Head of Grounds Candidate Information Pack
About us We are Habs, a strong, happy and supportive community, committed to the pursuit of excellence in education. We give talented and ambitious young people the opportunities they need to succeed in life. Our academic performance speaks for itself, but we know that great exam results are just the beginning. A Habs education prepares young people for fulfilment in a world that demands flexibility, creativity, resilience and critical thought. Habs Girls and Boys step into that world with confidence, ready to shape the future and open to a lifetime of new experiences. Our horizons are wide. We are a diverse community and we nurture a global perspective and a deep sense of responsibility for the world in which our pupils will lead and succeed. The schools are co-located on a 100-acre campus in the greenbelt of North London/South Hertfordshire with approx. 2,600 students from aged 4-18 and over 500 staff on site. These are two of the largest independent day school in the country. They are busy and dynamic schools, with a wide-ranging estates and operations team, supporting the daily school life.
The Habs Family
Pre-Prep School
Prep School
Junior Girls School
Senior Girls School
Senior Boys School
Exceptional facilities
The Medburn Centre, a state-of-the-art sports complex, provides a staggering range of facilities including half-Olympic-size pool, indoor rock walls, fitness suite and squash courts, enabling every pupil to discover their own sporting passion. The Medburn Centre also houses Joe's, our very own university style cafe.
Habs is situated in an idyllic, 100-acre campus in Elstree, Hertfordshire, just outside London. From our purpose-built TW Taylor Music School to the professional cricket squares and floodlit astro-turf, pitches for hockey, tennis and football from our open, contemporary library to the fully-equipped stage with a 15-foot flytower; from the Willow Dome and Solai Woodland Trail to the Prep's outdoor classroom, Habs offers the very best teaching and learning facilities.
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I’d never played squash before I came to Habs but now it’s my first-choice sport. I was really proud to be able to play in the Lower School competition this year. YEAR 8 PUPIL
OUR VALUES Values are what we hold dear as a school, the core beliefs that we stand for.
We set our sights high in terms of what we want to achieve as individuals and as a community, in and outside the classroom, aspiring to achieve our full potential in whatever we put our minds to.
Ambition
We believe in the courage to face challenge, embrace opportunity and step out of our comfort zones to grow and become our best selves, whilst also having courage in our conviction, remaining true to our moral compass and what we believe is the right thing to do.
Courage
We are driven by an unending desire to learn and improve. We believe that growth comes from not standing still, but having an open and enquiring mind to anything we face.
Curiosity
Since we were founded, we have had an inherent responsibility to our diverse internal and wider community and continue to dedicate ourselves to nurturing and supporting each other to be our best selves.
Community
The Role
Reporting to the Deputy Director of Operations, the Head of Grounds, will be responsible for proactively managing and maintaining the ground’s, playing surfaces and surrounding areas.
The Head of Grounds will, along with their team, proactively manage and maintain the highest standards of natural and artificial playing surfaces and surrounding areas, and will oversee the long-term planning of grounds’ maintenance, upkeep and renovation in line with time, financial and user requirements. This is an exciting full-time role, working on average 40 hours/week all year round. Generally, the responsibilities can be carried out between 7am and 4pm, Monday to Friday, however evening and weekend work will be required particularly during the cricket and summer season, and when the weather impacts on the activities of the school, as such flexibility in working is required and expected. Our attractive grounds extend to 100 acres of which 20 acres are playing surfaces. These allow for a full range of sports to be played with cricket as the principal sports at the Boys’ School and lacrosse at the Girls’ School. Garden areas, woodland areas and staff gardens are extensive and managed by an external gardening contractor. The successful candidate is accountable to the Deputy Director of Operations for the quality, success and development of the grounds and, as such, will have a genuine enthusiasm for their profession. The Head of Grounds will be expected to build and foster relationships with stakeholders, particularly the sports departments at both schools. External Relationships: Will include relevant suppliers and contractors for resources and other equipment, Grounds Management Association and other industry associations, other schools’ grounds personnel. Of major importance is the fostering of a good relationship with the current long term gardening contractor. Internal Relationships: Head, Senior Deputy Head, Chief Operating Officer, Deputy Director of Operations, Director of Sport, Head of Estates, Lettings Manager, Health & Safety Manager, Teachers in Charge of sporting activities.
