Landscape and Grounds Operative

We are looking for an experienced Grounds Worker to join our team providing a full range of horticultural services to maintain and improve the soft landscape of our beautiful Canterbury campus.

You will work on turfed surfaces, trees, hedgerows, shrubs and sports facilities to maintain and improve a safe and pleasant environment for our students, staff and visitors and to enhance biodiversity on the campus. We are seeking someone who is keen to work as part of a multi-skilled team and continue learning new skills and improving our Grounds services.

The average working hours for this role are 35 hours per week, split into seasonal working: 

Summer: Monday to Thursday 8:00 to 16:30, Friday 8:00 to 14:30 (total 36.45 hours)

Winter: Monday to Wednesday 8:00 to 15:30, Thursday 8:00 to 15:00, Friday 8:00 to 14:00. (total 31.75 hours)

As a Landscape and Grounds Operative you can expect to be involved in:

Proactively carrying out work in line with the landscape specification document to ensure annual landscape maintenance occurs in a timely manner

Driving and operating University owned plant equipment, vehicles and equipment to carry out horticultural tasks around the estate in a safe and compliant manner

Working effectively with colleagues in the Grounds Team in order to ensure the best use of skills and experience to achieve the team’s objectives

Carrying out regular maintenance and project work to enhance the biodiversity of the campus and helping to deliver the implementation of the published Environmental Management System.

What will you bring to the role?

NVQ 2 or equivalent qualification/experience in related areas e.g. Horticulture, Sports Turf or Maintenance of amenity facilities

Full UK manual Driving Licence (you will be driving University vehicles and transporting equipment)

Proven experience of horticultural maintenance in a medium to large organisation

Knowledge of maintenance techniques and processes inherent in the upkeep of artificial and natural landscapes.

What we can offer in return:

As a member of our team, you can expect a friendly, open and collaborative working environment and support in your development and wellbeing. You'll enjoy a range of great staff benefits including:

• 43 days' leave per year (personal leave, bank holidays and additional days allocated for the Christmas period, pro rata for part-time staff)

• Excellent pension scheme with generous employer contributions

• Corporate employee-funded healthcare plan, in partnership with Benenden Health

For more information about what you can look forward to if you join us, visit our dedicated webpage: Working at Kent

We are ambitious for our people, our communities and the region we serve – join us in making the world a better place. Visit our website for more on who we are: http://www.kent.ac.uk/about/

Please see the links below to view the full job description and to apply for this post. For further information regarding the application process, please contact peopleserviceshr@kent.ac.uk quoting reference number EST-198-25.

Closing Date: 27 Mar 2025

Section: Operational

Salary: £22,443 to £23,581 per annum