Grounds Operations Supervisor

Occupying three beautiful campuses (Whiteknights, with its early 19th century planned landscape, London Road with its formal gardens and ceremonial Great Hall, and Greenlands, Henley-on-Thames, with its riverside garden landscape) the unique “University within a Park” setting of the University of Reading is an inspiring place to come to work.

With such a varied range of habitats, gardens and other offsite properties, there is an ever changing cycle of grounds maintenance tasks carried out by the Grounds Maintenance Team here at Reading. As well as being responsible for the management and maintenance of the grounds surrounding the academic teaching and research buildings, we also care for a significant collection of trees, meadows, woodlands an expansive lake and the university SportsPark pitches.

The Grounds Operations Supervisor is a working position with an allocated maintenance area the post will deputise for any Senior Gardener within the Team and the Deputy Head of Grounds as required.

This post is predominantly based at Whiteknights Campus but you will be expected to adapt to the core hours of other areas when required. Please use the Apply button above to read further information about this role including the full job description and person specification.

You will be:

• Able to provide positive leadership, instruction and direction to team members, contractors and others where required
• Adaptable, able to change plans and take charge of other teams at short notice
• Abel to operate and demonstrate to other staff a range of grounds maintenance equipment and tasks
• A champion for H&S with demonstrable experience and ideally an IOSH level qualification
• Able to plan and schedule  grounds maintenance tasks
• Able to undertake all lifting and manual tasks associated with the role
• Competent in basic office IT

You will have:

• An unlimited UK valid driving licence enabling you to drive light vans
• GCSE or equivalent pass grade in English Language
• A qualification  in grounds maintenance  or related subject (NVQ level 2/3)
• Previous experience of managing a range of amenity and biodiverse areas
• Previous experience of managing grounds maintenance teams
• A range of NPTC/ LANTRA certificates of machine and pesticide use competence                                                     

Closing date: 09/06/24

Interviews will be held: 19/06/24

Informal contact details:                                                                                  
Contact role: Head of Grounds Maintenance                                                      
Contact name: Rupert Taylor                                                                               
Contact phone: 0784 3344513 (Office hours only and no voice mail please)     
Contact email:r. taylor@reading.ac.uk                                                             

Alternative informal contact details:
Contact role: Deputy Head of Grounds Maintenance
Contact name: Lucy Jellis
Contact phone: (Office hours only and no voice mail please)
Contact email: .j.jellis@reading.ac.uk

Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. By reference to the applicable SOC code for this role, sponsorship may be possible under the Skilled Worker Route.  Applicants should ensure that they are able to meet the points requirement under the PBS.  There is further information about this on the UK Visas and Immigration Website.

The University is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce, supports the gender equality Athena SWAN Charter and the Race Equality Charter, and is a leading LGBT+ rights organisation. We are also a Disability Confident Level 1 employer Applications for job-share, part-time and flexible working arrangements are welcomed and will be considered in line with business needs.

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