Groundskeeper Crew

ASHEVILLE CITY SCHOOLS JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: GROUNDSKEEPER

JOB STATUS: Full Time

CONTACT: Tim.Shelton@acsgmail.net

GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

An employee in this class uses a variety of tools and equipment to maintain grounds including planting, cultivating, spraying, pruning, and cutting plants, trees, shrubs, grass, and flowers, and provides on-site leadership. This employee determines the care and treatment necessary to maintain grounds in good condition. To assure an attractive and orderly landscape, non-routine problems concerning the selection, placement, care, and treatment of plants are referred to a supervisor or nursery dealer for advice. Errors may be quickly revealed, or may only be revealed upon loss of plant life, and may be expensive. Limited supervision is given. The employee serves as a lead worker in providing direction to crew members.

Reports to the Director of Property Management.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Cuts lawns, trims and edges.

Prunes shrubs and trees to shape and improve growth. Removes damaged leaves, branches, or twigs.

Sprays lawns, plants, shrubs, and trees with fertilizer, herbicides, and pesticides, using hand or automatic sprayer.

Conditions and prepares soils and transplants or plants seeds, seedlings or bulbs according to instructions and planned design of landscaped area.

Plants grass, flowers, trees, and shrubs following sketches and designs when available. Waters lawns, shrubs, and flowers.

Maintains paths or road surfaces.

Performs ground maintenance duties, using tractor equipped with attachments, such as mowers, lime or fertilizer spreaders, lawn roller, and snow removal equipment, and operates heavy power equipment.

Drives and transports tractor and ground maintenance equipment. Makes minor repairs to mowers and other equipment.

Sharpens tools. Trains employees.

Assigns work to crew members. Observes work in progress.

Gives directions for corrections as needed.

Reports outstanding or unsatisfactory work and behavior to supervisors.

Ability to coordinate the efforts of a group of employees. Ability to train other workers.

Ability to provide leadership to employees in this class.

SUGGESTED TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

Considerable experience in the care and maintenance of plants, trees, flowers, and shrubs.

This employee must hold an appropriate North Carolina drivers license for the weight and type of vehicles operated as required by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Performs a variety of landscape maintenance duties including watering, mowing, weeding, trimming, renovating and fertilizing lawns.

• Works in planting, watering and maintaining landscaped areas consisting of bushes, trees, flowers and shrubs.

• Participates in trimming and pruning bushes, trees, and shrubs.

• Rake leaves and clear debris from walks, fields, courts and other facilities.

• Empty trash receptacles and transport rubbish to the local landfill.

• Assist in applying herbicides, fungicides and pesticides safely.

• Assists and participates in preparing and maintaining athletic fields and related facilities.

• Assist in preparation and installation of auxiliary classrooms and school buildings.

• Learn to operate park maintenance equipment such as dump trucks, backhoes, front loaders, and power tools such as mowers, edgers and blowers.

• Utilize proper safety precautions related to all work performed.

• Learn methods, techniques and tools and the operational characteristics of mechanical equipment used in the preparation and maintenance of landscaped grounds.

• Learn methods and techniques used in the application of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides.

• Lift heavy objects and perform heavy manual labor.

• Understand and follow oral and written instructions.

• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

• Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

ADDITIONAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• May help secure buildings on an as-needed basis.

• May lift and/or move furniture, equipment and supplies for meetings, special school events.

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

Graduation from high school with considerable experience in groundskeeping work; or an equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate machinery and equipment associated with grounds maintenance. Must be able to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 25 pounds of force frequently, and up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are for heavy work.

Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural or composite characteristics (whether similar or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.

Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving instructions, assignments or directions to subordinates or assistants.

Language Ability: Requires the ability to read simple forms. Requires the ability to prepare time sheets and supply requisitions using prescribed format.

Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagrammatic form; to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in or from standardized situations.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information , to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in standard English.

Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.

Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hand and eyes rapidly and accurately in using machinery and equipment.

Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items such as landscaping equipment. Must have acceptable levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.

Color Discrimination: Requires the ability to differentiate between colors or shades or color.

Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under minimal levels of stress.