Grounds and Landscape Manager, Etihad Park

New York City Football Club LLC; New York (NY); On-site; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Commuter benefits

Gym membership

Citi Bike discounts

Wellness programs

Tickets to matches

Team events

Job summary

New York City Football Club LLC in Queens, NY, seeks a Grounds and Landscape Manager, Etihad Park, to lead the grounds team and ensure peak pitch quality and landscape aesthetics. You will work with the Head of Grounds and Landscape to plan daily operations and long-term improvements.

The role requires a Pesticides license, a Sports Turf degree, budget experience, data reporting skills, and US work authorization. Expect field leadership and safety-focused responsibilities year-round.

Qualifications

• Pesticides Application license required.
• Experience managing a large operational budget or higher.
• Experience with data extraction, analysis, and reporting.
• Strong communication with management and team.
• MS Office literacy and basic computer skills.

Responsibilities

• Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate groundskeeping staff.
• Oversee planting, irrigation, fertilizing, and lawn care of the pitch and landscaping.
• Schedule, direct, inspect maintenance such as mowing, aeration, and weed control.
• Implement safety programs and ensure chemical handling safety.
• Maintain equipment, vehicles, and data records of pitch operations.
• Coordinate with coaching staff and management for feedback.
• Oversee snow, ice, and debris removal; support at temporary venues.

Skills

Pesticides Application license

Management skills

Sports Turf degree

Budget management

Operational processes

Data extraction/reporting

Communication with management

MS Office literacy

US work authorization

Education

Degree in Sports Turf

Tools

MS Office

Job description

JOB TITLE: Grounds and Landscape Manager, Etihad Park

REPORTING TO: Head of Grounds and Landscape

DEPARTMENT: Facilities – Etihad Park

LOCATION: Queens, NY

Position Overview

New York City FC is seeking a Grounds and Landscape Manager, Etihad Park.

This role will be responsible for managing, training, and scheduling staff to maintain the aesthetic and functional quality of the pitch at the NYCFC stadium, Etihad Park. You will ensure safety regulation compliance, manage equipment maintenance, and supervise daily operations, as well as weekly planning and day-to-day delivery of grounds maintenance and the processes that support this operation at Etihad Park in conjunction with the Head of Grounds.

What You’ll Do

• Team Leadership: Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate groundskeeping staff, ensuring safe, high-quality work.
• Grounds Maintenance: Oversee, plan, and participate in planting, cultivating, fertilizing, and irrigating the stadium pitch and landscaping surrounding the stadium. Regular testing of irrigation and Raw Stadia pitch data collection.
• Operational Management: Schedule, direct, and inspect maintenance activities, such as mowing, cultural practices, aeration, fertilizer applications - both granular and liquid, weed control, and litter removal.
• Safety & Compliance: Implement safety programs, ensure compliance with health regulations, and manage the safe handling/application of chemicals (herbicides, pesticides).
• Equipment Care: Ensure all equipment, including mowers, trucks, and tractors, is maintained, repaired, and operational.
• Administrative Tasks: Maintain detailed records of pitch operations, data collection and staff rotation.
• Communication: Develop and maintain relationships with coaching staff and management to gather relevant feedback and report grounds and landscape issues.
• Seasonal Duties: Oversee snow, ice, and debris removal.
• Support pitch evaluation and testing at temporary stadium venues including that of MLS2
• Assist the grounds team when required at the clubs training facility CFA in Orangeburg, NY (must be able to travel as needed to Orangeburg, NY in Rockland County).
• Work with Head of Grounds to evaluate pitch data and report into key stakeholders.

Who You Are

At New York FC, we are committed to upholding our core club values and our values guide how we show up and work together every day. If you share our values listed below, please consider NYCFC as a great place for you to work (and play):

Acts Honorably: listens and communicates respectfully, without judgement

Engages Collaboratively: provides and seeks constructive feedback to and from peers, proactively sharing appreciation for quality contributions of others

Champions Inclusion: celebrates the value of differences recognizing the value in the unique backgrounds and lived experiences of every team member

Drives Forward: embraces new opportunities with curiosity and a focus on improvement and innovation

Shows Heart: demonstrates passion for the Club and sport, operating as an NYCFC ambassador in encouraging and inspiring that passion in others

What You’ll Bring

• Excellent knowledge and understanding of grounds maintenance systems and their application including maintenance of natural and reinforced pitches, preferably Desso, SIS, Hero and Fibresand, full understanding of automatic irrigation systems and SGL lighting rig deployment and service.
• Pesticides Application license.
• Excellent management skills that contribute to an environment where staff are empowered to make decisions, work cohesively, and build collaboration and trust.
• Degree in Sports Turf and equivalent experience.
• Experience managing a large operational budget or higher.
• Experience of processes and procedures in a specialist operational area.
• Experience using systems and software to extract, analyze, and report on relevant data.
• Ability to communicate verbally and literally to management and wider team members
• A basic level of computer literacy including MS Office suite.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States to be eligible for this role.

Additional Requirements

• Applicant must be able to comply with MLS Next Safety and Well-Being policy and any other applicable child safety policies provided to applicants by NYCFC
• Must be able to work games scheduled which may be at night and on weekends and holidays
• This position regularly requires working outdoors in varying weather conditions and exposure to fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, dust, noise, and other groundskeeping-related environmental conditions. The role requires prolonged standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, and lifting or carrying up to 50 pounds. The employee must be able to safely operate grounds maintenance equipment, hand and power tools, vehicles, and standard office equipment, as well as read printed materials and computer screens.

Compensation

This exempt position has an estimated annual base salary range of $85,000 - $95,000 and is not overtime eligible. Final compensation offer amounts are based on a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to demonstrated skill set, years and depth of relevant experience, and some role-dependent factors such as certifications and software expertise. We welcome direct conversations with each candidate about compensation in all of our initial calls.

What We Offer

• Excellent health, dental & vision insurance, with options to fit you and your family’s needs
• Comprehensive and competitive benefit programs, including maternal & paternal leave
• Ancillary benefits: Commuter, gym membership, and Citi Bike discounts
• Your health is important! Our wellness strategy focuses on mental and physical wellbeing through in-office and virtual programs
• Four complementary tickets to every NYCFC home match
• Team outings, happy hours, and annual staff gatherings to celebrate our co-workers
• A dynamic, ambitious, and fun work environment

New York City Football Club Overview

At New York City FC, we are on a mission to build this city into one of the soccer capitals of the world. The Club was announced as Major League Soccer’s 20th franchise and is the first and only MLS team located within the five boroughs of New York City. The Club has qualified for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs nine times over the past 10 seasons, winning MLS Cup in 2021. Games are available to stream via an Apple TV subscription, providing every match of the MLS regular season, the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, annual Leagues Cup tournament, the MLS All-Star Game, the Campeones Cup, and more all in one place and with no blackouts.

New York City FC is building New York City’s first-ever soccer-specific stadium, Etihad Park, which is set to open in 2027. For more information, please visit: www.newyorkcityfc.com.

New York City FC is also one of 13 clubs comprising City Football Group and counts Manchester City FC, Melbourne City FC, Yokohama F-Marinos, Girona FC, Montevideo City Torque, Shenzhen Peng City FC, Mumbai City FC, Lommel SK, ESTAC Troyes, Palermo FC, Bahia, and Club Bolívar among its sister clubs.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.