Key deliverables:
Grounds Management
• Manage all sporting facilities to deliver first class surfaces as required. • Produce an annual Department Plan setting out tasks for improving the sporting facilities. • Work closely with the Directors of Sports to monitor and advise on the sporting programme of activities and their use of school facilities throughout the school year. • Make ‘play and no play’ decisions in conjunction with Directors of Sports, relevant members of the Sports Department and/or Teachers in Charge of sports. • Monitor pitch usage. • Undertake or manage grounds projects, including with external contractors. • Ensure the efficient maintenance of machinery and equipment. • Maintain awareness of industry developments, drawing relevant aspects to the attention of the Deputy Director of Operations, Directors of Sport and wider Grounds team to the benefit of the school. • Prepare and organise the grounds and facilities for sports lets, particularly out of term time and in full consultation with the schools.
Management of Team
• Supervise and lead a small team of grounds people. • Promote and coordinate the training and development of team members, including ensuring that the team have the right balance of skills throughout the sporting year. • Coach, mentor and motivate staff to achieve work schedules and objectives. • Provide effective performance feedback with the team and by conducting annual appraisals on team members and provide this information to the Deputy Director of Operations. • Ensure all mandatory training is kept up to date in conjunction with the school’s Training Officer. • Develop an appropriate work shift pattern to meet the seasonal and sporting needs of the schools. Health & Safety • Maintain a thorough knowledge of all relevant current legislation ie health and safety, first aid, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER), Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER), environment management and ensure compliance by preparing, conducting and regularly updating risk assessments.
Safeguarding
• Demonstrating the highest levels of commitment and compliance to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
Person Specification Relevant Experience/Knowledge & Technical Competencies
Essential:
• Proven track record within the grounds care profession, producing facilities to the highest standards. • Demonstrable technical knowledge of industry standards and resources. • Proven staff management experience, capable of motivating team without micro- management of situations. • Budget planning and control skills experience. • Demonstrable understanding of relevant and current health and safety and industry legislation. • IT literate. • Sound working knowledge of grounds-related plant and machinery. Desirable: • Grounds management experience within a school environment. • Membership of Grounds Management Association (formerly known as the Institute of Groundsmanship). • Experience of working in a school environment.
Qualifications
Essential: • A minimum of an NVQ Level 3 or equivalent experience in sports turf management. • Current clean driving licence. Desirable: • An NVQ Level 4 or equivalent experience in sports turf management. • Formal training in manual handling, risk assessment and supervision of staff. Personal Competencies / Skills • Ability to communicate both orally and in written form. • Problem solver and ability to use initiative. • Highly organised, decisive and able to manage time effectively. • Flexible attitude with the ability to work under pressure. • Keen eye for and attention to detail. • Capable of working with people from wide range of backgrounds - able to demonstrate tact and diplomacy. • Team player with a positive attitude, strong and good at forming effective working relationships with people at all levels. • Keen sense of customer service and pride in success of team and finished product.
Application Process To arrange a confidential conversation, please contact our retained advisors Hayley Mintern or Melanie Pye at MRG.
Melanie Pye melanie.pye@mrgpeople.co.uk 07530 734 568
Hayley Mintern hayley.mintern@mrgpeople.co.uk 07530 680 184 Applications should consist of a comprehensive CV.
The Management Recruitment Group has been retained, as our exclusive advisor for this appointment and any third party or direct applications will be forwarded to them. Habs is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its pupils and expects all employees to share this commitment. All employees must be willing to undergo child protection training and screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.
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