Head of Grounds and Gardens

Head of Grounds and Gardens

Prior Park College, Bath is seeking a dedicated and skilled Grounds person and Gardener to join our team. The ideal candidate will have a passion for horticulture and a strong understanding of landscape maintenance. This role involves maintaining gardens, grounds, and outdoor spaces to ensure they are aesthetically pleasing and healthy. The Head of Grounds and Gardens will work with various tools and equipment, contributing to the overall beauty and functionality of the landscape.ResponsibilitiesThe role of Head of Grounds and Gardens fulfils an essential element of our Estates Team maintaining the grounds and gardens at both Prior Park College, Bath and The Paragon School, Bath reporting to the Estates Manager.The Head of Grounds and Gardens will lead a team of gardeners and grounds persons in maintaining the 45 acres at Prior Park College and 15 acres at The Paragon School ensuring that all sports pitches, play surfaces, gardens and outdoor spaces across the school sites are maintained to the required standard.As well as being the direct line manager to members of the Grounds & Gardens team, this is a working role requiring a hands-on approach from the post holder. It is essential to communicate with staff at all levels, be self-motivated and to lead by example. They must also be able to manage and balance the needs of multiple sites and have a high degree of organisation skills and forward planning, all while being sympathetic to the educational, as well as practical, requirements of the Schools. Preparation, maintenance and improvement of all sports pitches including Hockey, Rugby Tennis, Cricket, summer athletics and all-weather surfaces. Prepare and implement a rolling seasonal and yearly tasks schedule for all works across the estates. Produce, review and monitor implementation of all grounds and gardens risk assessments and communicate controls to staff. Maintain statutory compliance checks and records including annual tree inspections/ spraying and sports/play equipment etc. Monitor compliance with good Health and Safety legislation and practice, ensuring a safe working environment for staff and visitors to our schools. Ensuring the estates at both schools are kept in a safe, tidy, litter-free condition. Managing the grounds and gardens budget ensuring that best value for supplies. Obtain quotations and work with external contractors as required. Liaise with specialist consultants to improve the grounds and gardens, as required. Meet routinely with internal stakeholders review and improve service performance. Hold regular team meetings and ensure each member of staff has a comprehensive rolling programme/schedule of work. Manage the training requirements for all staff in the team. Ensure that all vehicles, machinery, tools and safety equipment are regularly checked, serviced and maintained in safe working condition. Inspect, maintain and repair all hard /soft landscaping across the sites including gates, boundary fencing, garden huts, outbuildings, edging, top dressing, pruning shrubs and hedges, tree planting, applying fertilisers etc. Carry out weed spraying, application of fertilisers, chemicals, etc. Maintain, enhance and develop all planting borders across all schools and keep accurate planting records (saving plans/designs on OneDrive). Manage the propagation of new plants at the schools and 168 North Road. Source and maintain all indoor and office planting. Be involved in the recruitment and induction of new team members.Qualifications Minimum Level 2 or equivalent in turf management or Horticulture Full UK Driving Licence Proven experience working across both grounds and gardens roles in a similar organisation. Knowledge and awareness of the importance of confidentiality and data protection Good knowledge of machinery and vehicle maintenance. Sound understanding of relevant health and safety and industry legislation, including COSHH. Have a good knowledge of machinery and grounds equipment maintenance. Good interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills A confident IT user with experience of Microsoft Office applications Good organisational skills, able to work to strict and often conflicting deadlines An ability to work collaboratively across many departments and develop and maintain positive and supportive working relationships A flexible attitude towards duties and working patterns to fulfil the requirements of the role Very high standards with exceptional attention to detailThe role is all year round (not term time only) and will commence January 2025 and on completion of pre-employment checks. #