At A Glance
• Job Title: Contract Manager - Grounds Maintenance & Horticulture
• Location: Oxfordshire / West Berkshire - A34 Corridor
• Salary: £50,000 per annum
• Job Type: Full-Time
• Start Date: ASAP
• Sector: Grounds Maintenance & Horticulture
• Key Requirements: Proven experience in commercial grounds maintenance, strong client relationship skills, full UK driving licence
Please note - A full Clean UK Driving Licence is required for you to be considered for this position.
Role Overview
We are seeking an experienced Contract Manager to take responsibility for the successful delivery and ongoing development of a prestigious multi-site grounds maintenance and horticulture contract across the Oxfordshire and West Berkshire region.
The role covers three sites along the A34 corridor, including one substantial static site comprising approximately 350 acres of managed grounds, incorporating extensive lawns, amenity areas, flower beds and planted areas.
This is a highly client-focused position where relationship management, service quality and contract development are central to success. The role will broadly operate on a 60% client-facing / 40% team-facing basis, ensuring that client expectations are understood, works are effectively planned and the operational team has the resources, direction and support required to deliver consistently high standards.
The successful candidate will need a strong grounding in commercial grounds maintenance alongside sufficient horticultural and amenity turf knowledge to confidently manage the varied requirements of the contract. The approximate service mix is 80% general grounds maintenance and 20% horticulture / amenity management.
The Contract
The Contract Manager will oversee three commercial locations.
The principal site is a significant 350-acre estate requiring the management of:
- Amenity and formal lawns
- General grass maintenance
- Flower beds and planted areas
- Shrub and plant maintenance
- Seasonal horticultural works
- Weed and vegetation management
- Amenity turf maintenance
- General commercial grounds maintenance
The remaining two locations are standalone commercial grounds maintenance sites which also require a good understanding of horticultural maintenance and presentation standards.
The position will involve regular travel between the three locations, although the successful candidate will be home every night.
Key Responsibilities
Client & Contract Management -
- Develop and maintain strong, professional relationships with key client contacts across all three sites.
- Act as the principal point of contact for day-to-day contract matters, ensuring excellent levels of customer service and communication.
- Regularly meet with clients to review performance, upcoming works, priorities and opportunities for service improvement.
- Understand each client's expectations and ensure these are effectively communicated to the operational team.
- Proactively develop the contract by identifying opportunities to improve service delivery, presentation standards, efficiency and the overall client experience.
- Manage client queries or concerns professionally and ensure issues are resolved promptly.
- Produce and maintain accurate reports relating to completed works, scheduled activities, performance and contract requirements.
- Use the company's designated contract management and reporting systems to record works, monitor activity and provide clients with accurate information.
Operational Management -
- Plan and coordinate scheduled grounds maintenance and horticultural activities across all three sites.
- Ensure works are appropriately prioritised according to seasonal requirements, client expectations and operational needs.
- Monitor standards across the contract and ensure all work is delivered safely, efficiently and to the required specification.
- Maintain a strong visible presence across the sites while balancing operational management with client-facing responsibilities.
- Work closely with supervisors and team leaders to ensure workloads are planned and resources are deployed effectively.
- Ensure seasonal work programmes are planned in advance, including grass cutting, horticultural maintenance, spraying, planting and other cyclical activities.
Team Management -
- Provide leadership, direction and support to the operational team, currently comprising:
- 1 x Working Supervisor / Spray Technician
- 2 x Team Leaders
- 1 x Operator
- 1 x Seasonal Operator
- Support supervisors and team leaders with the day-to-day management of workloads and site priorities.
- Maintain good communication across the team and ensure employees understand client requirements and expected standards.
- Monitor team performance and identify any training, development or competency requirements.
- Promote a positive working culture focused on service, safety, quality and professionalism.
Grounds, Horticulture & Amenity Management - - Use technical grounds maintenance and horticultural knowledge to ensure appropriate maintenance programmes are implemented across the contract.
