Grounds Maintenance and Landscape Coordinator

Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Metropolitan Community College is seeking a Grounds Maintenance and Landscape Coordinator to oversee the exterior landscapes across MCC campuses. You will manage daily grounds operations, athletic field maintenance, and seasonal projects to support a safe, welcoming learning environment.

The role involves coordinating with external vendors, supervising maintenance teams, and ensuring compliance with safety and environmental standards.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Five (5) years of grounds and landscape management experience.
• Possession of a valid Commercial Pesticide Applicator License (or ability to obtain within 6 months).
• Valid Driver’s License.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with external vendors to maintain campus landscape health and schedules.
• Manage turf maintenance including aeration, fertilization, and irrigation scheduling.
• Oversee planting, pruning, and health monitoring of trees, shrubs, and beds.
• Assist with winter weather response plans and seasonal landscape rotations.
• Implement sustainable landscaping practices to reduce water usage.
• Manage grounds fleet procurement, maintenance and safety.
• Assist in budgeting and supervise contractors to ensure quality standards.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Landscape maintenance

Team leadership

Bill of materials planning

Irrigation systems

Safety compliance

Reading plans

Vendor coordination

Communication

Education

High School Diploma / GED

Commercial Pesticide Applicator License

Associate’s Degree in Horticulture or related field

Tools

Irrigation controllers

Backhoes / skid steers

Mowers / snow removal equipment

Job description

About MCC

Metropolitan Community College is the oldest public institution of higher learning in Kansas City, Missouri, founded in 1915 as the Kansas City Polytechnic Institute. The Junior College of Kansas City, as it was known starting in 1919, was one of the first schools in the country to award an associate degree. Today, MCC offers 125 associate degree and certificate programs.

Metropolitan Community College comprises five campuses on the Missouri side of the Greater Kansas City area 47 major buildings and about 550 acres in all: MCC-Blue River, located in Independence, Missouri; MCC-Longview located in Lee's Summit, Missouri, MCC-Maple Woods located in the Northland of Kansas City, Missouri; MCC-Online and MCC-Penn Valley, located in Midtown Kansas City, Missouri.

MCC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. In addition, several programs have specific accreditations as well.

***MCC does not provide employer-paid sponsorships.

Job Summary

The Grounds Maintenance and Landscape Coordinator oversees the aesthetic appeal, safety, and environmental health of the exterior landscapes across the Metropolitan Community College (MCC) District. The primary purpose of this role is to manage daily grounds operations, athletic field maintenance, and seasonal landscaping projects. By ensuring well‑maintained and welcoming outdoor spaces, the coordinator directly supports MCC’s vision of providing an inspiring learning environment and advances strategic goals related to campus safety, curb appeal, and environmental sustainability.

Disclaimer: This position serves both the Metropolitan Community College–Penn Valley (3201 Southwest Trafficway, Kansas City, MO 64111) and Metropolitan Community College–Maple Woods (2601 NE Barry Road, Kansas City, MO 64156) campuses and requires regular travel between locations.

Essential Functions

• Coordinates with external vendors to ensure high standards of campus landscape health; measured by the successful completion of weekly maintenance schedules across all district sites.
• Manages specialized maintenance for turf, including aeration, fertilization, and irrigation scheduling.
• Oversees the planting, pruning, and health monitoring of trees, shrubs, and ornamental beds.
• Assists with the development and execution of winter weather response plans and seasonal landscape rotations;
• Implements sustainable landscaping practices to reduce district water consumption.
• Manages the procurement, maintenance, and safe operation of the grounds fleet.
• Assists in managing the grounds operational budget and supervises external landscaping or tree‑service contractors to ensure work aligns with district quality standards.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Physical Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma OR GED.
• Five (5) years of experience in grounds and landscape management experience.
• Possession of a valid Commercial Pesticide Applicator License (or ability to obtain within 6 months).
• Valid Driver’s License.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate’s Degree in Horticulture, Landscape Management, Turf Science, or a related field; or equivalent professional experience.
• Two (2) + years of experience leading teams or coordinating large‑scale vendor contracts.
  
• Certified Grounds Manager (CGM) or Landscape Industry Certified Technician.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of plant identification, soil health, pest and disease management, and regional climate adaptations.
• Knowledge of OSHA standards related to chemical handling (SDS), heavy equipment operation, and personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Knowledge of sustainable pest control strategies that minimize environmental and health risks.
• Knowledge of regional plant species and their role in creating low‑maintenance, ecologically beneficial landscapes.
• Skill in the operation, repair, and programming of commercial‑grade irrigation controllers and hydraulic systems.
• Skill in operating backhoes, skid steers, zero‑turn mowers, and snow removal equipment.
• Skill in reading, analyzing, evaluating, interpreting, and summarizing materials and statistical data.
• Skilled in utilizing communication and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisors, the general public, and others sufficient to exchange or convey information.
• Ability to read landscape design plans and coordinate multi‑phase exterior improvement projects.
• Ability to interact effectively with students, campus leadership, and the public regarding campus beautification efforts.
• Ability to perform physically demanding work and coordinate teams during extreme heat or emergency winter weather conditions.
• Ability to conduct thorough inspections of landscaping work to evaluate compliance with design plans and performance standards.

Physical Requirements

Positions in this class typically require climbing, crawling, crouching, keyboarding, grasping, hearing, pulling, pushing, reaching, repetitive motion, standing, talking, visual acuity, and walking. The work is very heavy work which requires exerting in excess of 100 pounds of force occasionally and/or in excess of 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Incumbents may be exposed to hazardous physical conditions, such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, and vibrations; atmospheric conditions, such as fumes, odors, gases, and poor ventilation.

Supplemental Information

Metropolitan Community College is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that prohibits discrimination or harassment of any person based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, birth, ancestry, national origin, or disability. EOE/M/F/Vets/Disabled

MCC is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, MCC will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations in all aspects of employment, including the application process. To request an accommodation and/or a copy of the Americans with Disabilities Act applicant procedures, please contact the Office of Human Resources.