Position Details
Estates
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £24,368 to £25,876
Grade: 3
Full Time, Permanent
Closing date: 20th February 2025
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.
We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.
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 a pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.
Background
The University of Birmingham has a large and diverse estate with a 250 acre Edgbaston Campus and an 80 acre Selly Oak Campus. Our landscape is diverse, ranging from formal public spaces and enclosed gardens to open park land and sports fields. As part of the University’s Estates Office, Grounds and Gardens is a 35 strong team providing a highly professional maintenance and landscaping service.
Role Summary
The post holder will carry out amenity horticultural grounds maintenance and landscaping works to a high standard utilising a wide range of equipment and machinery, often as part of a team.
Main Duties
* Carry out a range of straightforward horticultural and grounds activities within a routine or established process in compliance with the University Performance Quality Standards. This involves amenity grounds maintenance works around various campus sites, gardens and external sport facilities including grass cutting and turf maintenance, soil and site preparation, pitch marking, planting shrubs, laying turf, hedge cutting and some tree and shrub pruning.
* Assist in maintaining a clean Campus including removal of litter and debris.
* Operate horticultural machinery according to standard processes, including driving vehicles, vans, road sweepers, tractors etc and power-take-off driven equipment.
* Apply products/chemicals as directed as per manufacturer specification in relation to health and safety legislation as directed.
* Carry out straightforward routine record keeping, for example, daily records and timesheets.
* Provide basic, routine supervision and guidance to Grounds Operatives and new staff.
* Receive and respond courteously and helpfully to everyday enquiries from customers (staff, students, visitors and colleagues). Where the enquiry is outside the post-holder’s own knowledge or experience, refer it to the Team Leader or appropriate person, to provide a timely and effective service, and promote a positive image of Estates and the University.
* Participate in the Emergency call out system as required for snow and ice clearing, storm damage and other emergencies.
* Carry out basic equipment and vehicle maintenance. Comply with relevant procedures, including those covering health and safety.
* Inform supervisor of stock levels for low value supplies to ensure stock is available to meet work unit requirements.
* All works are carried out in compliance with Grounds and Gardens Performance Quality Standards.
* Carry out such duties as are required from time to time commensurate with the grade of the post to assist the Grounds & Gardens Manager with sports and gardening operations.
Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience
* Extensive experience in professional grounds maintenance in a similar organisation or contractor.
* Experience of driving vans, tractors, road sweepers and similar.
* Experience of operating horticultural equipment.
* Full, clean driving license.
* Knowledge and ability to carry out straightforward horticultural and grounds work activities to the standard and timescales required.
* Ability to acquire new job relevant knowledge and skills including through short courses and other formal training.
* Ability to acquire necessary knowledge of the University. For example, site locations.
* Ability to prioritise and schedule varied ground maintenance and landscaping activities within the day, to fit them into broader grounds maintenance and landscaping routines.
* Ability to exchange straightforward information.
* Understand of and ability to apply relevant standard procedures, particularly those governing health and safety.
* Ability to provide basic routine supervision, guidance and advice to colleagues, new staff and casual staff.
* Willingness, skills and ability to communicate in a helpful and courteous manner with staff, students, visitors.
Desirable
* PA1 and PA6 Pesticide Proficiency Certificates.
* Certificates of Competence in use of horticultural machinery.
Dimensions
You will work as part of a team, with the need to coach others to achieve results. You may also need to delegate tasks to site operatives, casual staff and trainees.
Planning and Organising
You will have responsibility for planning which tasks to carry out when within an overall schedule of tasks.
Problem Solving and decision making
Without reference to others
* Prioritise the varied grounds maintenance and landscaping activities, deciding on the timing and sequencing of tasks within the day, to fit them into broader grounds maintenance and landscaping routines.
* Working under well-established and straightforward routines and regular supervision, decide how to undertake tasks.
* Daily prioritising and organising of routine tasks and carry out pre start checks and safety inspections on equipment and vehicles prior to use.
* Rectify machinery breakdowns, following health and safety practices.
* Carry out maintenance operations on a daily basis.
* Complete daily timesheets and other routine records.
After consulting others
* Resolve concerns and problems that arise during the work.
* Assist with new landscaping works.
* Non-routine maintenance and repair of equipment and machinery.
* Carry out maintenance operations to required standard as per quality levels.
Or that would be referred to someone else
* Inform supervisor of stock levels for low value supplies to ensure stock is available to meet work unit requirements.
* Significant non-routine machinery breakdowns and accident reports.
Internal and External relationships
You will interact with colleagues, managers and customers across the University.
Informal enquiries to David O'Driscoll, email: d.t.odriscoll@bham.ac.uk
View our staff values and behaviours here
We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.
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