Groundsperson - Sports Turf & Cricket

Sevenoaks School | Sevenoaks, Kent

£32,266 per annum

Full-time | Permanent

40 hours per week | Monday to Friday | 7:00am - 3:00pm

27 days' holiday | School lunch | Pension | Fitness centre membership

Are you an experienced Groundsperson with strong sports turf knowledge and practical experience preparing cricket wickets and playing surfaces?

Sevenoaks School is looking for a skilled and reliable Groundsperson to help maintain and enhance the sports facilities across its impressive 100-acre campus.

This is an excellent opportunity to join an established grounds team within one of the UK's leading independent schools. You will work across natural sports pitches, artificial surfaces, hard courts and cricket facilities, ensuring they remain safe, attractive and prepared to a consistently high standard.

The role would suit someone with a Level 3 sports turf qualification who takes pride in their work, understands seasonal turf maintenance and is comfortable operating professional grounds machinery.

About Sevenoaks School

Founded in 1432, Sevenoaks School is a leading co-educational day and boarding school for more than 1,200 students aged 11 to 18.

The school occupies a beautifully landscaped 100-acre campus in the Kent market town of Sevenoaks, adjoining the historic Knole deer park. The estate includes attractive gardens, listed buildings, boarding houses and extensive sports facilities.

Sevenoaks School is committed to providing an inclusive and supportive working environment, with a range of benefits and opportunities for staff to make use of the school's excellent facilities.

The role

As Groundsperson, you will support the maintenance, preparation and long-term development of the school's outdoor sports facilities.

Reporting to the Head of Grounds, with day-to-day guidance from the Senior Groundsperson, you will help maintain natural and artificial playing surfaces for football, rugby, cricket and other school sports.

A key part of the position will involve preparing cricket squares and wickets for matches and training, including both routine maintenance and seasonal renovation work.

What you'll be doing

Maintaining natural sports turf, artificial pitches and hard courts
Preparing, marking and presenting football, rugby and cricket pitches for matches and training
Carrying out mowing, rolling, watering, fertilising, scarifying, seeding and top dressing
Preparing cricket squares and wickets, including repairs and seasonal renovations
Operating and carrying out basic checks on mowers, tractors, utility vehicles and handheld machinery
Keeping sports areas, tools and equipment safe, clean and well maintained
Completing seasonal duties including leaf clearance, gritting and snow removal
Supporting school events, the wider estates team and sports staff as required
Following all health and safety, safeguarding and school procedures

Training will be provided for individual machines and equipment where required.

What we're looking for

Level 3 sports turf qualification or equivalent
Previous experience maintaining sports pitches to a high standard
Practical knowledge of cricket wicket and square preparation
Confidence operating grounds maintenance machinery safely
Good understanding of health and safety requirements
Reliable, physically fit and comfortable working outdoors in all weather
Able to work independently and as part of a team
Full clean UK driving licence

The role will occasionally involve manual handling and working at height. Appropriate training will be provided.

Desirable experience and qualifications

PA1, PA2, PA6 or PA6AW pesticide application certificates
Experience maintaining sports pitches within a school or educational setting
First aid qualification

Working hours

This is a full-time, permanent position working 40 hours per week throughout the year.

Core working hours are:

Monday to Friday, 7:00am - 3:00pm

You will also be required to work up to six Saturday mornings per year, from 7:00am - 11:00am, as part of a rota.

Some flexibility will be required during peak periods and to meet the operational needs of the school.

Salary and benefits

Salary of £32,266 per annum
27 days' annual leave, increasing to 30 days after three years' service
Bank holidays in addition to annual leave
School lunch
Defined contribution pension scheme
Membership of the school's fitness centre
Employee Assistance Programme
Cycle-to-work scheme
Free or discounted tickets for events at the school's performing arts centre
Sevenoaks School Savers voluntary benefits scheme
Fee remission policy, subject to terms
Training on relevant grounds machinery

Safeguarding

Sevenoaks School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all members of staff to share this commitment.

Any offer of employment will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check with Children's Barred List information, references, verification of employment history and confirmation of fitness to undertake the role.

Apply today

If you are an experienced Groundsperson with strong sports turf and cricket preparation skills, and you would like to join an established team maintaining an outstanding school campus, we would like to hear from you.

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