Grounds Person Grade 3

Role overview

The Education Authority in Northern Ireland is seeking a Grounds Person Grade 3 to join its Grounds Maintenance Service in Portadown. The successful person will carry out a range of grounds maintenance tasks under the direction of a Team Supervisor or another supervising officer.

Key duties

• Lay out, mark, and maintain playing fields, sports areas, and amenity spaces.
• Prepare, plant, and care for trees and shrubs, including specialist tasks such as pruning and minor tree surgery.
• Prepare, seed, turf, and maintain grassed areas, including work to improve playing facilities.
• Carry out construction-related labouring work linked to the post.
• Perform minor works such as reading plans, hard and soft landscaping, site preparation, and construction tasks.
• Take responsibility for directing trainees and/or other staff assigned to the work.
• Operate and carry out routine maintenance on powered plant, tractor-mounted equipment, and other machinery needed for the role.
• Open, close, and lock gates where required.
• Drive and maintain vehicles used to transport goods, equipment, and personnel.

Essential criteria

• Either hold an NVQ Level 1 in Horticulture, an IOG National Certificate, or another relevant qualification at an equivalent or higher level, plus one year of relevant experience in grounds maintenance; or have two years of relevant experience in grounds maintenance.
• Show knowledge of health and safety requirements connected to amenity horticulture and the safe use of machinery and equipment.
• Hold a full, current, valid driving licence.

Additional interview criteria

• Demonstrate knowledge of the duties expected of a groundsperson.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the machinery and equipment used in grounds maintenance.
• Show effective interpersonal and communication skills.
• Show effective teamwork skills.
• Be able to use initiative.
• Demonstrate planning and organisational ability.
• Provide evidence that your working style and experience reflect the Education Authority’s values and ethos.

Desirable criteria

• Pesticide application certificates PA1, PA2, and PA6.

Application guidance

• You must clearly explain on your application form how you meet each required criterion, and to what extent, or you may not be shortlisted.
• Evidence must be provided by the closing date unless a criterion states otherwise.
• Shortlisting will be based on the essential criteria in Section 1 using the application form.
• The selection panel may choose only the strongest applicants against the criteria.
• If there are too many applications, the panel may also apply the desirable criteria listed in Section 3 at shortlisting, in the order given.

Values and equal opportunities

The Education Authority assesses candidates for alignment with its values, including commitment to equality and excellence in service delivery. The organisation aims to support all children and young people equally, remove barriers to learning, and ensure fair access to high-quality education services so that every child can reach their full potential. The Education Authority is an equal opportunities employer.

Disclosure and safeguarding

This role may involve regulated activity with children or young people under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007. If appointed to a post involving regulated activity, an enhanced criminal background disclosure will be required, and the applicant will need to cover the cost of the certificate. Payment details will be provided at the pre-employment stage.

Further information is available through the relevant Northern Ireland criminal record check resources.

Working conditions and general requirements

• All duties must comply with the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978.
• Work must also follow approved codes of practice, including COSHH regulations and safe working practice manuals.
• All relevant legislation, statutory instruments, regulations, and other legal requirements must be followed.
• Duties will be performed in the normal working conditions for the post, including the agreed flexible working hours arrangement.
• All required paperwork must be completed.
• Additional duties may be assigned up to and including duties at the same grade, provided they are within the employee’s competence.

Training and review

• Employees must be willing to undertake training that supports duties at their own grade.
• Employees must also accept training for higher-graded duties where required by the authority, with payment only made when such duties are required in line with EA guidance.
• The job description may be reviewed as circumstances change and should be treated as guidance rather than a rigid list of duties.
• Other similar duties appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

Statutory equality duty

In line with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the post-holder is expected to promote good relations, support equality of opportunity, and give proper regard to equality legislation at all times.

Terms and conditions

The post has its own terms and conditions summary available for review.