Lead Groundskeeper

About the Role

VCU’s Facilities Management Department is seeking a Lead Groundskeeper to organize, lead, plan, and direct a small team of groundskeeping workers. The role utilizes knowledge of the landscape trade and horticulture best practices to perform preventive maintenance, repair, and installation of landscape assets, ensuring an attractive, healthy, and safe campus environment.

The Lead Groundskeeper provides exemplary customer service to faculty, staff, and students, identifies and documents landscape deficiencies, and advises management on priority tasks to maximize plant health and the service life of landscape assets.

Responsibilities

Performance Management

• Set clear, well-communicated expectations aligned with department goals.
• Provide frequent, constructive feedback to staff.
• Ensure staff have the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to accomplish goals.
• Manage and complete all requirements of the performance management process, including timely evaluations with supporting documentation.
• Address and document performance and safety issues as they occur.
• Hold staff accountable for meeting University and Department standards.
• Achieve leadership goals in a timely manner.
• Organize and prepare the team for tasks, ensuring understanding of objectives and direction.
• Foster teamwork and honest communication.
• Advise supervision on landscape and equipment maintenance tasks, identifying priority areas.
• Provide worksite guidance and direction to grounds team members to ensure safe and orderly completion of service requests and projects.
• Work with lesser-skilled team members to increase their skill level and independence.

Horticulture: Tree, Shrub, Turf, & Annual/Perennial Maintenance

• Perform all landscape maintenance in accordance with department standards.
• Mow, trim, and edge turf at appropriate heights for turf type and season, avoiding damage to trees or other woody plants.
• Avoid mowing excessively wet turf and vary mowing patterns to minimize soil compaction and turf damage.
• Irrigate, aerate, fertilize, and overseed turf areas as directed.
• Prune trees and shrubs according to ANSI pruning and safety standards.
• Conduct Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and apply pesticides as directed to turf, ornamental plants, and weeds.
• Identify, report, and correct irrigation deficiencies.
• Install plant material as directed.
• Mulch ornamental beds and water plants by hand, checking soil moisture and plant health first.
• Keep landscape beds weed-free.

Litter Control

• Sweep and clean litter and debris from turf, landscaped areas, sidewalks, and alleys using hand tools and power equipment, including litter vacuum machines.
• Report and remove graffiti, wear, or other damage in accordance with University policy.
• Collect litter, empty trash cans, and replace liners during special events.

Equipment Operation and Maintenance

• Demonstrate proficient, safe operation of tools and equipment, including appropriate PPE.
• Perform visual and fluid checks on power equipment and vehicles, completing vehicle logs daily.
• Recognize and correct unsafe conditions or practices.
• Perform basic maintenance such as checking fluid levels, inflating tires, or adjusting tools before daily use.
• Identify maintenance needs and report damage or repairs to supervisor and shop mechanic.

Work Management

• Assign, perform, and complete service work orders and preventive maintenance tasks.
• Use AiM and AiM Go daily to track time, materials, and effort, updating work order status as tasks are assigned, performed, and completed.
• Complete time cards daily and review assigned staff time cards for accuracy.
• Keep accurate, detailed records, including pesticide applicator logs and notes on work orders describing conditions and work performed.
• Observe work in progress to ensure tasks are performed as instructed and on time.
• Inspect work to ensure staff and contractors meet performance standards.

Other Duties

• Work on-call during emergencies, inclement weather, and special events.
• Safely operate snow removal tools and equipment, including plows, spreaders, 4x4 vehicles, and off-road vehicles.
• Assume supervisor’s responsibilities as needed.
• Keep shop, vehicle, and work areas clean and organized.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Customer Service

• Listen to and anticipate customer needs, providing clear explanations and quick responses.
• Take initiative to assist internal and external customers.
• Communicate respectfully and effectively, appreciating diversity and differences.
• Observe confidentiality.

Ethical Standards

• Demonstrate respect, honesty, excellence, responsibility, accountability, stewardship, compliance, and a commitment to integrity and ethical behavior in daily activities.

Requirements

• Current VCU employee.
• Strong leadership with excellent written and oral communication skills and a customer service focus.
• Advanced knowledge and skill in ornamental plant care and landscape maintenance.
• Skillful operation of trucks, trailers, utility vehicles, mowers, sprayers, snow removal equipment, hand tools, and outdoor power equipment in a congested urban environment.
• Ability to share knowledge and transfer skills through teaching, demonstration, constructive criticism, and accountability.
• Ability to give and follow direction, work independently, and lead others.
• Effective interpersonal skills fostering trust and productive work relationships.
• Ability to operate a personal computer and mobile electronic devices for communication, work management, and time card processing.
• Ability to work on-call, after hours, weekends, or holidays in physically challenging environments, including heat, cold, and inclement weather.
• VDACS Pesticide Registered Technician certification required within 6 months.
• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
• Valid Driver License.
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a diverse population of faculty, staff, and students.

Preferred Qualifications

• Two-year degree in agriculture, horticulture, natural resources, or related science.
• Minimum of two years of commercial, municipal, park, or similar landscape or tree maintenance experience.
• Commercial Applicator Categories 3A and 3C.

Pay

$43,000

Benefits

• Comprehensive health benefits.
• Paid annual and holiday leave.
• Generous tuition benefits.
• Retirement planning and savings options, including tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs.
• Employee discounts.
• Well-being resources.
• Abundant opportunities for career development and advancement.

Schedule

• Monday–Friday, 6:30 AM–3:00 PM.
• Overtime, nights, and holidays may be required for special events, emergencies, and inclement weather.
• Subject to being on-call.
• 40 hours per week.