Grounds Maintenance Manager - (Operations Supervisor II) - R&P, Park Operations Maintenance

Howard County Government; Columbia (MD); On-site; USD 73,000 - 81,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Retirement program

Wellness program

Job summary

Howard County Government seeks a Grounds Maintenance Supervisor to oversee grounds maintenance contracts for County parklands and public facilities, and to develop an athletic turf maintenance program for playing fields. The role leads daily work tasks, supervises staff, manages procurement and contractor performance, and ensures compliance with safety and regulatory requirements.

A high school diploma or GED with six years of relevant experience is required, along with Maryland licenses and

Qualifications

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent required, plus at least six years of relevant experience.
• Possession of a Maryland Class C Driver's License or ability to obtain and maintain.
• State of Maryland Professional Fertilizer Applicator Certification or ability to obtain within 12 months.
• State of Maryland Pesticide Applicator Certification or ability to obtain within 12 months.
• Bachelor's degree in horticulture, agronomy, turfgrass science or related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all grounds maintenance contracts for County parklands and public facilities.
• Coordinate, inspect, evaluate, and revise vendor work.
• Serve as primary point of contact for contract performance and billing.
• Develop contract scopes and participate in procurement for grounds maintenance services.
• Collaborate on design, construction, maintenance, and renovation of parklands and facilities requiring grounds or athletic turf maintenance.
• Develop, implement, and manage an athletic turf maintenance program for playing fields and parkland areas.
• Lead daily work tasks, inspections, and small projects; supervise staff.

Skills

Contract management

Turf maintenance

Leadership

Vendor management

Education

High school diploma or GED

Bachelor's degree in horticulture or related field

Job description

Howard County:

Conveniently located in the heart of central Maryland between Baltimore and Washington, Howard County offers the charm of a historic past mixed with the excitement of a cosmopolitan community.

Howard County Government:

Howard County Government is a leader in innovation, sustainability, and consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2025, Howard County Government received a record-breaking 83 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) – the highest number of annual NACo awards achieved in the history of the State of Maryland, and the highest number of awards out of any county in the State of Maryland which received a collective 136 awards. NACo is the leading organization representing county-level government operations. These awards recognize innovative and transformative programs that provide new services for county residents, improve existing programs, upgrade working conditions, and enhance citizen participation and public policymaking.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for outstanding individuals to join our team and contribute to excellence in Howard County operations.

What you'll like most about working at Howard County Government:

• We are committed to workplace excellence in every area of County government.
• We have a highly talented, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Your input will not only be heard, but it will be encouraged!
• We offer competitive compensation and great benefits including medical, retirement, and wellness programs.
• As a member of the Howard County Government team, you'll be helping drive our culture and directly impact what makes us an amazing place to work.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Oversee, address and direct all aspects of the ground's maintenance contracts serving County parklands and other local public facilities. Develop, implement, and manage an athletic turf maintenance program for playing fields operated by the Department of Recreation & Parks.

STARTING SALARY HIRING RANGE:

$35.46 - $38.79
$73,763 - $80,683

*This is the anticipated starting salary range for this position. Please note that the final salary will be determined by the Office of Human Resources, commensurate with experience and aligned to ensure internal equity with similarly situated roles.*

CLASS DESCRIPTION:

Performs intermediate supervisory level and advanced operations service work under general supervision from an administrative or technical superior. Work includes supervising the activities of laboring and equipment operation personnel in areas such as construction, maintenance, landfill disposal, tree care, utility, vehicle repair, contracted refuse collection, water reclamation, parks, horticulture, and forestry work.

*This is a Classified position, meaning that it is a part of the Howard County Classified Service upon completion of a probationary period of at least six (6) months*

*This position has beendesignatedas "essential personnel", meaning an employee is expected to report for regular work shift during inclement weather, emergency situations, County holidays and on an on-call basis.*

*Please note that this position falls within a collective bargaining unit and is represented by AFSCME Local 3085, Local 3888, or Local 1810.*

General Workplace and Professional Expectations:

• Maintain professional licenses, certifications, training, knowledge, skills, and professional relationships.
• Support the mission, goals, and objectives of the Department of Recreation & Parks and participate in committees, trainings, programs, projects, and special events.
• Identify and apply good sustainability practices in departmental operations.
• Perform essential duties during emergency situations, including snow removal operations and staffing the Department Operations Center.

Grounds and Turf Maintenance Operations:

• Oversee implementation of all grounds maintenance contracts for County parklands and public facilities.
• Coordinate, inspect, evaluate, and revise vendor work.
• Serve as primary point of contact for contract performance and billing.
• Develop contract scopes and specifications and participate in procurement for grounds maintenance services.
• Collaborate with County staff and contractors on plant care, removal work, and landscaping activities.
• Collaborate on design, construction, maintenance, and renovation of parklands and facilities requiring grounds or athletic turf maintenance.
• Develop, implement, and manage an athletic turf maintenance program for playing fields and parkland areas.
• Responsible for directly performing or overseeing the fertilization, aerification, seeding, watering, maintenance, restoration, and renovation of athletic turf fields and parkland areas.
• Use, maintain, and repair irrigation systems; coordinate design, installation, and replacement of irrigation systems.
• Maintain GIS-based map inventory of grounds maintenance sites and athletic turf fields.

Equipment, Supplies and Safety Management:

• Demonstrate proficiency in turf equipment use and daily maintenance; train staff on equipment use and maintenance.
• Procure, manage, and maintain supplies and equipment needed for tasks and projects.
• Manage inventory, storage, handling, use, and disposal of pesticides, fertilizers, and related supplies and equipment in compliance with regulations.
• Perform daily and regular administrative tasks including timekeeping, procurement, incident reporting, equipment management, safety, and training documentation.

Leadership and Team Management:

• Lead daily work tasks, inspections, and small construction and maintenance projects.
• Select, train, direct, evaluate, counsel, and support subordinate staff.
• Advise larger teams on collaborative tasks and projects.
• Prioritize daily, seasonal, and special assignments for self and team.

Technical Expertise Requirements:

• Possess knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience in horticulture, agrostology, agronomy, turfgrass science, and/or athletic field maintenance.
• Maintain specialized knowledge in areas such as ball diamond infield maintenance and laser grading.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Directly supervises one (1) full-time employee and varying seasonal staff in the Park Operations and Maintenance Division. Indirectly supervises and directs crews of varying sizes in the Park Operations & Maintenance Division. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; evaluating staff performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

High school diploma, General Educational Development (GED) certificate, or a recognized equivalent high school credential accepted/recognized by the State of Maryland and six (6) years of relevant experience.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES, AND REGISTRATIONS:

• Possession of a valid Maryland Class C Driver's License. This license must be valid as long as the individual is employed in this class.
• Possession of State of Maryland Professional Fertilizer Applicator Certification or the ability to obtain within twelve months of employment.
• Possession of State of Maryland Pesticide Applicator Certification or the ability to obtain within twelve months of employment.

PREFERRED EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• A bachelor's degree in horticulture, agronomy, turfgrass science or related field; and at least four (4) years of professional experience in turf management.
• Contracting and supervisory experience are also preferred.
• Pursuing related horticultural and professional qualifications is encouraged and preferred but not required as an initial requirement for this position.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, and sit. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those employees encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to outside weather conditions (rain, wind, snow, cold, heat, poor air quality, sun, etc.) and wildlife (snakes, bees, ticks, rodents, poisonous plants, etc.). The employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts; high, precarious places; and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

LANGUAGE SKILLS, MATHEMATICAL SKILLS AND REASONING ABILITY:

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical publications, operation manuals, construction documents, financial reports, and legal documents.
• Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from the public, peers, contractors, and regulatory agencies.
• Ability to effectively present information to management, staff, the public, and vendors.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume.
• Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
• Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.:

REASONING ABILITY:

• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.