Parks Officer at Enable

About Us

Enable is a charity dedicated to improving people's wellbeing and strengthening local communities. Core to our work is the development of strong working relationships with councils, charities and other organisations to deliver, health leisure and community services and events that enrich people's lives.

Benefits

• Flexible working hours & a hybrid working environment
• 30 days of annual leave (plus 8 bank holidays), 3 additional free days off at Christmas
• Life Insurance
• Reward Schemes (RewardHub Membership, wellbeing budgets and cycle to work)
• Mental Health & Wellbeing Perks (Yoga, activities, massages, monthly talks)
• Free Gym Membership
• Free breakfasts/snacks
• When in the office, we enjoy a well-stocked fridge and food cupboards, and a variety of social activities

Parks Officer

Reports to: Parks Delivery Manager 

Based: Wandsworth Common

Salary: £35,285 per year

Contract: Permanent, Full Time

Role Overview

• We are looking for a diligent and energetic individual who thrives on juggling multiple tasks and who can work collaboratively with a likeminded team. You will need to have a keen eye for detail, identifying any problems quickly and implementing processes to achieve the best quality sports pitches for our many sports clubs who rely on these valuable resources. 
• The role of Parks Officer is a key post in the Enable Parks team.  Your responsibility will be to oversee our management of sports pitches in parks and open spaces using your experience working with a delivery contractor, and your understanding of turf management and the equipment and processes needed to deliver the highest quality surfaces.  Your administrative talents will support the smooth running of a £3m annual contract which delivers grounds maintenances services in all greenspaces.   
• Your considered and methodical approach will allow you to manage all daily works instructions assigned by the team and provide accurate and concise reporting for your manager.  
• You will understand the pressures relating to public green space management and adapt your annual plans and  recommendations accordingly.  You will be able to identify problems and poor quality and put in place a plan to make things better.  You will also have the opportunity to contribute to long term capital improvements working with other specialists in the parks team. 
• You will carry out regular site inspections and work with internal and external partners on devising and delivering planned maintenance programmes and ad-hoc improvements to support the provision of Football, Rugby, Cricket and other sports for each season.  You will also be responsible for supporting the team manager with administration of the GM contract by collating monthly work orders from the team. 

Job Purpose

• Responsible as part of a team for the day-to-day grounds management of Parks and Open Spaces throughout the Wandsworth Borough portfolio and with specific responsibility of sport pitch maintenance in accordance with the approved contract. 
• Responsible for the contractual obligations of the incumbent grounds maintenance  contractor and the works they carry out across all parks and green spaces. 
• Ensuring all sports pitches have adequate maintenance plans and the correct processes are in place to produce the best quality outcomes on each site. 
• Responsible to address any identified maintenance requirements and raise with the relevant department. 
• Keep records and log work orders to assist manager in the preparation of monthly reports regarding the contractors performance as well as financial management.  
• Carry out daily monitoring of the Horticultural Maintenance Contractors performance ensuring compliance with the contract specifications and the clients guidelines. Monitor all instructed parks project works through to completion approving sign off where necessary, providing assessments and/or financial reports when required. 
• Ensure the delivery of sports pitch renovations and support the provision of first class sports pitches. 
• Maintain and develop strong working relationships with the Contractor’s operational team and provide the Operations and Delivery Managers with up to date and accurate information for meetings, reports and reviews as necessary. 
• Support colleagues with the production of reports, management plans and capital funding bids as required. 
• Undertake other related duties as directed by the Head of Parks, including the provision of advice/assistance to other departmental services and as required and to attend occasional meetings outside normal working hours. 
• Relevant experience in the landscaping and/or horticultural sectors. 
• Specific experience and/or skills in groundmanship or the maintenance of sports pitches. 
• Previous contract management or operational management experience is preferred. 
• A strong understanding of amenity horticulture, sports provision processes and equipment. 
• Experience of working with sub-contracted or direct labour in the horticultural, maintenance or landscaping sectors, as well as hands on experience in a landscaping/horticultural setting. 
• Be confident in evaluating risk assessments and proposed methods of working by a range of contractors who are carrying out projects in open spaces. 
• Proven ability to collect and maintain comprehensive, accurate records including budgetary information, maps, works instructions, and horticultural monitoring data. 
• Experience working collaboratively with and providing support to internal departments. 
• An awareness of the needs of a range of users, stakeholders and partners in a parks and open spaces setting. 
• Diligent in maintaining records and ensuring costs align with approved budgets. 
• A positive action-orientated approach. 
• Be fully proficient in the use of word, excel, outlook and bespoke systems.  Ideally (but not essential) some experience/knowledge of GIS and mapping software. 
• Be able to travel around Wandsworth regularly as work requires, and further afield as and when necessary. 
• Excellent communication skills, including a demonstrable ability to analyse technical information and re-present it (written and verbal) to a varied non-specialist audience such as other land managers, friends’ groups, and site visitors. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build working relationships with a diverse range of partners including contactors, colleagues, volunteers and stakeholders. 
• The ability to work independently using your own initiative and prioritise effectively whilst at the same time working collaboratively as part of a team on common goals and shared projects to ensure the work programme is delivered effectively. 
• Be able to travel efficiently around Wandsworth daily and able to work occasional additional early morning, evenings and weekends as operational requirements dictate, for which time off in lieu will be given.