Grounds Management Director

General Summary: Senior Executive level position that provides leadership and day-to-day direction for the Grounds Management Department. Director will define goals and performance standards for the respective areas, exercise overall supervision for the budget and other resources assigned to the Department and ensure that services provided to community are of the highest quality levels. The Director will work with co-workers, directors, elected officials, civic organizations, volunteers, media, and the public to achieve cost effective and successful departmental results.   KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Oversees, plans, and directs all landscaping, mowing, horticulture, tree management and outdoor maintenance operations. Provide leadership and supervision to grounds management personnel. Assign and schedule daily, weekly and seasonal tasks. Facilitate training for staff on horticultural practices, equipment uses and safety procedures.
• Plans and implements a timely and consistent maintenance program of public spaces, right of ways and outdoor areas of government facilities to ensure these areas are safe, functional, visually appealing and suitable for community use. Develops, implements and updates standard operating policies and procedures for department.
• Oversee contractor performance and ensure service quality. Continuously evaluate service delivery models to recommend and implement changes as necessary. Negotiates contract scopes and pricing to obtain best available rates.
• Develops and implements long- and short-term plans, goals, and objectives for the department; researches, assesses and develops strategies to address current and future issues and concerns regarding programs; evaluates performance and effectiveness of current services, performance metrics, programs, and systems in relation to growing needs of the Government; predicts consequences of proposed actions; formulates and presents recommendations based on findings; and implements needed changes, modifications and/or enhancements upon approval.
• Develops, defends, and implements department budget; determines budget allocations for staffing, equipment and capital improvement needs; monitors expenditures and revenues to ensure compliance with approved budget. Oversees and maintains adequate controls for inventory and equipment. Identifies opportunities for improved efficiencies and new sources of funding.
• Perform other duties of a similar nature as assigned by the Administrator or Deputy Administrators.

Qualifications

Education/Experience: Bachelor's degree in public administration, business management, landscape design, with at least five (3) years' experience or an Associate's Degree in at least one of the aforementioned areas with seven (5) years of experience.

 

Preferred Education: A Bachelor's Degree in horticulture, landscaping management or a related field is preferred.

Preferred Experience: Three (3) or more combined years of progressively responsible supervisory experience in grounds management and local government experience is preferred but not required. Arborist experience or certification is preferred.

Licensing/Certification: Possession of a valid driver's license with good driving history. If State license is other than Georgia or South Carolina, applicant must obtain a license in Georgia or South Carolina within 30 days of employment.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Proven track record in managing people, projects, operations and resources
• Knowledge of grounds maintenance and irrigation system maintenance and repair
• Knowledge of work order systems and service level agreements
• Familiarity with delivering support services in an organization
• Ability to work independently and to supervise a large and multi-faceted workforce
• Familiarity with relevant laws, safety standards, codes, policies and procedures
• Knowledge of public budgeting, accounting and planning practices
• Good communication skills, both oral and written
• Strong interpersonal skills to work well with all levels of officials and staff in an organization

This position requires staff call up in an emergency situation.

Less than 50% of this position involves travel from the office to other locations.

PERFORMANCE APTITUDES:

• Data Utilization: Requires the ability to synthesize and integrate data for predicting, anticipating, and planning for future events impacting the organization. Includes determining strategic and tactical decisions at the highest organizational levels of authority and responsibility.
• Human Interaction: Requires the ability to apply principles of negotiation. Performs such in formal situations within the context of legal guidelines.
• Equipment: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver, and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools and/or materials requiring complex and/or rapid adjustments.
• Verbal: Requires the ability to utilize consulting and advisory data and information, as well as reference, descriptive and/or design data and information as applicable.
• Math: Requires the ability to perfom mathematical operations associated with budgeting, performance measures, and strategic planning, etc.
• Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to implement both intellectual and practical relationships; involves responsibility for consideration and analysis of complex organizational problems of major conceptual functions.
• Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in critical and/or unexpected situations involving moderate risk to the organization.
• Physical Abilities: Tasks require the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10 pounds). Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or workstation.
• Sensory Requirements: Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.
• Environmental Factors: Essential functions are regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions.