Job description

HEAD OF COLLEGE GROUNDS, GARDENS AND SPORTS FACILITIES

Department: College Grounds

Responsible to:Assistant Bursar

Responsible for: 1 x Deputy Gardener

1 x Gardener

1 x GardenAssistant

BACKGROUND:

Homerton College was founded in the 18th Century, moved to its current location in 1894 and was granted a Royal Charter as a self-governing College of the University of Cambridge in 2010. The College is set within landscaped gardens and parkland and located within easy reach of the historic city centre, and within 10 minutes of Cambridge mainline station, the College has over 1,000 students and a Fellowship of over 70.

MAIN PURPOSE:

To be responsible and accountable for providing the maintenance, continued development and improvement of the college grounds, gardens and sports facilities to the highest horticultural standards as well as managing, leading and developing the grounds and gardensteam.

KEY RESPONSBILITES:

Management and Development of staff:

  • Proactively lead, manage and develop a team of qualified grounds staff to ensure that they have the capability and capacity to meet the department’s planned and reactive grounds, gardens and sports facilities program.
  • Develop and train staff in accordance with the College's overall personnel policy and objectives. Ensure that staff reporting to the post holder are made aware of the College's goals, objectives and activities
  • Within the regular review framework, advise on the staffing/ outsourcing split required to run the department and to ensure an adequate service is maintained at all times
  • Appraise staff for whom you are directly responsible and ensure that training programmes are identified and implemented effectively to ensure compliance with the College's goals and objectives and in consultation with the Personnel Manager.
  • Develop and implement a health and safety culture ensuring that all work carried out by internal staff and external contractors is carried out in accordance with health and safety approved standards

Main College Grounds and Gardens:

  • Undertake the condition assessment, maintenance and long term developmentand improvement of all college grounds, gardens and sports facilities encouraging environmental biodiversity and best practice at all times.
  • Control and administer the day to day maintenance of grounds, gardens and sports facilities ensuring that plants, equipment and gardening products are ordered and gardening machinery and tools are effectively maintained.
  • Organise and manage externalcontractors to quote for works that can’t be completed by the College team. This includes preparation of specifications, estimates of cost, tenders and supervision of work on site ensuring value for money and compliance with the College's procedures and expected quality of work standards.
  • Ensure all external contractor information such as insurances and RAMS are recorded and supervision is provided where required.
  • Recommend new contractors for inclusion on the list of approved contractors’. Annually, review the performance of existing approved contractors in accordance with current policies and procedures and make recommendations accordingly.
  • Prepare and present reports on the grounds and gardening function as required
  • Provide technical advice and information to inform expansion planning as and when required
  • Assist in the preparation of revenue budgets with the Assistant Bursar
  • Undertake occasional project work and adaptations within the agreed budgets
  • Ensure that correct tendering procedures are followed in accordance with the College's policies and procedures.

Sports Facilities and other Garden Areas:

  • Assist in the planning and implementation of future site development and the maintenance of a dedicated sporting facility.
  • Attend all relevant site meetings, agreed with the Assistant Bursar, with Engineers, Consultants and Architects to advise designs and plans and on historical information of the College.
  • Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of developments in the Horticultural and Grounds keeping industry and health and safety legislation to ensure that the Grounds Department are compliant in their approach. Ensure the college and Assistant Bursar are informed of all changes to legislation where appropriate or where any infringement that could affect students, staff and visitors may have occurred.
  • Develop and maintain good working relationships with the Local Council Officers and work to any restrictions placed on the College such as Tree Protection Orders.
  • Consult regularly with College approved specialist contractors such as tree surgeons to ensure all trees are in a healthy and safe condition.

General:

  • Key player within the Facilities Management Team.
  • Manage communications with the Assistant Bursarby keeping them informed and updated about progress with reactive and planned grounds and gardening activities in weekly meetings.
  • Manage communication with other departments by keeping them informed and updated about reactive and planned grounds and gardening activities – coordinating the works in conjunction with those departments to minimise any possible impact and disruption.
  • Co-operate with all staff in maintaining harmonious inter-personal relationships, internally and externally. Homerton College expects all staff to treat others with respect and courtesy.
  • Ensure maximum use is made of the information technology systems
  • Ensure that invoices are processed and authorised for payment without delay
  • Represent the College at local meetings whereapplicable
  • Be a member of and attend meetings of any relevant college committees
  • Undertake any other training and duties appropriate to the post as necessary or requested

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential:

  • Significant demonstrable experience of management and leadership ideally in a horticultural and grounds keeping capacity
  • Experience of managing and driving change effectively
  • Experience of working with and a broad knowledge of modern equipment and machinery management and a wide range of processes and techniques used in the horticultural and grounds keeping industry
  • Attention to detail
  • An extensive knowledge of plant pests, diseases and disorders
  • Proven leadership skills including coaching, team development, motivation and communication
  • Experience of working with budgets and financial targets
  • Current knowledge of relevant legislation and an understanding of Health and Safety in the workplace and how to implement it
  • Current valid driving licence

Desirable:

  • RHS Diploma Level 3 or equivalent
  • Chainsaw usage qualification
  • Other machinery/equipment qualificationseg NVQ in land based machinery, PA1 and PA6 spray certificates
  • First Aid trained
  • Health and Safety qualification

PERSONAL SKILLS

Essential:

  • Ability to lead and motivate a team
  • Excellent organisational and time management skills
  • Strong communication skills across many levels and ability to develop good working relationships
  • Ability to prioritise own and others workloads both short and long term
  • Excellent numeracy and literacy skills
  • Must be able to demonstrate sound decision making and judgment under pressure
  • IT literate
  • Good sense of humour

Desirable:

  • Good analytical skills
  • Ability to think creatively

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Essential:

  • Happy to work outside all year round in a predominantly physical role

SUMMARY OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE FOR THE POST

Hours of work

Normal working hours are 37 hours per week, though a flexible approach to working hours is expected in this management position.

Holiday entitlement

The College offer 25 days holiday per annum plus 8 public holidays, rising to 30 days after completion of five years employment. The holiday year runs from 1st September to 31st August.

Pension scheme

The College administers the Local Government Pension Scheme on behalf of its employees. It is a defined benefit pension scheme. LGPS employee contributions range from 5.5 to 12.5%, depending on your actual salary, and employer contributions 18.2%.

Free meal whilst on duty

One free meal per day in Hall is offered to all staff whilst on duty,

Car Parking

There is ample free parking for staff on site.

Gym membership

There is a subsidised gym on site which staff can join

Smoking Policy

The College operates a no smoking policy.

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Head of Grounds job description Jan 2018