Grounds Maintenance Worker

City of Portsmouth; Portsmouth (VA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Portsmouth seeks a Grounds Maintenance Aide to join a crew maintaining stormwater ditches and underground structures. You will assist with trash removal, operate lawn equipment, and help load supplies while following safety procedures.

The role requires a high school diploma or equivalent and ability to work under supervision in a team, performing routine maintenance tasks across city properties with emphasis on quality and safety.

Qualifications

• Requires a high school diploma or equivalent and related job experience performing general grounds maintenance tasks.
• Ability to operate hand and small power tools for mowing, trimming, edging, pruning and related tasks.
• Ability to read and interpret route assignment sheets and communicate in Standard English.

Responsibilities

• Perform ditch maintenance and trash/debris removal in stormwater conveyance systems using hand and power tools.
• Mow grass, trim hedges, remove blockages and clean outfalls; maintain stormwater ditches and BMPs.
• Follow safety procedures to protect equipment, property and the public; assist crew with loading supplies and maintaining schedules.

Skills

Physical labor

Operate tools

Follow instructions

Standard English

Education

High school diploma

Tools

Lawnmowers

Sprayers

Pressure washers

Hand tools

Job description

GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

Under direct supervision, this position works as part of a crew responsible for performing a variety of semi-skilled or unskilled work related to cleaning, grading, and maintaining Stormwater ditches and underground structures. Reports to Equipment Operator Supervisor.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Provides assistance with trash and debris removal in Stormwater conveyance systems (ditches, catch basins, etc.) using a variety of hand and power tools and other equipment; performs manual work as a part of a crew, using a variety of tools and equipment to include ladders, lawnmowers, hand controls, sprayers and pressure washers; assists crews by obtaining, carrying or loading supplies and materials.

Performs various ditch maintenance duties such as mowing grass, trimming hedges, removing blockages, raking leaves, etc., using power lawn mowers, string trimmers and various hand tools. Maintains the city’s network of Stormwater ditches, cleans Stormwater conveyance systems, cuts and cleans outfalls and BMP’s.

Ensures the safety of city equipment, private property, and others by following proper safety procedures, watching for pedestrians, private property, overhead utility lines and other utilities or obstructions.

Performs other related work as required. Individual assignments will be determined by supervisor based on current workload and department needs.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Knowledge of Job

Has general knowledge of standard methods, materials and equipment employed in ditch maintenance. Is able to follow instructions. Is able to perform medium physical work. Is able to understand and interpret oral and written instructions. Is able to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.

Quality of Work

Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Exercise immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Maintains high quality communication and interacts with all departments, co-workers and the general public.

Quantity of Work

Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities as described under “Essential Job Functions”.

Dependability

Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and for meeting deadlines. Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, policies, standards and prescribed procedures. Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas.

Attendance

Attends work regularly and adheres to policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness. Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and time-off requests.

Initiative and Enthusiasm

Maintain an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities. Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for the completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction.

Judgment

Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors. Seeks expert or experienced advice and researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment.

Cooperation

Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet the goals and objectives of same. Questions such instruction and direction when clarification of results or consequences are justified i.e., poor communications, variance with policy or procedures, etc. Offers suggestions and recommendations to encourage and improve cooperation between all staff persons within the department.

Relationships with Others

Shares knowledge with supervisors and staff for mutual and departmental benefits. Contributes to maintaining high morale among all department employees. Develop and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees and managers in other departments, to project a good departmental image. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons in order to maintain good will within the city. Emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive image within the city. Interacts effectively with fellow employees, Equipment Operator Supervisor, professionals and the general public.

Coordination of Work

Plans and organize daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology. Avoids duplications of efforts. Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establishes a personal schedule accordingly. Attends meetings, planning sessions and discussions on time. Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules. Maintains a calendar for meetings and deadlines.

Safety and Housekeeping

Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the city and various regulatory agencies. Sees that the standards are not violated. Maintains a clean and orderly workplace.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Requires a high school diploma or equivalent and related job experienceperforming general grounds maintenance tasks with general supervision at a variety of city property locations to include, but not limited to, operating lawn and landscape tools and equipment related to mowing, weed eating, pruning, trimming, and edging.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

An acceptable general background check to include a local and state criminal history check and sex offender registry check.

This position requires a post offer of employment medical evaluation and substance abuse testing and is subject to random alcohol and substance abuse testing.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Physical Requirements

Must be physically able to operate hand and small power tools to include rakes, edgers, blowers and weed eaters. Requires the ability to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and /or up to 25 pounds of force frequently, and /or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements for Medium work.

Data Conception

Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.

Interpersonal Communication

Requires the ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments and directions from supervisor.

Language Ability

Requires the ability to read route assignment sheets. Require the ability to complete route assignments and completion sheets, leave slips and time sheets using prescribed format. Requires the ability to communicate effectively in Standard English.

Intelligence

Requires the ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out simple one-or two-step instructions; to deal with standardized situations with occasional or no variables in or from these situations encountered on the job.

Verbal Aptitude

Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently using Standard English, and recreational terminology.

Numerical Aptitude

Requires the ability to add, subtract.

Form/Spatial Aptitude

Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.

Motor Coordination

Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using a variety of hand and small power tools and equipment.

Manual Dexterity

Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, such as hand and small power tools. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.

Color Discrimination

Requires the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of colors.

Interpersonal Temperament

Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under minimal levels of stress and when confronted with persons acting under stress (emergency situation).

Physical Communication

Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking –expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing-perceiving nature of sounds by ear). Must be able to communicate via telephone.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) REQUIREMENTS

The City of Portsmouth is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

This is a class description and not an individual position description. A class specification defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification.