Manager, Grounds

Global Sports Jobs Limited; Vero Beach (FL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental and Vision coverage

401(k) plan with company match

Paid Sick/Time Off and Holidays

Parental Leave

Disability Benefits

Life and AD&D Insurance

EAP and Training Programs

Discounts on MLB/JRTC merchandise

Access to special events

Job summary

Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Florida is seeking a hands-on Manager, Grounds to lead day-to-day turf and landscape maintenance for baseball, softball, and multipurpose facilities. You will direct both full‑time and part‑time staff, ensure safe operations, and coordinate field preparations for year‑round events at an 80‑acre complex operated by Major League Baseball.

The role requires 5+ years in athletic field management with 3+ years in supervision, plus CSFM or equivalent certification

Qualifications

• Minimum five years in athletic field or turf management with 3+ years in a supervisory role.
• CSFM or equivalent certification preferred.
• Experience maintaining baseball/softball surfaces and irrigation knowledge.
• Ability to manage multiple fields and events in a fast-paced operation.
• Valid driver's license and ability to operate grounds equipment.
• Willing to obtain Florida pesticide/fertiliser applicator cert within six months.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily grounds operations and develop annual, seasonal, and daily work plans.
• Recruit, train, supervise, coach, and evaluate grounds staff and safety standards.
• Supervise facility mechanics and ensure maintenance of golf carts and equipment.
• Coordinate with stakeholders to prepare facilities for groups and events.
• Prepare, setup, and recover surfaces for practices, games, and events to MLB standards.
• Inspect fields for playability, coordinate configurations, and verify corrections.

Skills

Grounds management

Leadership

Communication

Safety compliance

Equipment maintenance

Education

CSFM certification

Turfgrass management degree

Tools

Email

Spreadsheets

Scheduling tools

Asset-management systems

Job description

About the Role

Jackie Robinson Training Complex is looking for a Manager, Grounds to oversee and participate in the maintenance of all sports fields, practice areas, indoor and outdoor training surfaces, landscaped areas, and other common areas. This hands‑on manager directs the day‑to‑day sports turf and landscape maintenance activities and personnel, ensuring safe, playable, event‑ready facilities for year‑round programmes and events at the 80‑acre complex in Vero Beach, Florida, operated by Major League Baseball. The complex serves as a year‑round hub for amateur development initiatives and events, including the Nike RBI World Series and the Hank Aaron Invitational, and contains multiple baseball, softball and multipurpose fields, an indoor training complex, and landscaped areas.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily grounds operations and establish annual, seasonal, and daily work plans based on field use, event schedules, agronomic needs, weather, and facility priorities.
• Recruit, train, schedule, supervise, coach, and evaluate full‑time and part‑time grounds employees; establish clear assignments, performance standards, safety expectations, and accountability.
• Directly supervise the Facility Mechanic and ensure timely preventive maintenance, inspection, repair, and service documentation for the facility's golf‑cart fleet and grounds and facility equipment.
• Coordinate with Operations, Athletics, Event Planning, Engineering, and event leadership stakeholders to ensure execution of facility preparation for groups.
• Direct the preparation, setup, conversion, and recovery of baseball, softball and multipurpose surfaces for practices, games, camps, tournaments, Major League Baseball programmes, and special events, including natural turf, infield skins, base paths, mounds, home plates, bullpens, warning tracks Practice areas, and batting cages, consistent with Major League Baseball standards.
• Inspect fields and grounds; determine playability and field‑protection needs; coordinate configurations and timelines; and verify corrective work before use.
• Monitor the condition and safe operation of pitching machines, batting‑cage equipment, netting structures, and safety netting; coordinate inspections, repairs, replacements, and removal from service when necessary.
• Oversee the inspection, cleaning, grooming, decompaction, and infill management of outdoor and indoor synthetic turf surfaces to maintain consistent appearance, performance, and safety.
• Develop and execute warm‑season turf programmes, including mowing, aerification, verticutting, topdressing, fertilisation, overseeding, sodding, moisture management, and weed, pest, and disease control.
• Manage landscape plans for trees, palms, bamboo, shrubs, plant beds, lawns, and common outdoor spaces, including routine bamboo maintenance and annual palm trimming, and oversee irrigation and drainage programming, inspections, maintenance, repair coordination, and water management.
• Lead adverse‑weather and field‑protection response, including tarp deployment, water removal, storm preparation, surface recovery, and post‑weather inspections.
• Manage the safe operation, inspection, maintenance, repair, and replacement planning of the golf‑cart fleet and grounds and facility equipment, and maintain appropriate inventories of field materials, chemicals, fuel, parts, tools, and supplies.
• Ensure fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, and other regulated materials are purchased, stored, handled, applied, and documented in accordance with product labels, organisational procedures, and applicable law.
• Establish and enforce safety practices covering training, personal protective equipment, equipment operation, chemical handling, hazard communication, and applicable OSHA requirements.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Minimum five years of progressively responsible experience in athletic field, sports turf, golf course, or comparable high-quality turf and grounds management, including at least three years in a supervisory or leadership role
• An equivalent combination of relevant education, certification, and experience may be considered.
• Demonstrated experience maintaining baseball or softball playing surfaces and working knowledge of warm-season turf, infield clay, soil and plant health, irrigation, drainage, cultural practices, fertilisation, pest management, and landscaping.
• Certified Sports Field Manager (CSFM) or another recognised certification, or equivalent experience at a professional, collegiate, tournament, training complex, or comparable high-use facility.
• Proven ability to lead and hold teams accountable, communicate effectively, establish priorities, and manage multiple fields and events in a fast-paced, year‑round operation.
• Experience managing equipment, inventory, vendors, purchasing, and operating expenses, with working proficiency in email, spreadsheets, scheduling tools, work-order or asset‑management systems, and electronic records.
• Valid driver's licence and ability to safely operate organisational vehicles, utility vehicles, and groundskeeping equipment.
• Must possess or have the ability to obtain and maintain the Florida pesticide and fertiliser applicator certifications required for assigned duties within six months of employment.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule based on operational needs, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, extended shifts, and occasional emergency or weather response.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods; bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, reach, climb, push, and pull; lift or carry up to 50 pounds; safely operate commercial grounds equipment; and work outdoors in Florida weather and on wet or uneven surfaces.

Preferred Skills

• Associate or bachelor's degree in turfgrass management, agronomy, horticulture, plant and soil science, sports field management, or a related discipline (strongly preferred).

Benefits & Perks

• Medical, Dental and Vision coverage
• Company Matched 401(k) Plan
• Paid Sick/Time Off and Holidays
• Parental Leave
• Disability Benefits (short term and long term)
• Life and Accidental Death Insurance
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Training & Development Programmes
• Discounts on MLB and JRTC merchandise
• Access to special events at JRTC
• JRTC Employee & Family appreciation events