work well in a team and with initiative to work independently.
• Collaborate with kennels, racing team and GBGB officials.

Skills

Excellent time management

Flexible approach to working

Works well under pressure

Organised

Good communication skills

Enjoy outdoor working

Full clean driving licence

Tractor driving experience

Job description

Central Park Greyhound Stadium are looking for lively and hardworking people to join our staff.

Our team’s friendly attitude is reflected by the smiles on the customer’s faces from the moment they enter the stadium until the moment they leave.

We pride ourselves on excellent customer service and are always looking for different ways to excel.

Key responsibilities for the role will include

This is a challenging yet rewarding role for a motivated individual. Although part of a team, working with one’s own initiative is vital in delivering the responsibilities within this role.

1. Under the direction of the Head Grounds Person and the Regional Track Manager, learn and carry out maintenance programmes for the track and maintain records as required. The work entails working outside in changing and often inclement weather conditions and can be physically demanding.
2. Assure the track surface is prepared accordingly prior to every trial and race meeting and maintained throughout meeting this will include:- Use of tractors, attachments, machinery and maintenance equipment as required.
3. Maintain all grass/non running surfaces with particular attention to raceday and event presentation.
4. Learn to drive the hare.
5. General maintenance of external areas, to include car parks, tarmac areas and customer facing areas.
6. Ensure all external areas are free from weeds, rubbish and leaves.
7. You will be required to carry out checking and testing of racing equipment to ensure all equipment is functional and a professional appearance is maintained at all times. Completion of records as required.
8. Abide by all regulations and safe working practices in accordance as detailed in the Company’s Health and Safety Policy and Procedures.
9. Ensure compliance with all aspects of the GBGB rules of racing and report any and all issues to your line manager.
10. Ensure greyhound welfare is at the heart of everything you do and highlight any instances to your line manager where these standards are not met.
11. Due to the nature of this role, working unsocial hours will be a frequent occurrence, and may include late evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays.
12. Work Well in a team and have initiative to work by yourself.
13. Working closely with the kennels team, racing team and officials such as GBGB.

The above is not an exhaustive list of duties. The racecourse business is a dynamic and challenging environment and on occasion you will be required to assist in duties outside of those detailed in this job description and therefore a flexible approach is required.

Skills and Qualities

• Excellent time management skills
• Excellent attendance record
• Flexible approach to working
• Works well under pressure
• Organised
• Good Communication Skills
• Enjoy outdoor working
• Full clean driving licence
• Tractor driving experience an advantage

This role is part of the grounds team at the Stadium and you will be expected to participate in any grounds team meetings relating to all elements of the operational delivery of the racecourse and associated events.

At ARC, we believe that a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace makes us a more relevant, more competitive, and more resilient company. We welcome people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and experiences.We are an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability or age. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

If you have a disability that requires reasonable adjustments, please let us know; we will ensure that individuals with additional needs are provided reasonable adjustments to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions.

We understand the value that diversity brings to our business and we are striving to create a working environment that is inclusive, psychologically and physically safe and ensures everyone can be heard and valued for their contributions. We are committed to making a consistent, top-down effort to be role models on what diversity, inclusion and belonging means in society.