Senior Head Grounds Person

EFL; Cleethorpes; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

EFL is seeking an experienced Head Groundsman to ensure top quality playing surfaces for First Team, Academy and Women’s teams, while managing grounds resources and safety compliance.

You will lead on pitch operations, plan day-to-day activities, and deliver improvements across multiple sites, staying current with industry best practices to keep GTFC grounds at the forefront.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 3 or equivalent in Sports Turf / Horticulture / Grounds Management.
• Strong technical knowledge of turf maintenance and agronomy.
• Knowledge of irrigation, drainage and grounds machinery.
• Good IT and administrative skills.
• Strong organisational and communication skills.
• Ability to prioritise competing operational demands.

Responsibilities

• Delivery of high quality grounds maintenance services at all sites to the highest standard, in line with policies, legislative, environmental and certifying authorities’ compliance and best practice.
• Full responsibility for allocated ground maintenance tasks from start to completion including scoping the task, pricing materials, liaising with the contractor, undertaking the work personally or coordinating and supervising others to ensure its timely completion.
• Management of match day pitch operations, ensuring that the pitch meets the required football coaching staff standards.
• Ensuring that the monthly/weekly/daily planning and day to day operation for the delivery of grounds services at all sites is to the highest standard, in line with health and safety, legislative, environmental and certifying authority’s compliance and best practice.
• Monitoring the results of the grounds maintenance, service and suggest the delivery and implementation of all required improvements.
• Manage all site resources, Plant & Machinery, ground staff and plan all financial expenditure with the Stadium Manager (All expenditure must be signed off by the Stadium or Accounts Manager).
• To be a key holder and be part of an emergency call out team and to be available and/or remain on site in the case of emergency repairs/situations until as a minimum, a temporary and safe situation is achieved.
• Providing grounds maintenance and H&S support for any function / event, this includes the training of staff on all plant & machinery.
• To stay up to date with new processes within the industry and embrace new techniques/processes as and when required, ensuring that GTFC stay at the forefront of pitch care development.
• Responsible for staff training for all grounds staff inline with COSHH regulations 2002, safe operational usage of all machinery and that correct PPE

Skills

Grounds management

Turf maintenance

Irrigation/ drainage

Administrative skills

Organisation

Communication

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Sports Turf / Horticulture / Grounds Management

Job description

About The Role

In this role you will be responsible for ensuring that playing surfaces are maintained to the highest professional standards, providing a safe, high‑performing and visually outstanding environment for First Team, Academy, Women’s and wider Club activity.

Key Responsibilities

• Delivery of high quality grounds maintenance services at all sites to the highest standard, in line with policies, legislative, environmental and certifying authorities’ compliance and best practice
• Full responsibility for allocated ground maintenance tasks from start to completion including scoping the task, pricing materials, liaising with the contractor, undertaking the work personally or coordinating and supervising others to ensure its timely completion. All orders must be approved by the Stadium or Accounts Manager before purchase
• Management of match day pitch operations, ensuring that the pitch meets the required football coaching staff standards. This requires the Head Groundsman to have a close communication process with all coaching staff, especially the first team coaching staff
• Ensuring that the monthly/weekly/daily planning and day to day operation for the delivery of grounds services at all sites is to the highest standard, in line with health and safety, legislative, environmental and certifying authority’s compliance and best practice
• Monitoring the results of the grounds maintenance, service and suggest the delivery and implementation of all required improvements.
• Manage all site resources, Plant & Machinery, ground staff and plan all financial expenditure with the Stadium Manager (All expenditure must be signed off by the Stadium or Accounts Manager). This must be carried out in an efficient and effective manner in line with GTFC strategic plans for the use of the sites and the football coaching staff requirements
• To be a key holder and be part of an emergency call out team and to be available and/or remain on site in the case of emergency repairs/situations until as a minimum, a temporary and safe situation is achieved
• Providing grounds maintenance and H&S support for any function / event, this includes the training of staff on all plant & machinery. You must also ensure that an audit trail is documented and in place for all training delivered
• To stay up to date with new processes within the industry and embrace new techniques/processes as and when required, ensuring that GTFC stay at the forefront of pitch care development
• Responsible for staff training for all grounds staff inline with COSHH regulations 2002, safe operational usage of all machinery and that correct PPE

About The Candidate

To be able to deliver this role, there are skills and experiences we are looking for are:

Essential

• NVQ Level 3 or equivalent in Sports Turf / Horticulture / Grounds Management
• Strong technical knowledge of turf maintenance and agronomy
• Knowledge of irrigation, drainage and grounds machinery.
• Good IT and administrative skills.
• Strong organisational and communication skills.
• Ability to prioritise competing operational demands.

Desirable

• Experience within elite football or professional sport
• PA1 / PA2 / PA6 qualifications.
• IOSH or equivalent Health & Safety qualification.
• Project management experience.