Ground Maintenance Operative

Job title: Ground Maintenance Operative
Job Category: Manual Labour
Hours per week: 35
Location: Southern Housing
Pay: £14.10 per hour
DBS required

Mon -Fri 35 hours a week 8am-3pm with 1 hour unpaid Lunch break

Grounds Maintenance Operative
Estate Services is at the frontline of the housing service and the first and most frequent point of contact for all our residents. Sometimes the Estate Services function is the only experience our customers have of Southern. This role is responsible for the appearance of our external communal green and amenity spaces. As part of our gardening team, you will be maintaining our grassed areas, shrubs, flowerbeds, and hedges.
Our vision is to create communities where everyone has a safe home in a place where they’re proud to live. We’re big and we’re local. Residents are at the heart of all we and we use our size to influence positive change in the areas where we operate.
It’s also about living our values which are at the HEART of what we do. All colleagues are expected to demonstrate a commitment to our values through their behaviours, actions and words on a daily basis. As a valued member of the Southern Housing Team, you’ll embrace our Values to inspire others as well as yourself to be
• Honest
• Efficient
• Accountable
• Respectful
• Trusted
You’ll demonstrate our HEART values in your behaviours. You’ll:
• Be authentic, open and transparent in your actions and words
• Believe that by working together we accomplish more, and work hard every day to improve services, efficiency, and value for money.
• Take responsibility for delivering excellence and own your own actions.
• Embrace difference, and put our residents, colleagues and our partners are at the heart of all you do.
• Do what you say you will and be relied upon to keep your promises.
And, of course, show commitment to our approach to Equality Diversity & Inclusion, Health & Safety, Compliance and Code of Conduct policies and practices within Southern Housing.
The role
Reporting to our local Estate Services Manager you will be expected to deliver a consistently high-quality gardening and grounds maintenance service. You will be provided with tools and machinery to help you undertake your tasks and we will supply you with a new uniform, safety boots and personal protective equipment. You will need to have the ability to work outside in all weathers and be able to undertake physically demanding work.
The location
Our gardening teams work from our local estates and hubs across our area of operation.
What you’ll be doing:
• Carry out a range of tasks required for grounds maintenance including, but not limited to, weeding, dead heading, hoeing, planting, pruning, cutting, and watering communal beds.
• Cut and maintain lawns and grass areas to a variety of finishes (fine to rough meadow type) using a variety of machines, including pedestrian operated, tractors & ride-on mowers, strimmer’s and brush cutters, and including fertilizer and pesticide application.
• Use and operate a variety of tools, machinery, and equipment, in accordance with Group and manufacturers guidelines, in order to fulfil duties.
• Plan and execute small scale landscaping operations, as directed, to enhance the appearance of our communal grounds.
• Remove leaves, moss and snow as required, and apply salt/ grit as directed.
• Respond promptly to acts of vandalism, including graffiti, and report all incidents to the neighbourhood hub.
• On the job supervision and coaching of apprentices / trainees from time to time as directed
• Report any repairs or defects in communal areas to maintenance department/ line manager and follow up actions as required.
• Report suspected breaches of the tenancy agreement / lease to the Housing Services Manager e.g., anti-social behaviour, subletting, rubbish dumping, items left in communal areas etc.
• Provide cover in the absence of other colleagues.
• Be a point of contact for residents, assist where possible or refer enquiries to colleagues.
• Be aware of vulnerable customers and, where appropriate, highlight their needs to your line manager / Housing Team
• Act in a friendly, polite, and professional way at all times, even when challenged by residents or visitors to the estate.
• Understand your responsibilities as an employee under Health and Safety legislation.
• Always adopt a safe system of work, using all safety clothing and equipment which is provided and generally taking responsibility for your own safety.
• No role profile can cover every issue which may arise within the post at various times and the postholder is expected to carry out other duties from time to time, which are broadly consistent with those described.
What you’ll need:
Essential
• Experience of undertaking gardening / ground maintenance duties
• Experience of working in small teams
• Basic knowledge and understanding of health and safety considerations as they apply to this role.
• Valid UK driving licence with category C1 and ability to drive company vehicles as and when required.