- Job Grade: SCP 24 – 28 (£34,314 to £ 37,938)
- Contracted Hours: 37 hours per week
- Contracted Days: Monday to Friday with occasional weekend/evening working.
- Responsible To: Operations and Assets Manager - TTC
- Based At: Depot, Taunton
- Car User: Yes
- Job Description Date: December 2024
- Annual Leave: 23 days per annum (plus 2 statutory fixed days) rising to 26 days after 5 years’ service + Bank holidays.
- DBS Check? A basic check may be requested.
Main Purpose of Role:
The Open Spaces Lead is responsible for effectively managing and monitoring the council’s Open Spaces assets. This role involves advising the council on strategies, implementing health and safety measures, and ensuring the smooth operation of the Open Spaces teams, equipment and vehicles
To effectively deliver services to maintain and improve the town’s environment, public open spaces and council assets, ensuring adequate cover across all functions. Oversee service delivery to maintain Town Council sports pitches, parks, other premises, land and other physical assets relating to Taunton Town Council. An advocate for the Town Council’s goal of improving and maintaining standards of environmental and community safety, cleanliness, and well-being within the Town.
The Open Spaces Lead will work closely with the Open Spaces Supervisors to ensure that the Open Spaces teams champion the condition, safety, cleanliness and overall positive atmosphere of the town centre and the Town Council’s parks, play areas and public open spaces. You will also be a visible presence within the community, interacting with residents, visitors, sports teams and businesses. Your key responsibilities will cover:
- Strong Supervisory and Leadership
- A pro-active ‘can do’ approach
- Safety and Security
- Customer Service
- Grounds Maintenance
- Community Engagement
Main Responsibilities and Key Tasks:
Specific Responsibilities
- Lead your teams to deliver a full range of grounds maintenance activities, including mowing, planting, minor landscaping works and weed clearance/spraying, leaf collecting, tree inspections, watering, maintenance, litter picking and waste collections, within the Town Council’s allotments, parks, sports pitches and open spaces and on areas within the town and Council property as directed.
- Support the Operations and Assets Manager on long-term plans for the Council’s open spaces assets.
- Prioritise service delivery within available budgets.
- Collaborate with others to develop and oversee the annual open spaces maintenance and improvement programme.
- Identify and follow up on opportunities for income generation and for bringing services in-house.
- Develop a strategy for procurement, maintenance and lifecycle replacement of plant, equipment and vehicles.
- Develop and ensure your teams follow risk assessments for all activities as appropriate.
- Collate inspections of trees, street furniture, signage or other assets in all open spaces and arrange rectification of any damage, involving colleagues as required.
- Identify areas where improvements may be made within the range of open spaces for which the Council has responsibility. Oversee improvements as identified, subject to authorised funding.
- Inspect the public rights of way in the Taunton areas on a regular basis, cutting back brambles and weeds to ensure that the paths are always usable. Make minor repairs and where possible complete landscaping works to keep these areas looking their best.
- Work flexibly with the team to agree work schedules and to prioritise workload, undertaking tasks as instructed to meet the parks and open spaces objectives identified by the council.
- Use the council’s IT systems to monitor assets, keep records, to receive job sheets and report matters that need escalating.
- Ensure the council’s tools and vehicles are kept clean and in good order, undertaking regular vehicle and equipment cleaning and maintenance tasks. Arrange servicing of open spaces equipment to manufacturers’ recommendations.
- If requested/reported to inspect any public rights of way in the Taunton areas, to cut back brambles and weeds to ensure that the paths are always usable and report any ongoing issues to Somerset Council.
- Make minor repairs and where possible complete landscaping works to keep areas looking their best.
- Attend and/or assist with the delivery of Town Council events & activities and set up equipment and furniture where necessary. Occasional evening/weekend working might be required to facilitate.
- Always promote and uphold a positive image of the town council, forging good professional relationships with elected members and officers and providing a highly visible and approachable service to maximise opportunities for positive engagement. Town Council branded uniform and suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) will be supplied and must be worn when on duty.
- Identify opportunities to work with volunteers or other bodies and be prepared to lead volunteer groups in grounds tasks and at events.
- Ensure understanding, compliance and cooperation with the policies, procedures, strategic plans, and any other directives of the town council.
- Undertake any other reasonable duties as may be required from time to time that are deemed appropriate to your role.
Leadership and Team Management:
To lead by example, motivate and coach the Council’s Open Spaces teams, ensuring effective collaboration and performance to ensure the Town Council assets are maintained, improved and repaired appropriately.
Other Responsibilities
- To attend training courses and arrange training appropriate to your team’s skill sets, to be able to safely carry out the role as required.
- To proactively identify opportunities to develop your team’s skills, knowledge experience.
- You will be required at times to work outside the normal hours of the working day, such requests will be forward planned.
- To undertake such other responsibilities and functions as may be required from time to time by the Council commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the post.
Note: This job description outlines the main duties and responsibilities of the post and is designed for the benefit of both the post holder and the Council in understanding the prime functions of the post. It should not be regarded as exhaustive as there may be other duties and responsibilities associated with and covered by the grading of this post.
For more information relating to this role please contact info@taunton-tc.gov.uk. To apply visit https://www.taunton-tc.gov.uk/the-council/council-information/vacancies
