CITY OF BENTON

Grounds Superintendent

Job Description

Job Title: Grounds Superintendent

Department: Parks & Recreation

Classification: Non-Exempt

Reports to: Assistant Director of Parks & Recreation

EEO Category: Full-time

Pay Grade: $46,633.92 - $69,430.89

                    $22.42 - $33.38 per hour

Summary

The Parks & Recreation Grounds Superintendent is responsible for developing, planning, and coordinating ground care and landscaping of all city parks and facilities within the City Parks system.  The Grounds Superintendent will work closely with the Parks and Recreation Director and Assistant Director to ensure park facilities are maintain at the highest quality. Position is deemed essential personnel and safety sensitive.

Essential Duties

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each of the following Essential Duties satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties of the position:

• Supervise, develop, train, and evaluate Grounds, Spray tech and Horticulturist staff.
• Must be able to oversee and organize work and staffing for weekend activities such as but not limited to special events, tournaments, leagues and city events;
• Coordinates activities by scheduling work assignments, setting priorities, and directing the work of direct reports in the performance of general maintenance of grounds and building, such as mowing, cleaning, painting, trash removal, etc.
• Maintains records, prepares reports, and composes correspondence relative to the work.
• Orders departmental supplies, materials, and equipment as necessary and needed by the crew to maintain the grounds.
• Oversees the schedule and daily maintenance and needs of athletic fields daily.
• Directs the use and maintenance of ground equipment.
• Monitors and schedules fleet vehicles and turf equipment for required maintenance.
• Directs the care of lawns, shrubs, trees, rubbish, trash removal and insect control.
• Informs Assistant Parks & Recreation Director of any damage or repair needs for equipment.
• Performs minor maintenance on tools and equipment.
• Performs daily maintenance and cleaning of all equipment.
• Oversee time sheets and attendance before submitting to Assistant Parks & Recreation Director.
• Assist in Project management of new projects at Parks Facilities.
• Direct report for Mowing Contract.
• Must be able to receive, respond and investigate complaints regarding parks grounds;
• Assists departmental employees in the field as necessary.
• Operates a City vehicle.
• May perform any duties of the department in the absence of personnel.
• Available to work nights, weekends, Overtime, Holidays and City events as needed or scheduled.
• Ability to work with other City departments Parks sub-departments to complete task effectively;
• Other duties as assigned.

This job description and the enumerated Essential Duties are intended to provide general guidelines for job expectations and the employees’ ability to perform the position described. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned or assumed by the incumbent as necessary to fulfill the requirements of the position.

Supervisor Responsibility

The position of Grounds Superintendent is responsible for the supervision of twelve (12) full-time, four (4) part-time, and four (4) seasonal department employees and carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the Company’s policies and applicable laws, ensuring adherence to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) guidelines. The position performs personnel actions, including performance appraisals and disciplinary actions, including discharges; interviews and selects candidates for employment; supervises the daily activities of the department, including, but not limited to, effectively delegating assignments, developing work schedules, and providing necessary training. The position demonstrates knowledge of and adherence to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policy; shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; promotes a working environment free of harassment of any type; and builds a diverse workforce.

Environment & Physical Activity

The incumbent will spend some of the time performing this position in a professional office-type setting. The incumbent, while performing this position, spends time writing, keyboarding, speaking, listening, driving, seeing (such as close, color and peripheral vision, depth perception and adjusted focus), sitting, pulling, walking, standing, squatting, kneeling and reaching. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud. The employee is occasionally exposed to work near moving mechanical parts, work in high, precarious places, outdoor weather conditions, wet or humid conditions, extreme cold, extreme heat, vibration, and exposure to fumes, dust, toxic or caustic chemicals. The position requires regularly driving a motorized vehicle. 

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is continuously required to talk or hear; frequently required to walk, sit, reach with hands and arms; and frequently required to stand, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision; and color vision.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Mental Demands

The incumbent must perform detailed work. He/she must be able to read and understand documents, instruments, and highly technical reports; perform detailed work; and problem solve. Incumbent must be able to effectively manage deadlines, multiple concurrent tasks, and constant interruptions. He/she shall conduct departmental services/operations in a professional, effective and efficient manner. Incumbent shall schedule work activities during employee’s absences (due to sick/vacation time) and distribute workflow appropriately. Incumbent must be able to work in a constant state of alertness and concentrate for long periods of time and foster a quality work environment by building employee trust and confidence.

Safety Sensitive

This position is designated as a safety sensitive position because it requires the regular handling chemicals, highly sensitive and confidential City and customer information, as well as operating a motor vehicle on a routine basis. Performing this job in a discreet and professional manner always requires alertness. Any lapse of attention could have a significant financial impact on the City and its customers, or on others while operating a motor vehicle.

minimum requirement & Competencies

Basic experience, knowledge and training in Parks & Recreation typically resulting from a combination of education or years of experience in Parks or Recreation or the equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of the positions.

Basic Qualifications:

• High school diploma, or equivalent, required.
• Valid Arkansas Driver’s License, required.
• Five (5) years of groundskeeping maintenance experience, required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Turf Management, preferred.
• Current American Red Cross Certification preferred or must be able to obtain certification within six (6) months of employment.
• Class 10 or 4 and EPA Plant Board Certifications preferred or must be able to obtain certification within six (6) months of employment.
• CPRP Certification preferred or must be able to obtain certification within six (6) months of employment.
• Certified Playground Safety Inspector preferred or must be able to obtain certification within six (6) months of employment.
• RPZ (Backflow Prevention Assembly Testing) Certification preferred or must be able to obtain certification within six (6) months of employment.
• Certified Landscape Irrigation Technician preferred or must be able to obtain certification within six (6) months of employment.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of turf management.
• Knowledge of budget processes.
• Knowledge of management principles and practices.
• Knowledge of planting and maintaining vegetations, landscaping duties, and pesticide applications;
• Knowledge of heavy equipment operation;
• Knowledge of equipment maintenance;
• Knowledge of health & safety practices and regulations;
• Basic MS Office skills;

Skills

• Energetic personality with strong interpersonal communication skills.
• Skill in supervising personnel, services, and operations.
• Skill in communication orally and in writing.
• Skill in organization and scheduling of work activities.
• Skill in technical/regulatory/safety issues related to department functions.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Skill in operation of personal computer and MS Word.
• Skill in operation of City vehicle to perform essential functions.
• Strong sense of ownership and initiative, collaborative and flexible attitude.

Abilities

• Ability to communicate in a positive, friendly manner to employees, supervisor, coworkers, clients, etc. at all times.
• Ability to provide effective leadership/supervision to personnel, and services/operations.
• Ability to develop policies/procedures to ensure safe, efficient operations of facility.
• Ability to develop and accurately maintain departmental records as mandated or necessary.

Acknowledgement

Management reserves the right to change this job description at any time according to business needs. This document does not represent a contract of employment and is not meant to alter the at-will status of employee’s employment in any way. The City of Benton reserves the right to change this job description and/or assign tasks for the employee to perform, at any time, with or without notice, as it may deem appropriate.

Employee Name: ____________________________________

Employee Signature: _________________________________

Date: ________________