Regional Grounds Maintenance Operative

United Utilities; Preston; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days annual leave

Pension up to 14% employer

Performance bonus up to 7.5%

Healthcare plan

MyGymDiscounts

Best Doctors

EVolve Car Scheme

Employee Assistance Plan

Enhanced parental leave

Job summary

United Utilities is seeking a Regional Grounds Maintenance Operatives to join our team covering Walton le Dale Wastewater Treatment Works and surrounding sites in Preston. You will perform grounds maintenance, vegetation management, soft landscaping, and building maintenance to support safe, compliant site operations.

The role requires practical experience, a Full UK Driving Licence (Cat B), and the ability to work outdoors on various sites.

Qualifications

• Essential qualifications: Full UK Driving Licence – Cat B.
• Desirable qualifications: PA1, PA6, NPCT Level 2 yard equipment courses.
• Experience in grounds maintenance and related tasks is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Undertake grounds maintenance, vegetation management, soft landscaping, adhoc works and building maintenance across multiple sites.
• Carry out physically demanding tasks outdoors with exposure to environmental hazards and sewerage.
• Operate and maintain a range of plant and tools, record work in the corporate system, and perform minor remedial tasks as needed.
• Contribute to training of new starters and comply with health and safety regulations.

Skills

Grounds maintenance

Vegetation management

Soft landscaping

Building maintenance

Education

Full UK Driving Licence – Cat B

Tools

Pedestrian mowers

Strimmers

Blowers

Ride-on mowers

Tractors

Pole saws

Robotics

Job description

Job number UU06575 Country United Kingdom Region Lancashire Location name Walton le Dale Wastewater Treatment Works, Winery Lane, Walton-Le-Dale, Preston, Lancashire, PR5 4AR Posting End Date 15/10/2026 Band 6d Role Type Permanent Work hours 37 Hours per Week Salary £29,122

The Role

We are looking for a Regional Grounds Maintenance Operatives to join our team, delivering essential site maintenance and recovery activities across both operational and non‑operational land. Your work will help ensure our Water and Wastewater Treatment sites — along with a wide range of owned land — remain safe, well‑maintained, and operating to the highest standards.

In this role, you’ll carry out grounds maintenance, vegetation management, soft landscaping, arboriculture tasks, and building maintenance, supporting the delivery of our site maintenance plans and ensuring compliance with company quality, performance, and safety standards.

What You'll Be Doing

• Undertake grounds maintenance, vegetation management, soft landscaping, adhoc works and building maintenance activities on a variety of sites.
• Carry out physically demanding tasks in a fast changing outdoor environment with exposure to and in close proximity to environmental hazards and sewerage contamination.
• Carry out recovery works on operational and non-operational land, this could include filter bed vegetation removal, Pontoon Works. This list is not exhaustive and may require specific training to carry out some tasks.
• Operate and perform daily checks on a variety of powered and non-powered plant, tools and equipment including vehicles, trailers, ride on mowers, agricultural vehicles/equipment, large plant, robots and small hand held tools. (This list is not exhaustive as the business grows and we add more machinery to the business further training will be given)
• Record the work completed on a corporate system.
• Carry out minor remedial work on non-assets (flags, fencing etc.), appropriate to the level of competence and training.
• Contribute towards the training of new starters from the Youth Employment Program and employment agencies.
• Adhere to Health and Safety requirements and to comply with regulations and internal company policy.
• Identify any site standards improvements and winter work during the scheduled visits.
• Application and handling of pesticides including invasive weed management

What You'll Bring

• Practical experience in grounds maintenance, vegetation management, soft landscaping, and building maintenance.
• Confident use of grounds maintenance machinery such as pedestrian mowers, strimmers, blowers, ride‑on mowers, tractors, pole saws, and robotics.
• Ability to plan and deliver both scheduled and unscheduled works across multiple sites.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to build positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to carry out dynamic risk assessments.

Qualifications

Essential Qualifications

• Full UK Driving Licence – Cat B

Desirable Qualifications

• City & Guilds Level 2 Principles of Safe Handling and Application of Pesticides (PA1).
• City & Guilds Level 2 Award in Safe Application of Pesticides using Hand‑Held Equipment (PA6/PA6INJ/PA6W).
• NPTC Level 2 Certificate of Competence in Manually Fed Wood Chipper Operations.
• City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Award in Safe Use of a Powered Pole Pruner.

What We Offer

• A generous annual leave package of 26 days, which increases to 30 days after four years of service (increases one day per year), in addition to 8 bank holidays
• A competitive pension scheme with up to 14% employer contribution, 21% combined, and life cover
• Up to 7.5% performance-related bonus scheme, as well as recognition awards for outstanding achievements
• A comprehensive healthcare plan through our company-funded scheme
• MyGymDiscounts - gym and wellness benefit that offers up to 25% off on gym memberships and digital fitness subscriptions
• Best Doctors
• Salary Finance
• Wealth at Work courses
• Deals and discounts
• EVolve Car Scheme
• Employee Assistance Plan
• Mental health first aiders
• ShareBuy
• Enhanced parental leave schemes

Salary - £29,122
Work Type - Onsite
Job Location - Walton le Dale Wastewater Treatment Works, Winery Lane, Walton-Le-Dale, Preston, Lancashire, PR5 4AR
Role Type - Permanent
Employment Type - Full Time
Working Hours - 37.0 Hours per Week

United Utilities’ (UU) purpose is to deliver great water for a stronger, greener and healthier North West of England. We are committed to providing our services in a way that respects the environment, supports the economy, and benefits society.

We value diversity, inclusion and innovation in our workplace, and we foster a culture where our people can grow, excel, and be themselves.

We uphold our ethics, values and business model to fulfil our mission and, by setting clear goals and objectives, we create sustainable long-term value for our colleagues, customers and communities. Whether you work with a team that shares your vision or join a network of peers with similar interests, you will find a welcoming and supportive organisation to be part of.

We’ve got a lot to offer. You’ll be part of a thriving FTSE 100 company and will enjoy a range of core benefits that reflect your value and value contribution.

We rely on every employee to ensure our customers receive the best possible service, day in, day out. In return, we ensure that you will be well rewarded for your efforts, from an excellent salary through to development opportunities that will really kick start a thriving career here at UU.