Urban Park Supervisor

University of Pennsylvania; United (PA); On-site; USD 77,000 - 101,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Tuition benefits

Retirement plans

Time away from work

Professional development

Wellness resources

Job summary

University of Pennsylvania is seeking an Urban Park Supervisor to lead exterior campus maintenance, landscaping, and grounds operations across the Philadelphia campus. You will supervise staff and contractors, coordinate snow removal and turf management, and ensure timely work aligned with university policies.

The role emphasizes safety, union relations, and coordination with campus partners to sustain clean, safe outdoor environments and efficient operations.

Qualifications

• Assists with supervising operations and staff.
• Experience supervising in a unionized or academic setting preferred.
• Strong knowledge of landscape maintenance and grounds upkeep.
• Familiarity with safety practices and compliance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Supervise landscaping, grounds maintenance, snow removal and turf/irrigation management.
• Oversee waste and recycling operations and coordinated equipment repair.
• Direct staff and contractors, assign work, train, and enforce procedures.
• Ensure compliance with university policies and manage payroll inputs.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Landscape maintenance

Customer service

Safety practices

Education

Associates degree or 2-year college equivalent

Tools

CDL activities

Job description

Urban Park Supervisor

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & WorldReport survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn's distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America's Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Urban Park Supervisor

Job Profile Title

Supervisor, Campus Maintenance

Job Description Summary

The Urban Park Supervisor position is critical to maintaining safe, functional, and well-maintained exterior campus environments across the University. The position provides direct supervision and coordination of landscaping and grounds maintenance, snow removal, turf and irrigation management, tree and plant care, hard surface maintenance, athletic field maintenance, and bulk waste and recycling operations. The supervisor is responsible for deploying staff and contractors, assigning and inspecting work, coordinating schedules for weather and athletics-related events, supporting workplace safety, and ensuring compliance with university and departmental procedures. The position also plays an important role in managing a unionized workforce, including adherence to the collective bargaining agreement and participation in grievance and disciplinary processes.

Job Responsibilities

• Responsible for supervising operations of Facilities & Real Estate Services' Urban Park to include:
  • Landscaping
  • Grounds maintenance
  • Snow removal
  • CDL activities for the University of Pennsylvania's main campus.
• Supervises operation of turf and irrigation management, maintenance of exterior plant/flower beds, tree care, hard surface maintenance and maintenance of athletic fields.
• Supervises and coordinates bulk waste management and recycling operations. Coordinates equipment repair.
• Supervises staff and contractors, which includes work allocation, training, enforcement of internal procedures and controls and problem resolution. Administers and approves expenditures.
• Coordination of related work with schools/centers.
• Provides customer follow-up to ensure quality and timeliness of work.
• Supports all designated initiatives while ensuring adherence to collective bargaining agreement.
• Ensure compliance with all University and departmental policies and procedures.
• Manages and participates in grievance/discipline process.
• Works with Managers and vendors to meet established service priorities/requests.
• Develops working knowledge of time and attendance and divisional work order systems including the accuracy of payroll inputs.
• Contributes to safety in the workplace, sustainability efforts, staff training and talent management.

Qualifications

• Associates degree or Two year college equivalent required or completion of a technical specialty program of eighteen months to three years duration.
• A minimum of 3-5 years of supervisory experience preferably in a unionized work environment and preferably in an academic or similar work environment.
• A minimum of 3-5 years of experience in landscape maintenance.
• Experience using a computerized maintenance management system to monitor and control all aspects of the maintenance operation.
• Proven record of strong customer service skills.
• Knowledge of safety practices.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

About Facilities & Real Estate Services

The Division of Facilities and Real Estate Services (FRES) provides the expertise, business process, policies and standards required to plan, design, construct, operate, maintain and renew the physical assets of the University, excluding the health system. In addition, the Division, comprised of approximately five Departments, is responsible for the strategic planning, management and operation of non-academic University property, and collaborating with the neighborhood to create a safe, diverse and economically vibrant destination. With close to 18M square feet of space, FRES maintains more than 220 buildings on a campus of 299 acres, completes over 60,000 maintenance requests per year, and starts approximately 250 projects a year. FRES is comprised of the following Departments: Finance & Administration, Office of the University Architect, Design and Construction, Real Estate, Operations and Maintenance.

The University of Pennsylvania is implementing a campus transformation entitled Penn Connects http://www.pennconnects.upenn.edu. This comprehensive, award winning effort is expanding the campus over the next 20 years, including the construction of new academic research and recreational facilities. In addition, the University has secured $300M in Century Bond funding and continues to upgrade existing facilities over the coming years.

To learn more, visit us at: https://www.facilities.upenn.edu/

Department / School

Facilities and Real Estate Services

Pay Range

$77,330.00 - $101,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job's level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements

Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family's health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn's Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family - whatever your personal needs may be.
• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you're newly hired, you won't have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That's why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University's libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There's always something going on at Penn, whether it's a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you're right in the middle of the excitement - and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.