Gardener/Groundsperson

Salary: £24,685.00 - £24,685.00 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 05 February 2026

The Role

We are looking for enthusiastic, positive individuals to join our dedicated grounds team to assist in the maintenance and development of the gardens, grounds and sports facilities with the aim of providing an attractive, clean and safe environment for all to work and live in. This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys working outdoors and takes pride in maintaining tidy and well-presented grounds.

This is a full time role working 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday. To ensure full cover across our core hours, we operate a staggered start and finish system. Your working day will begin between 7am and 8.30am and finish between 3pm and 4.30pm depending on which team you are in. Occasional overtime may be required during peak periods. You may be based at either Cochrane Park Sports Ground or the City Centre Campus.

We welcome applicants who bring a positive outlook and a strong sense of teamwork.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

A friendly, polite, and courteous manner A strong work ethic and willingness to learn The ability to work effectively within a small team Enjoyment of outdoor work in all weather conditions A tidy, organised approach to tasks and pride in creating well-kept environments

Experience in a similar role is helpful, but not necessary. If you bring enthusiasm and a willingness to learn, we will support you with full training. If you're someone who thrives outdoors and enjoys hands-on work with immediate visual impact, this role could be a great fit. Full UK driving license is essential, a DVLA declaration and health surveillance will be required.

Please upload your CV, if you do not have a CV, ensure you complete the education and employment history sections of the application form in full.

To find out more information about the role, please contact Dean Murray, Assistant Grounds Manager via [email protected] or 07526 200 356

Key Accountabilities

General grounds maintenance tasks such as grass cutting, litter picking hedge trimming, weeding and planting. Assist in winter maintenance program by clearing snow and ice from paths and roads in winter by hand and by machine. Drive a range of University vehicles across multiple sites. Empty external litter bins when required Select and safely use a range of powered machinery to carry out daily tasks Demonstrate excellent customer service skills on a daily basis. Ensure of a clear understanding of general and in-house health and safety rules and regulations. Complete all mandatory and specialist training courses identified by the Grounds Manager to facilitate safe working to the required standards.

The Person (Essential)

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Full UK drivers’ licence that allows a wide range of vehicles to be driven including vans. Personable with good communication skills. Positive attitude to delivering excellent customer service. Experienced user of horticultural machinery OR Willingness to learn (training available provided you have a Full UK driving licence **). Understanding of legislation relating to Health and Safety e.g. risk assessments and COSHH assessments. An understanding of plant ID knowledge. (Desirable)

Attributes and Behaviour

Able to carry out demanding tasks, often in extremes of weather. Willingness to carry out paid overtime on occasion to meet business need i.e. special events or times of peak demand. Willingness to attend internal and externally provided courses and apply the knowledge gained at these courses. Plans workload and tasks in a systematic way to ensure time is used effectively. Uses initiative to solve problems. Sees other departments and colleagues as ‘customers’ and follows through on their enquires and requests delivering high quality results in a timely manner. Willing to help others, share workloads and get involved with team tasks.

Qualifications

Full UK driving licence** Level 2 qualification in horticulture or landscape management (Desirable) NPTC PA1 and PA6 (Desirable) NPTC in Chainsaw, Maintenance and Cross Cutting (Desirable)

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.

Requisition ID: 29024