Groundsperson

Kingston upon Thames

Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Hours: 40 hours per week

Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience + benefits package

Are you a skilled grounds professional with a passion for creating high-quality sporting surfaces? Do you have the experience to work alongside and lead another groundsperson in maintaining high-quality cricket squares and football pitches?

Glendale is seeking an experienced and motivated Groundsperson to join our award-winning team, overseeing key sites within our Kingston upon Thames contract. This is a fantastic opportunity to take responsibility for high-quality sports surfaces and join a company that genuinely invests in its people and offers clear career progression.

About the Role

As our new Groundsperson, you will be responsible for the hands-on preparation and maintenance of the contract's cricket squares and football pitches, ensuring they are consistently presented to a high standard. You will lead and mentor one other team member, planning daily operations and acting as a key point of contact for clients and sports clubs.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Management

• Lead, mentor, and motivate one other team member to achieve high standards.

• Plan and delegate daily and weekly work schedules, ensuring efficient and timely completion of all tasks.

• Develop and maintain excellent communication with client representatives and sports clubs.

• Ensure all work is performed in compliance with health and safety legislation.

• Maintain all machinery, vehicles, and equipment in good working order, reporting any faults.

Sports Pitch Management (Cricket & Football)

• Cricket Squares:

• Oversee and perform the full spectrum of pitch preparation, including mowing, rolling, marking, and scarifying to ensure a high-quality playing surface.

• Manage the turf throughout the playing season with regular mowing, watering, aeration, and feeding schedules.

• Conduct comprehensive end-of-season renovations, including seeding, topdressing, and overseeding, to prepare for the following season.

• Football Pitches:

• Carry out precise and accurate line marking for all matches and training sessions.

• Maintain the pitches through a programme of mowing, aeration, and fertilisation to promote healthy turf and prevent soil compaction.

• Ensure the safe setup, dismantling, and storage of goalposts and other pitch equipment.

Athletics & Event Preparation

• Perform accurate line marking for various athletics facilities, including multi-lane running tracks and field event areas.

• Prepare all necessary ground surfaces for seasonal events, such as school sports days, ensuring they are safe, clearly marked, and ready for use.

General Maintenance & Duties

• Assist with the upkeep of other sports surfaces and general landscaped areas across the contract as required.

• Conduct routine checks and basic maintenance on all grounds machinery and equipment, ensuring it is clean, safe, and in good working order.

• Uphold all health and safety standards on-site, reporting any potential hazards promptly.

About You

We are looking for a dedicated individual with a meticulous eye for detail and a proven track record in fine turf management.

Essential Criteria:

• Significant experience in maintaining high-quality fine turf surfaces, particularly cricket squares and football pitches.

• Proven supervisory or leadership experience.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to liaise effectively with colleagues, clients, and the public.

• A thorough understanding of relevant Health and Safety legislation.

• A full, clean UK driving licence is required.

Desirable Criteria:

• Qualifications in sports turf management (e.g., from the Grounds Management Association).

• PA1 & PA6 spraying certificates.

• Experience towing trailers.

What Glendale Can Offer You

• Competitive salary and company sick pay.

• Incremental annual leave.

• Free gym membership for you and a nominated person.

• Employee health cash plan.

• Employee discount portal (discounts on travel, high street vouchers, cinema tickets, and more).

• Cycle to Work scheme.

• Pension scheme.

• Genuine opportunities for training, development, and career progression.

About Glendale

Glendale, a winner of the BALI Employer of the Year award, is one of the largest green space management service providers in the UK, with revenues of £45 million. We specialise in tree care, grounds maintenance, and landscaping. As a business with green thinking at its core since 1989, we are proud to be at the forefront of managing and maintaining the green environment.