- Provide guidance on:
- Amenity turf and lawn maintenance
- Grass cutting regimes
- Plant and shrub maintenance
- Flower bed maintenance
- Seasonal horticultural activities
- Weed control
- Spraying operations
- General grounds maintenance
- Site presentation and improvement
- Ensure work programmes take account of seasonal horticultural requirements and recognised industry good practice.
- The Contract Manager does not need to be a specialist horticulturist but must have sufficient technical knowledge to confidently discuss horticultural and amenity maintenance with both clients and operational teams.
Machinery & Equipment -
- Oversee the effective management and use of machinery and equipment across the contract.
- Ensure machinery is appropriately allocated between sites and available to support planned works.
- Monitor the condition, maintenance and utilisation of equipment.
- Support the effective introduction and use of battery-powered equipment, with the contract currently operating a significant amount of Kress professional electric machinery.
- Ensure equipment is operated safely and employees have received appropriate training.
Health, Safety & Compliance -
- Ensure all works are undertaken in accordance with company health and safety procedures and relevant legislation.
- Promote a strong health and safety culture across the contract.
- Ensure risk assessments, method statements and safe systems of work are implemented and followed.
- Monitor compliance relating to machinery, spraying operations, PPE and working practices.
- Work closely with operational teams to identify and address potential risks.
Skills & Experience
The successful candidate should have:
- Previous experience managing commercial grounds maintenance contracts.
- Strong client and customer relationship management skills.
- A good practical understanding of commercial grounds maintenance.
- A sound understanding of horticultural maintenance, including plants, shrubs and flower beds.
- Knowledge of amenity turf and lawn maintenance.
- Experience planning and managing seasonal work programmes.
- Previous experience managing and developing operational teams.
- Experience managing machinery and equipment.
- Good organisational and planning skills.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Confidence dealing directly with clients and senior stakeholders.
- Good commercial awareness and an understanding of contract performance.
- Strong IT skills and the ability to confidently use contract management, reporting and scheduling systems.
- The ability to manage several sites and competing priorities.
- A full UK driving licence and willingness to travel regularly throughout Oxfordshire and West Berkshire.
Qualifications
Ideally, candidates will hold:
- Level 3 Horticulture qualification or equivalent
- IOSH qualification
- Relevant grounds maintenance, horticulture or amenity qualifications
Additional qualifications relating to pesticide application, turf management, machinery, health and safety or grounds maintenance would be advantageous.
Equivalent practical experience will also be considered where an individual can demonstrate the appropriate level of technical and operational knowledge.
Person Specification
This position will suit someone who combines strong operational knowledge with excellent customer relationship skills.
The successful Contract Manager will be:
- Highly client-focused
- Professional and credible when dealing with customers
- Approachable and supportive with operational teams
- Organised and forward-thinking
- Comfortable planning work several weeks or months ahead
- Technically knowledgeable without needing to undertake the day-to-day operative role
- Commercially aware
- Proactive in identifying improvements
- Comfortable using technology and reporting systems
- Able to manage multiple priorities across several locations
- Happy travelling between sites as part of the working day
Above all, this role requires someone who understands that successful contract management is built around the client relationship. Maintaining excellent communication, anticipating client requirements and continually developing the service will be as important as ensuring the physical grounds maintenance operation is delivered effectively.
Package
Salary: £50,000 per annum
The package also includes:
- Company vehicle
- Fuel card
- Company mobile phone
- Company laptop
- On-site discounts on food and drink
- Monday to Friday working
- Approximately 7:30am–5:00pm
- Regional role with no requirement for overnight stays under normal circumstances
- Home every night
To Apply
If you are a proactive leader with a passion for delivering outstanding projects, we want to hear from you! Join Chappell Enterprises UK in supporting our client's mission to deliver exceptional outdoor environments!
Chappell Enterprises UK is an equal opportunities employer. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds and are a Disability Confident Employer, offering interviews to disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for the role.
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