Craftsperson Gardener

**Position Details**

Estates

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £25,866 to £27,518, with potential progression once in post to £30,820

Grade 4

Full Time, Permanent

Closing date: 21st February 2024

**Our offer to you**

People are at the heart of what we are and do.

The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham

**Role Summary**

**Main duties**
- Determine what ground maintenance operations are to be carried out in a specified area and when these tasks should be completed within the overall programme of landscape maintenance activities.
- Carry out arboriculture operations in the campus grounds and gardens.
- Ensure Health and Safety and COSHH requirements, and procedures, are implemented, including : ensure staff wear the appropriate protective clothes, overalls and safety gear; ensure staff are appropriately trained in the use of chemicals and equipment; complete logbooks and records; up-date plans in accordance with Health and Safety and Statutory requirements ; ensure that Health and Safety Regulations, Codes of Practice and Safe Working Procedures are adopted and adhered to by staff under your supervision.
- Responsible for the co-ordination of site and soil preparation, including cultivation methods, deciding on suitable fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides and deciding the amount to be used.
- Ensure the correct actions are taken throughout the year to undertake the annual care, cultivation and pruning of plants and trees.
- Set out the sports and athletic field markings to defined measurements; carry out sports marking on grass and artificial playing surfaces. Responsible for selecting suitable equipment and carrying out maintenance and calibration.
- Maintain routine information on databases, and other work records as required.
- Replenish stocks of consumables and stores of basic equipment (e.g. pesticides and herbicides) following routine stock control procedures to meet work requirements.
- Drive and operate vans and trucks, tractor and trailers, also other landscape vehicles.
- Participate in the emergency call out scheme as required.
- Carry out any other duties commensurate with grade.
- Horticultural qualifications (to NVQ level 2/3 or equivalent) plus significant relevantwork experience maintaining amenity horticultural sites, gardens and sportsfields.

**Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience**
- A full, clean driving license is essential.
- Working knowledge of site and soil preparation methods, cultivation methods, herbicide & pesticides.
- Working knowledge of trees and plants, including planting,cultivation, care and pruning.
- Working knowledge of grounds and gardens equipment and processes and procedures (including those governing health and safety).
- Ability to identify work priorities and those of colleagues.
- Ability to plan and schedule both own and colleagues' workdays ahead.
- Ability to give clear instructions and guide other staff.
- Ability to communicate clearly and respond helpfully & courteously to customers, staff, students, visitors.
- Ability to replenish stocks and maintain routine information on staff data bases or on other records.
- Skills to communicate with colleagues as required.

**Dimensions**

You will work as part of a team, with