Grounds Operative

**Grounds Operative - Hallfield School**

**Edgbaston, Birmingham**

**Salary: £20,991 - £23,681 per annum dependent on experience, skills and qualifications**

**Full-time 40 hrs per week -** 07:00 - 16:00 Monday to Friday (with the need to be flexible to occasionally work outside these hours as required)

30 days' annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays.Free onsite parking, access to onsite gym facilities and free lunch during term time.

**The Role
We are looking for a confident, creative and proactive Grounds Operative, ideally with specialist horticultural knowledge and relevant experience of general grounds maintenance, including the upkeep of sports pitches. Supporting the School's aesthetic plansfor the site the successful individual will have an excellent eye for detail and work ethic.

Working collaboratively and under the direction of the Senior Grounds Operative, we are looking for a strong team player equally able to work with initiative when cutting, marking out and maintaining the School's sports pitches and astro turf surfaces. Therole will also involve general garden maintenance (including pruning, mowing and weeding) as well as providing support to the wider Estates team as required.

Key responsibilities of the **Grounds Operative** include, but are not limited to:

- Maintain high levels of presentation of all grounds, gardens and beds with particular focus on areas that are on regular public view.
- Undertake planting, weeding, pruning and cultivating of flowerbeds, maintenance of boarders, hedgerows, hanging basket and trees.
- Plant propagation from seeds and cuttings.
- Use machinery such as pedestrian and ride on lawn mowers, rotovators, hedge trimmers and other such equipment related to grounds work.
- Ensure all grounds plant and machinery are checked before use, reporting any defects to the Maintenance Manager.
- Undertake regular tree inspections and report findings to the Senior Grounds Operative and Maintenance Manager.
- Carry out the maintenance of irrigation systems such as drip hose and automated irrigation systems.
- Support the wider Estates team with general duties including grounds maintenance, basic painting and pitch marking, gritting and rubbish removal.

**The School
Hallfield School is a flourishing co-educational independent day school in the leafy outskirts of Edgbaston. Founded in 1879, Hallfield School offers a stimulating and challenging curriculum for youngsters to enable them to grow, develop and learn in a happy,secure and purposeful environment.

We welcome children from three months to thirteen years old to a top-class education within our stunning 20-acre site where success is showcased in the classroom, on the sports fields and in the school hall every single day.

**The Person
The key skills, experience and qualities required to be the **Grounds Operative**:

- Previous experience in similar role with transferable skills.
- An eye for detail and demonstrable creative flair in relation to landscaping gardening and horticulture.
- Collaborative team player
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Ability and willingness to work outside in all weathers.
- Experienced in basic maintenance of equipment and machinery.
- Demonstrates high levels of time management and initiative to manage own workload

**Desirable**:

- Experience of working within an independent school environment or similar high profile estate.
- Experience of working with grounds and sports pitches including turf knowledge, ground/sports turf machinery and pitch marking
- Advanced plant and tree knowledge

**Package**:

- 30 days' holiday plus paid bank holidays and 3 additional days paid days off between Christmas and New Year
- Enhanced family leave for eligible employees
- Free lunch, tea, coffee and other refreshments all year round (with hot lunches during term time)
- Free parking
- Free onsite gym
- Free access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) offering free, 24 hour confidential assistance
- Salary Sacrifice Cycle to Work and Tech Scheme available
- Long service and big birthday recognition
- Uniform and clothing provided free of charge if required for the role
- Annual flu vaccinations
- Training, career progression and professional development opportunities including support CPD policy
- Life Assurance (4 x annual salary)
- Group pension scheme

**Safeguarding & Child Protection**

In addition to the job description and person specification for the position, please ensure you read the school's **_Safeguarding & Child Protection policy_** and **_Safer Recruitment policy_**

**Equal Opportunities