Grounds Maintenance Operative

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils are looking to recruit a Grounds Maintenance Operative to join our team based in Sudbury, Suffolk. You will join us on a full-time, permanent basis. The successful candidate will earn a competitive salary of £27,694 - £31,022 per annum (plus contractual overtime - see hours).

Join our team

We are looking for a motivated person to join our Grounds Maintenance Crew within our Public Realm team.

If you share our values and our motivation to make a difference for our residents, clients, and communities, we would love to hear from you.

About the role

The Public Realm Team are responsible for the day-to-day management of the district councils’ countryside sites and open spaces. These include informal recreational sites, local nature reserves, parks and smaller picnic areas. 

This role is based at our Sudbury depot and plays a vital part in maintaining the cleanliness, tidiness and overall appeal of the joint district and its public open spaces.

You will be responsible for delivering a variety of grounds maintenance services, which are practical and physically demanding.

These services will be carried out across council-owned parks, play areas, open spaces, and communal areas, and will involve the use of specialised vehicles, machinery, and equipment.  

Duties also include litter picking, clearing fly-tipped waste, and other general cleansing tasks.

This is a full-time role of 40 hours per week, worked over five days (Monday to Friday).

The position operates on an annualised hours basis, with working hours varying between the Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter seasons. 

About you

We are looking for someone with experience in grounds maintenance who is passionate about the environment and eager to contribute to making local areas cleaner, greener, and more welcoming for residents and visitors alike. 

You will enjoy working outdoors, whether independently or as part of a team.

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate:

experience in grounds maintenance and proficiency in a range of related tasks, or transferable skills that suit the role

ability to operate grounds maintenance equipment safely and effectively

strong communication skills, with the ability to engage positively with the public, colleagues, and supervisors, and a commitment to good customer care

a proactive and flexible approach, including a willingness to undertake cleansing tasks to meet operational and seasonal service demands

awareness of Health and Safety legislation, practices, and personal responsibility

basic computer literacy, including the ability to use email and mobile devices

ability to maintain accurate records of work completed

a full driving licence and the appropriate qualification to tow a trailer.

We welcome applications both from candidates who meet the qualifications and experience outlined in the person specification as well as those with some relevant experience and a strong desire to learn and grow within the role.

About us

At Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils we are passionate about building communities that people want to live, work, visit and invest in.

We serve around 200,000 residents across our two districts and are well known for our collaboration and partnership working across public, private and voluntary sectors.

We believe that the heart of Suffolk is an incredibly special place to live and work, with:

60 conservation areas

two National Landscapes

many picturesque market towns.

It is no surprise we are ranked among the top 50 places to live in the UK (United Kingdom).

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

generous leave entitlement (26 days a year, rising to 31 days after 5 years)

competitive Local Government Pension Scheme

wellbeing Support and Employee Assistance Programs

private Health Care Options

electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme

paid volunteering days

flexible and hybrid working arrangements (Business needs permitting)

great learning and development opportunities.

For more information, visit our Employee Benefits page.

Our ways of working

We believe work is what we do, not just where we go.

We work in a hybrid way, with a mix of office, home, and remote based working (Business need permitting). Our hybrid working arrangements support flexibility and collaboration, helping our teams to thrive.

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, providing opportunity and ambition for all, supporting and enabling our people to deliver the best possible services for our residents.

Closing date: 5 pm, 11 January 2026.

If you think you have what it takes to be successful in this Grounds Maintenance Operative ??role, even if you don’t meet all the requirements, please apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts