Grounds Supervisor

Summary

Directly supervises and coordinates activities of workers engaged in landscaping or grounds keeping activities.  Work may involve reviewing contracts to ascertain service, machine, and workforce requirements; answering inquiries from potential customers regarding methods, material, and price ranges; and preparing estimates according to labor, material, and machine costs.  Utilizes familiarity with a variety of the field’s concepts, practices, and procedures.  Relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals.  Performs a variety of complicated tasks.  Works under intermittent supervision.  Directs and leads the work of others.  Spends 80% or more of work time on supervisory/managerial duties.  Exercises a high degree of creativity and latitude.  Typically reports to a manager or head of a unit/department, such as a Grounds Manager.

Examples of Work

Job functions are specific duties that would be included in the essential functions of the job description.  These functions are not all-inclusive nor do they cover the full extent of the duties performed.

• Establish and enforce operating procedures and work standards that will ensure adequate performance and personnel safety
• Inspect completed work to ensure conformance to specifications, standards, and contract requirements
• Direct activities of workers who perform duties such as landscaping, cultivating lawns, or pruning trees and shrubs
• Schedule work for crews, depending on work priorities, crew or equipment availability, or weather conditions
• Plant or maintain vegetation through activities such as mulching, fertilizing, watering, mowing, or pruning
• Monitor project activities to ensure that instructions are followed, deadlines are met, and schedules are maintained
• Train workers in tasks such as transplanting or pruning trees or shrubs, finishing cement, using equipment, or caring for turf
• Provide workers with assistance in performing duties as necessary to meet deadlines
• Inventory supplies of tools, equipment, or materials to ensure that sufficient supplies are available and items are in usable condition
• Confer with other supervisors to coordinate work activities with those of other departments or units
• Perform personnel-related activities, such as hiring workers, evaluating staff performance, or taking disciplinary actions when performance problems occur
• Direct or perform mixing or application of fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides
• Review contracts or work assignments to determine service, machine, or workforce requirements for jobs
• Maintain required records, such as personnel information or project records
• Prepare or maintain required records, such as work activity or personnel reports
• Order the performance of corrective work when problems occur and recommend procedural changes to avoid such problems
• Identify diseases or pests affecting landscaping and order appropriate treatments
• Investigate work-related complaints to verify problems and to determine responses
• Direct or assist workers engaged in the maintenance or repair of equipment, such as power tools or motorized equipment
• Install or maintain landscaped areas, performing tasks such as removing snow, pouring cement curbs, or repairing sidewalks
• Perform administrative duties, such as authorizing leaves or processing time sheets
• Recommend changes in working conditions or equipment use to increase crew efficiency
• Confer with managers or landscape architects to develop plans or schedules for landscaping maintenance or improvement
• Negotiate with customers regarding fees for landscaping, lawn service, or grounds keeping work
• Answer inquiries from current or prospective customers regarding methods, materials, or price ranges
• Prepare service estimates based on labor, material, and machine costs and maintain budgets for individual projects
• Tour grounds, such as parks, botanical gardens, cemeteries, or golf courses, to inspect conditions of plants and soil
• Design or supervise the installation of sprinkler systems, calculating water pressure, or valve and pipe coverage needs

Education and Experience

High school diploma (or equivalent) and two (2) years of experience in the field or in a related area

Licensure and Certification

Driver license may be required (if duties dictate)

Supervision

• Works under intermittent supervision
• Directly supervises and coordinates work activities of others (2.0 FTE or greater)

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