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Job description

Purpose of Position

The Groundsperson will be responsible for all work required to prepare and maintain the Schools’ Milltimber playing fields as directed by the Estates Manager.

The successful candidate must be a self-starter, be able to multi-task, and have a positive and proactive approach to work with the initiative to complete tasks in a productive and timely manner.

35 hours per week. Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4pm. Occasional Saturday mornings required (8am to 11am by arrangement with line manager). All year round post.

Job Description

The post-holder will be expected to undertake a set programme of grounds maintenance at our Milltimber Sports Fields and occasionally support the Estates team within the school premises on Queen’s Road.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• To maintain all the Milltimber sports fields, using motorised, powered and other equipment as appropriate.
• To accurately mark out sports fields and athletic tracks as directed by the Head of PE and Sport.
• To undertake chemical weed control in accordance with the COSHH guidelines.
• To carry out basic maintenance of all equipment, liaising with the Estates Manager where necessary.
• To keep records relating to vehicles, use of tools, plant and materials and visits to sites.
• To ensure adequate stocks of tools, equipment and materials necessary for the upkeep of the School premises and to report any requirements for additional stock to the Estates Manager.
• To maintain the security of grounds maintenance machinery, tools, equipment and stock.
• To keep up-to-date with horticultural developments and legislation by attending the relevant courses.
• To carry out weekly checks and maintenance on the pitches, netball courts and pavilion including checking and maintenance of goalposts, nets etc.
• To assist with putting up and taking down netball and football posts as required.
• To report any major defects in building, equipment and security systems observed in the course of duties and to liaise with approved contractors / officials. To visually monitor the condition of fire extinguishers fire blankets and ensure they are kept in good condition.
• To participate in evacuation processes as agreed and in accordance with the School’s recognised Evacuation Procedure.
• To assist in the collection and disposal of all refuse and ensure the buildings and grounds are free of litter and graffiti.
• To ensure, in winter especially, that access roads, pavements, steps and playgrounds are safe for use at all times.
• To work as part of the Estates Team, assisting with caretaking duties when/as required.
• To maintain an adequate stock of cleaning materials from approved suppliers and to ensure cloakrooms are stocked with soap, towels etc. To undertake emergency cleaning (soiling of toilets, sickness, floods etc.) as necessary.
• To undertake basic cleaning of facilities to ensure they are ready for use, including some high level cleaning at the end of school terms.
• To monitor the efficient operation of the heating system, ensuring its good working order.
• To record and monitor gas / electricity / water (as applicable) meter readings/returns as required by the Authority.
• To take deliveries of stores, materials and other goods and to undertake porterage duties as required (including moving furniture, equipment etc).
• To undertake routine maintenance and minor refurbishment of premises, fixtures and fittings as necessary.
• To maintain records and complete paperwork as required.

Person Specification

The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate from their application, at interview or from their references, the following:

• Previous experience of maintaining grounds or sports grounds.
• Previous experience of the maintenance of grounds equipment.
• A good general level of education plus appropriate further or higher education/qualifications.
• Awareness and understanding of the demands of working in a School and also as part of a small team.
• The ability to work independently without supervision, show initiative, be flexible and enjoy challenges.
• To have experience of Microsoft Office programs, e-mail, and the Internet.
• Good written and oral communication skills.
• A high level of courtesy when dealing with staff, pupils, parents and visitors to the School.
• A certificate in First Aid at Work and Pesticide Spraying would be desirable.
• Further qualifications such as an NC in Horticulture, City and Guilds Horticulture Level 2- 3, NVQ/SVC level 2-3 in Greenkeeping/Sports turf maintenance or equivalent experience would be desirable.
• The post holder must hold a full driving licence and be willing to drive for work purposes.

Terms & Conditions, and Remuneration

• This is a permanent post available immediately.
• The position is all year round.
• The salary for the post is £25,791 per annum.
• The pension scheme the School will use to comply with its auto-enrolment obligations is the Royal London. The School may amend or replace the Scheme from time to time.

Other, non-contractual, benefits include:

• Staff discount on basic tuition fees subject to the employee’s child(ren) meeting the entrance requirements.
• Free After School Care for employee‘s child(ren). 4pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday and discounted holiday club fees.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Benefits platform package

Equal Opportunities

At Albyn School we are committed to creating and promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce that better reflects our pupils and local community. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process. Applications are welcome from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, ethnic or national origin, gender identity, marital status, political opinion, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or trade union membership. We particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups.

