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Dodington Parish Council; West of England; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Dodington Parish Council in the West of England is seeking a Senior Grounds Maintenance Operative to maintain and develop our green spaces, including play areas, a burial ground and woodland, with emphasis on safety and safeguarding.

You will work independently and as part of a small team to manage workloads, liaise with contractors and deliver maintenance across estates, with training provided and a 3-month probation period.

Qualifications

• Relevant experience welcomed; induction training will be provided.
• Three-month probationary period applies.
• Commitment to health and safety compliance with COSHH and council policies.

Responsibilities

• Ensure Council facilities are well maintained, safe, compliant and welcoming for residents and visitors.
• Work independently and as part of a small team, organising workload.
• Minimise waste and suggest improvements; support training and development needs.
• Respond to calls to inspect or treat ad hoc issues and liaise with contractors.
• Carry out maintenance projects, produce risk assessments, and ensure safety requirements.
• Undertake tasks across estates: grounds, pitches, woodland, burial ground and playgrounds.
• Maintain equipment, supervise routine servicing, and support events.
• Undertake basic sexton duties at Wapley Burial Ground as required.

Job description

The Senior Grounds Maintenance Operative (reporting to the Clerk) works in a small team to maintain, improve, and develop sympathetically our green areas and estate buildings,considering safety and safeguarding in all that they do. The spaces the Senior Grounds Maintenance Operative works on includes Council land, recreational facilities, and public spaces including play areas, a burial ground and a woodland, and so will require the postholder to represent the Council in a positive and professional manner when interacting with the public.

Training

Whilst the postholder is expected to have relevant experience, comprehensive training will be given at induction, and regularly throughout the course of the postholder’s employment. The Council commits to developing its staff to reach their full potential.

The role will be subject to the satisfaction completion of a 3 month probationary period.

The postholder will:

General

• Ensure that all Council facilities are well maintained, safe, compliant, and welcoming for residents, community groups, and visitors.
• Work effectively both independently and as part of a small team to achieve the objectives set for them, organising their own workload
• Consider the environment in the course of their duties, minimising waste and providing suggestions for improvement
• Self-manage training and development needs, ensuring compliance with health and safety law and Council policies
• Respond to calls to inspect or treat ad hoc issues, such as vandalism or equipment failure
• Liaise with contractors, undertake maintenance projects, assist with producing risk assessments, and ensure compliance with health and safety requirements.
• Proactively come up with ideas and solutions for areas under their responsibility.
• Complete all training and qualifications required of them to undertake their duties, relating to land care, pitch management, forestry management and playground maintenance. This may include e-learning, in person, toolbox talks, safety briefings, internal and external courses
• Support and train less experienced members of staff, agency staff, temporary workers and volunteers
• Support community/council events requiring physical site preparation (signage, barriers, litter management, safety inspections) and personnel to deliver the event

Regular tasks across our estates and public areas

• Use heavy, noisy and vibrating machinery, such as strimmers, mowers, hedge trimmers water bowsers, brush cutters, leaf blowers, shredders, chainsaws and hired in machinery for one-off projects
• Drive the Parish Council owned trucks and some other hired in or purchased ride-on machinery
• Use and handle chemical treatments, such as pesticides and cleaning chemicals
• Emptying heavy bins and removing waste from sites
• Maintaining planted areas, including digging, moving compost, planting trees, shrubs and bedding plants
• Undertake basic sexton duties at Wapley Burial Ground, liaising with funeral directors and families interring or scattering ashes, topping up graves, digging cremated remains plot, inspecting and reporting on grave conditions and maintaining high standards of site maintenance (full training will be given)
• Undertake minor works to trees and hedges around the parish, keeping them safe and encouraging healthy growth. This includes pruning, planting and dealing with small fallen branches
• Undertake playground, bus shelter, car park and street furniture inspections and minor maintenance works around the parish
• Update noticeboards around the parish with information provided by the Council office
• Work with and undertake routine servicing of equipment such as machinery for hedge cutting, weed spraying, grass cutting and jet washing

Health and safety

• Work in areas that require care and attention to their surroundings, such as grass verges near traffic, playgrounds and spaces where children and vulnerable people and animals are present
• Work safely to clean up occasional broken glass, sharps and hazardous waste
• Work in line with COSHH regulations, Council Policy and training
• Work outdoors in all weather, including heat, cold, ice and stormy weather. The postholder will manage their workload (with support from the office) to undertake tasks when safe to do so
• Occasionally work at height, including using ladders in line with their training
• Work safely around water, including ponds and streams
• Complete logs and paperwork accurately and in a timely manner

Pitches and changing rooms

• Open and close facilities for sports teams and hirers, communicating requests and problems to the office, ensuring security of the site and assets
• Clean the sports changing rooms to a high standard and undertake minor maintenance works at the changing room building and Parish Hall
• Look after and inspect sports pitches, undertaking relevant training to do so

Undertake any other ad hoc tasks delegated by the Clerk and Deputy Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer to support the operations of the Parish Council.