The job involves the provision of an effective consultancy and advisory service to the various client groups in relation to work contracts for provision of grounds maintenance services which have been awarded by the council following tender.

Work Environment

Most of the work is office based although a substantial amount of time (50% or more) is spent at various locations in the local authority area, both indoors and outdoors.

Daily Activities

These chiefly concern the monitoring of contract performance to ensure that quality standards are met. This includes assessing, programming and monitoring specified works, the measurement of completed works and authorisation of payments for both contracted and additional works. Contract officers liaise regularly with both contractors and clients and are required to issue default notices for non-compliance or when performance is unsatisfactory. They also deal with enquiries and complaints from customers and members of the general public.

Other duties include liaison with technical and professional staff on the supervision of specialist works and the undertaking of contract related administrative duties.

Some working outside of normal hours including occasional evenings and weekends for attendance at meetings etc. may be required from time to time.

Skills & Interests

Officers need to be comfortable working in an outdoor environment whilst an empathy with nature and a detailed knowledge and understanding of conservation and sustainability issues would be advantageous.

In addition they should possess good organisational ability and communication skills for dealing with and producing solutions to on-site problems. They will need to be tactful and diplomatic particularly when handling customer complaints and when conveying both these and default notices to contractors.

Increasingly the post involves the use of IT and applicants need to have some computer literacy and keyboard skills together with knowledge of quality assurance and health and safety.

Entry Requirements

Applicants need to possess some horticultural experience and a relevant qualification such as BTEC/SQA First Diploma or S/NVQ .

They will preferably possess or be willing to study for a relevant higher level qualification such as BTEC/SQA National Diploma in Amenity Horticulture or HND in Horticulture and have or be seeking to attain membership of an appropriate professional body such as the Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management (ILAM).

Estimated salary range

£24,000 - £30,400 in some areas.

Please note that salary information is a guide only and there may be local agreements in place. For further information about salaries for particular positions, please contact your local council directly.

Future prospects & opportunities

Natural progression would be into a management post.

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