Assistant Superintendent, Grounds

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Job Title:

Assistant Superintendent, Grounds

Job Family:

Service Workers

Full-Time/Part-Time:

Full time

Compensation Grade:

5H

Pay Type:

Hourly

Department:

Automotive, Custodial and Grounds Maintenance

Job Summary:

To coordinate work assignments and to maintain the grass, shrubbery, flowers, trees, and general appearance of the campus property.

Job Description:

Responsibilities :

1. Determines daily tasks schedules and priorities and assigns tasks to grounds-keepers.

2. Provides on-the-job training, daily supervision and directs the work of other groundskeepers assigned to similar tasks. Check in with employees multiple time a day.

3. Reviews employee performance with immediate supervisor, recommends discipline, increases, hiring and termination of employees.

4. Maintains the grass on campus property by:

• Mowing, using tractor mowers, push mowers.
• Operating weedeaters, edgers, clippers.
• Aerating, sodding, and seeding by using tractors, spreaders, tillers, etc.
• Watering grass using irrigation system, sprinklers and hoses.
• Picking up litter, limbs, dead animals, etc using shovel, stick, broom, hands.
• Spraying chemicals to kill weeds and treat diseases and to fertilize using backpack sprayer or tractor sprayer.
• Vacuuming or raking leaves using vacuum unit, rake or backpack leaf blower.
• Clearing lots (as needed) using bush hog.

5. Maintains shrubbery, plants, trees and flower beds by:

• Pruning flowers (roses), shrubs and trees using hand or gasoline powered shears, chainsaws and ladders or bucket truck as necessary.
• Planting flowers, shrubs and trees by using shovels, spades, backhoe, etc.
• Mulching and weeding shrubbery and flower beds.
• Spraying chemicals to kill weeds, diseases, or to fertilize plants using backpack or hand sprayer.
• Removing shrubs, flowers, tree stumps using backhoe, shovel and stump grinder.
• Trims limbs on campus trees using chainsaws, pole clippers and bucket truck.

6. Maintains cleanliness of walkways, parking lots and lake by:

• Blowing leaves and grass from the sidewalk/parking lot/road using backpack blower, push blowers, vacuum truck, tractor with blower attachment.
• Cleaning out storm drains by using shovels to remove leaves, sand and dirt.
• Maintaining the lake by skimming the water to remove debris, dead animals, etc. and by using the motor boat to trap and assist injured ducks and swans.
• Shoveling snow/ice from walkways as necessary.

7. Maintains grounds equipment by:

• Washing mowers, tractors, etc.
• Sharpening blades.
• Checking oil, fuel and filters for cleanliness or replacement.
• Repairs as needed

8. Determines appropriate treatment for plant/grass diseases.

9. Recommends supplies, materials and equipment for the job.

10. Maintains and repairs grounds irrigation systems by:

• Repairing broken sprinkler heads, valves, pipes, etc.

• Clearing blockages from valves and pipes.

• Inspecting and servicing automatic sprinkler control devices, electric and hydraulic systems and pumping systems.

11. Completes additional duties assigned by supervisor and follow safety procedures

12. Required to carry a cell phone and answer calls 24/7 (exceptions to be approved by supervisor)

13. Completes performance review process with supervisor/employees to understand job performance expectations and how they fit into the department and university goals.

14. Communicates openly and recognizes contributions of co-workers and supervisor.

15. Pursues professional development to keep pace with demands for services and information; including maintaining up to date information about the department and university.

Relationships :

Continuous contact with members of their own work unit and immediate supervisor for planning, coordinating, problem solving, presenting information and suggestions related to mutual goals. Parties generally have cooperative attitudes. Work with employees to reach common goals and fill in for absent team members

Frequent contact with outside vendors and students to exchange factual information and explanation of rules, regulations, practices or functions. Discussion of non-controversial matters.

Responsibility for Final Decisions :

Direct supervision of 3 - 10 employees.

Reviews work to ensure compliance with procedures and deadlines.

Spends time planning, scheduling, and assigning priorities of several ongoing assignments.

Tasks involve multiple procedures with interrelated processes or steps. Work involves choosing the appropriate option or procedure to follow and applying established rules and procedures.

Errors may be detected within the department or section in which they occur, but may affect the work of others within the unit to trace errors and make corrections.

Reports To : Superintendent of Grounds and Sports Turf

Work is performed independently on routine work, non-routine issues or questions are referred to the supervisor.

Education/Skill Requirements :

• High School with 6 - 7 years experience in related field.

• Ability to read and understand instructions for the use of machinery, chemicals and seed/fertilizer.

• Ability to calculate the amount of material needed/used for a task.

• Valid S.C. Drivers License.

• Must be able to obtain Pesticide license within one year of hire date.

• Experience in the operation of grounds tools/equipment.

• Ability to oversee others in completing a task and make recommendations for disciplining, hiring, and firing.

• Ability to work independently.

• Horticultural degree or equivalent experience preferred.

Work Conditions:

Work is performed primarily outside under variable weather conditions with daily exposure to noise, dust, heat, cold, dampness, dirt, chemicals and fumes.

Work requires:

• Frequent lifting grounds equipment into and out of pick up trucks. (i.e.: backpack

• blowers, sprayers, chainsaws, weedeaters, etc. up to 50 lbs.)

• Frequent reaching, bending, stooping when pruning shrubs, flowers and hedges.

• Frequent pushing mowers, blowers, edgers.

• Frequent driving/operating mowers/tractors, etc. using handles, foot pedals and hand levers.

• Frequent operating weedeaters by holding them above the ground and moving them back and forth while walking.

• Frequent recognizing disease problems to report to supervisor.

• Frequent lifting bags (up to 50 lbs) of seed, fertilizer, etc.

• Frequent using hand tools such as spades, clippers, shovels.

• Reachable by cell phone 24/7 (exceptions to be approved by supervisor)

Groundskeepers may be subject to call-back if there is an emergency, i.e.: tree down, irrigation line broken, injured duck or swan.

Education Requirements:

Certification Requirements:

Job Posting End Date (if date is blank, posting is open ended):