Senior Trust Grounds Officer

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust operates 22 academy sites throughout Nottinghamshire, focussed on delivering high quality learning and teaching in a safe and nurturing environment.

Our Central Maintenance Team will shortly be expanding into grounds maintenance covering all 22 sites within the Trust and we are seeking to appoint a Senior Grounds Maintenance Officer to supervise day-to-day grounds maintenance operations who will deliver outstanding services to our schools.

The successful candidates will be enthusiastic, energetic, well-motivated individuals who can think outside of the box and use their initiative and experience to provide a first-class service to our schools and will have suitable, relevant experience in supervising grounds maintenance works across multiple sites with excellent attention to detail. They will be able to contribute towards the development of grounds maintenance plans and work with the Trust Director of Estates and facilities to ensure their implementation.

In return for your commitment, we offer:  

• A 37 hour working week Monday-Friday  
• Local work (Nottinghamshire) with occasional weekend work where required.  
• First-class grounds maintenance equipment and plant.  
• All PPE and workwear.  
• 25 days holiday per year + 8 Bank holidays.  
• A first-class index-linked pension.  
• Laptop and mobile telephone.  
• Excellent ongoing training and professional support in your career development.  
• Friendly and supportive local team.  
• Professional development into parallel roles including building maintenance and development.

You will work with the Director of Estates and Facilities reporting through the Trust Maintenance Manager to ensure 100% business and operational continuity at all times, supervising one Grounds Officer and one Trust Grounds Apprentice providing suitable training, as required. You will maintain appropriate procurement records, timesheets and other work records to ensure that accurate and timely information is passed to the Finance and Personnel teams for processing.

You will ensure that all sites and grounds are maintained and presented in a professional manner by delivering a rolling programme of grass cutting, tree work (felling and processing trees up to 380mm), felling small trees up to 380mm inc. takedown of hung-up trees using hand tools, felling medium trees (380 – 760mm diameter), cutting of hedges, planting, pruning, bed maintenance, weed control, strimming, pest control. You will operate and maintain grounds plant including tractors, mowers, brush cutters and trimmers, chainsaws and crosscutters, handheld pesticide applicators and rotary atomisers), woodchippers, stump grinders etc.

Experience, Qualifications and Knowledge  

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in horticulture and grounds maintenance and hold a recognised qualification e.g. BTEC NPCT, C&G Land-based or Environmental Services, NPTC qualifications or equivalent in use of plant machinery.  
• Experience of maintaining sand and crumb-based artificial surfaces (2G,3G,4G).  
• Full UK driver’s licence with suitable trailer towing category.  
• PA1 / PA6a Pesticides Certificate.  
• Experience in the use of ride-on and pedestrian grass cutting machinery along with other regularly used grounds maintenance equipment such as hedge cutters, strimmers and blowers.  
• Knowledge of machinery repair is a distinct advantage.  
• Excellent IT skills.  
• Familiarity with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 2002.  
• Responsibilities  
• Have a good working knowledge of Health & safety related to landscaping activities, ensuring all works are carried out safely.  
• Supervise the work of one Grounds Officer and one Trust Grounds Apprentice providing suitable training, as required.  
• Ensure that all works, and projects are carried out within timescales as agreed with the Trust Maintenance Manager.  
• Be a positive influence on the climate and culture of the Trust, support the Catholic Ethos and be a positive example at all times.

For an informal discussion about the role and our schools please contact Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust directly. Director of Estates, Dave Burrough, d.burrough@ololcatholicmat.co.uk

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all staff to share this commitment. An enhanced DBS check and other pre-employment checks are required for successful applicants.

We value equality and diversity and welcome applications from all sectors of the community who are supportive of the school’s Catholic character and Christian ethos.

About Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust brings together the 21 Catholic Primary and Secondary schools in Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire.  Our priority is to ensure the very best Catholic Education for all young people in our community, whatever their circumstances. We will achieve this together, through a strategic approach to sharing best practice, effective challenge and support from a central standards and performance team and opportunities for high quality Continuing Professional Development offered by the CMAT’s teaching school, The Nottingham Catholic Teaching School Alliance.

Why work for the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust?  

• Access to first class CPD opportunities.  
• Genuine opportunities for career progression – with 21 academies in our family, and 84 academies across the Diocese, opportunities for career progression are a reality.  
• Professional assistance – you will have access to an Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential, independent and unbiased information and guidance 24/7. If clinically advisable, it also offers face-to-face counselling sessions.  
• Pension – automatic enrolment into the Teachers’ Pension Scheme with 23.68% employer contributions, or to the Local Government Pension Scheme for support staff, one of the most competitive on the market, with employer contributions of above 20% in most cases.  
• Terms and Conditions – we have committed to following nationally agreed terms and conditions for pay for both teachers and support staff.

For more information about our Trust and our vacancies, please visit www.ololcatholicmat.co.uk/vacancies

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