Method of Application

Applicants must submit:

• A full CV (including details of all post-16 qualifications).
• A letter of application stating why they believe that they are suited to the post.
• The names, phone numbers and email addresses of two referees.

For a confidential conversation about the role, please contact the Estates Manager, Graeme Johnston.

Albyn School is committed to safeguarding children and the successful applicant will be subject to a PVG check by Disclosure Scotland.

Applications should be sent by email to the HR Manager, Susan Allan

The deadline for applications is 12 noon on Tuesday 14 March 2023. Interviews will be scheduled for the following week. We reserve the right to extend the deadline or make an appointment before the closing date if a suitable candidate is found.

The School

Albyn School is an independent, coeducational day school. With around 770 pupils and 175 staff, it comprises three sections: a Nursery for around 120 children aged 2-5. a Lower School for around 290 pupils aged 5-12 and an Upper School of around 360 pupils aged 12-18. Since 2018 Albyn has also incorporated the Total French School which currently has four members of staff and just over 40 pupils who follow a hybrid curriculum attending some Albyn School lessons as well as dedicated classes which follow the French national curriculum. The latter enables French School pupils, if they move on (as many do every two to three years), to continue their education either back in France or in other French medium schools around the world.

Situation

Located in the heart of Aberdeen’s West End with its playing fields at Milltimber, the School is fortunate to be situated in a city and region that offers a very high quality of life to families moving into the area. The economy and environment present a range of opportunities to enhance and enrich pupils’ education.

Famous for its striking granite architecture, Aberdeen is Scotland’s third largest city and the regional centre of the wider North East region. Dominated by energy-related industries, Aberdeen is a city with a wide diversity of other professional jobs and services such as a large teaching hospital, two world-renowned universities as well as many other legal, financial and technical organisations. The city has a diverse musical and cultural heritage centred on its theatres, cinemas, and the newly renovated Art Gallery and Music Hall. The city also has over 800 shops and restaurants, including many familiar high street names.

To the west of Aberdeen, the Cairngorms National Park is an area of outstanding natural beauty that draws in walkers, climbers and skiers. Within a short distance of the city and stretching many miles both north and south are empty beaches, miles of sand dunes, picturesque fishing villages and dramatic cliff top scenery.

History, Buildings and Facilities

Founded as a girls’ school in 1867, Albyn School has changed its name, location and structure a number of times over its 155-year history. On its current site since the mid-1920s, the then Albyn School for Girls first occupied two Victorian villas fronting onto Queen’s Road. Since that time, the School has grown, added to its buildings and grounds, and now occupies four listed Victorian villas with a host of more recent additions. In 2005, Albyn began its move to full coeducation, a journey that concluded when the first boys left S6 in 2014. Albyn School is now both a company limited by guarantee and a charity governed by its trustees who also act as the School’s Board of Governors.

The School has continually built and redeveloped its teaching facilities since its inception, creating specialist departmental areas, ICT suites, business education facilities, music practice rooms, art and design studios and numerous classrooms. In August 2007, Albyn School opened a dedicated Lower School building. Built over three floors it comprises 16 bright classrooms many of them with spectacular views across Aberdeen and the North Sea. In 2011, the Nursery was further extended and three additional science laboratories were built to meet the needs of increasing numbers seeking careers in science, engineering and medicine.

In August 2012, HRH The Duke of Gloucester opened 10 new, modern and spacious classrooms for the teaching of Mathematics, English and Computing, while in November 2014 a new Lower School Library and a studio theatre were opened. In 2017 the Wood Foundation Engineering Centre was completed. The School now has an excellent environment for the teaching of its pupils that marries together contemporary and traditional architecture.

The School also has excellent sports facilities located at Milltimber, 6 miles southwest of the city. There we have a pavilion, three pitches used principally for football, four tennis courts and a running track. The School also draws upon facilities at the Aberdeen Sports Village and RGU (Robert Gordon University) to train our teams. The PE programme is also taught on our Queen’s Road site within the School gymnasium and Former Pupil Centenary Hall and on a recently created floodlit netball and tennis court.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £25,791.00 per year

Benefits:

• Childcare
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee discount
• Sick pay
• Wellness programme

Work Location: One location

Application deadline: 14/03/2023