Job Description
Position Details
Estates
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £23,764 to £24,855
Grade: 2
Full Time, Permanent
Closing date: 27th July 2025
Our offer to you
People are at the heart of what we are and do.
The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.
We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.
We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.
Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.
The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.
Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham
Role Summary
Within a pattern of assigned duties, established work routines, and regular supervision, the post holder will carry out grounds maintenance and gardens work to an accepted standard.
Main Duties
Key Areas of Responsibility:
- Perform horticultural maintenance operations in the grounds, gardens and sports stadiums at the University.
- Operate horticultural machinery; carry out basic equipment maintenance, and transport goods and equipment, as directed. Drive vehicles, vans, road sweepers, tractors etc.
- Inform supervisor of stock levels for consumables/stores of basic equipment or similar to ensure availability to meet work requirements.
- Carry out routine record keeping. For example, record a job has been completed.
Customers & Suppliers
- Receive and respond courteously and helpfully to everyday enquiries from customers (staff, students, visitors) and colleagues. Where the enquiry is outside the post-holder's own knowledge or experience, refer it to the supervisor or appropriate person, to provide a timely and effective service , and promote a positive image of Estates and the University.
Our People
- Sometimes guide others with less experience. For example, new staff.
Standards
- Ensure all work completed is to agreed performance and quality standards for maintenance tasks undertake, and follows standard procedures including those governing health and safety.
Other
- Carry out such duties as are required from time to time as are commensurate with the grade of the post to assist the Head of Section with sports and gardens operations.
- To be available out of hours for advice that will require on occasion attendance on site.
- To adhere to University and Estates Office Policies & Procedures.
Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience
- Ability to undertake manual work outdoors.
- Ability to acquire the knowledge, technical understanding through on the job training and/or short formal training (perhaps including certification) to perform grounds and gardens work to relevant standards.
- Ability to follow instructions, gain basic knowledge about routines, and apply this correctly.
- Ability to exchange basic information.
- Ability to learn how to operate grounds equipment and, if necessary, meet the standard required for certification.
- Ability to learn to carry out basic equipment maintenance.
- Ability to carry out routine record keeping, maintenance of simple databases, job progress reports and similar.
- Ability to learn and apply a basic understanding of relevant health and safety policies and procedures.
- A full, clean driving licence is essential.
Informal enquiries to David O'Driscoll, email:
[email protected]View our staff values and behaviours here
We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website . 
