Skilled Groundsperson

Are you a turf professional with a passion for precision? We are seeking a Skilled Groundsperson to help maintain our school’s prestigious estate and high quality sporting surfaces.

In this role, you aren’t just maintaining grass; You will use your expertise to assess pitch playability, ensure athlete safety, and deliver surfaces that inspire excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Sports Turf & Facilities 

• Pitch Preparation: Execute expert renovation and preparation of natural and artificial surfaces for Rugby, Football, Cricket, Netball, Tennis and Hockey.

• Golf Course Care: Maintain our school golf course, specifically focusing on the high-level care of greens and fairways.

• Assessment & Liaison: Proactively assess pitch readiness and safety, coordinating directly with the Grounds Manager/Deputy Grounds Manager and coaching staff to ensure fixtures run smoothly.

• Machinery Expertise: Safely operate and adjust a wide range of equipment, from tractors and ride-on mowers to cylinder mowers.

Estates, Gardens & Horticulture

• Landscape Upkeep: Care for formal lawns, ornamental hedges, trees, and flower beds to ensure the estate looks its best year-round.

• Infrastructure & Water: Maintain ditches and drains; assist with the upkeep of fences, gates, and pathways.

• Seasonal Response: Seasonal clearance efforts, including autumn leaf management and winter snow/ice removal to keep the campus safe.

Operations & Team Support

• Event Logistics: Support major school events (Speech Day, Charity Events) through setup, teardown, and match-day traffic management.

• Safety & Standards: Maintain a clean, safe environment, strictly adhering to Health & Safety policies and ensuring all machinery is kept in top working order.

• Collaborative Spirit: Work independently when required, while contributing to a weekend duty rotation to support our busy sports schedule.

About You

To excel in this role, you will need to be a dedicated team player who takes immense pride in their work. We are looking for:

• Industry Expertise: Proven experience in sports turf maintenance (Natural and Synthetic).

• Technical Skill: High proficiency in operating and adjusting modern grounds machinery.

• Communication: The ability to provide expert assessments to stakeholders and work effectively within a team.

• Reliability: A disciplined approach to time management and the flexibility to support weekend fixtures.

Cranleigh offers a supportive community environment and also a wide range of benefits. 

For further details about the role, please see the job description below.

To apply, please click on the yellow ‘Apply Now’ button in the top right corner.

Candidates are requested to submit a brief letter of application (no more than one side of A4), together with the online application and supported by a full CV (via the ‘Apply now’ button) as soon as possible and no later than 9:00 am 13/03/2026. Applications are considered as they are received and therefore the vacancy may close sooner than advertised.

Cranleigh School recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds.

All applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. 

The post holder will be subject to a DBS check.

Job Profile

About us

Cranleigh aims to educate children in a truly holistic sense, providing every opportunity for pupils to discover and nurture their talents and passions. We want every pupil in our care to flourish. Above all, we want Cranleighans to go out into the world as Thinking, Being, Giving individuals.

• Thinking: reflects our style of teaching which aims to provide pupils with a questioning mindset and the skills to think and problem solve.

• Being: is who we are and how we are. Our culture aims to nurture in pupils the core human qualities that enable communities to thrive and support one another

• Giving: is our hope that Cranleighans grow to recognise their privilege and go out into the world ready to give back and help to create meaningful change.

Our core values of service, leadership, relationships and excellence underpin all elements of boarding life and education. In the classroom, on the sports field, in the rehearsal studios and creative spaces, we uphold a desire to nurture students with a sense of self-belief supported by a strong moral compass.