Job overview
This is a fantastic opportunity to Team Lead the Grounds & Gardens team delivering the highest quality ground care in an inpatient mental health setting & wider estate.
West London NHS Trust is widely renowned for providing exceptional and innovative patient care. We are one of the most diverse providers of care in the UK and our staffs are dedicated to improving lives through the wide range of services we offer. Our aim is to offer opportunities to employees who are enthusiastic, create positive energy, and are highly passionate in delivering and providing excellent patient care.
This is an amazing job for someone who is passionate about parks and gardens and is driven to improve standards and patient experience. The Team Leader is responsible for a team focused on delivering day to day gardening operations within the Broadmoor Hospital Estate that includes intensive planting, open grassland, woodland & ecologically sensitive areas. The successful Team Leader will manage and organise staff so that they are working productively and safely to ensure that the green spaces are managed to the best possible standards with the resources available.
Main duties of the job
·Support the Grounds & Gardens Supervisor in all delegated management & record keeping tasks and to check and submit all paperwork as required ensuring that it is accurate, on time and compliant
·Actively work with & support Grounds & Garden staff and report to line manager, covering a wide range of landscape & hospital requirements.
·To audit the quality of hospital grounds & associated garden maintenance, staff performance & adherence to work schedules, report to the Grounds & Gardens Supervisor.
·To ensure that personnel are working safely & following strict security requirements at all times and that all incidents and near misses are reported and measures put in place to mitigate against these, following all Trust policies & procedures.
·To actively participate in the departments out of hours On Call system
·To have delegated responsibility for the performance management and H&S of the staff.
·To be responsible for and have experience in proactively managing day-to-day resources including staff 1 to 1’s, sickness, holiday absences, HR issues & work Schedule performance.
·Experienced in the use & maintenance of a wide range of ground care equipment, including hand tools, commercial mowers, tractors & associated machinery.
Working for our organisation
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.
The Trust is rated as ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as ‘Outstanding’.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached.
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person specification
Qualifications & Training
Essential criteria
1. Good knowledge of operational gardening and grounds work acquired through training or experience
2. Ongoing professional development.
3. Full drivers licence
Desirable criteria
4. COSHH awareness Pesticide Application PA1, PA2 PA6
5. Further horticultural training level 3 or above. IOSHH Risk Management
Experience
Essential criteria
6. 1 / 2 years post qualification or experience in horticulture / relevant discipline.
7. Experience supervising and managing staff in grounds and gardening teams. Minimum of 2 years
8. Strong administrative skills
9. Understanding of training paths relating to horticulture.
10. Monitoring & auditing outcomes
11. Experience in the use of IT systems/ databases
Desirable criteria
12. Worked within an NHS or related mental health setting.
13. Good knowledge of grounds maintenance.
14. Safe use & operation of tools/ equipment.
15. Good plant care knowledge
Knowledge & Skills
Essential criteria
16. Strong horticultural expertise and/or high level knowledge of, and technical expertise in, relevant garden support services
17. Safe operation of Chainsaws including felling licence
18. Operation & maintenance of frontline plant & equipment
Desirable criteria
19. Good understanding of the importance of maintaining Broadmoor’s Grounds and Gardening to a high standard for the benefit of patients, staff, and visitors.
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
20. Positive and flexible approach to work
21. Able to meet deadlines and logistical requirements
22. Excellent time management
23. Able to confidently lead a small team.
24. A good team player, with the ability to listen, lead and develop junior staff.
25. Good customer service skills