About the role As a Senior Sports Turf Operative at the University of Leicester, you will take a leading role in maintaining and developing our high-quality sports grounds across Stoughton Road and Manor Road. You’ll be responsible for the day-to-day planning and delivery of maintenance programmes for grass and astro-turf pitches, cricket facilities, and wider grounds, ensuring they are safe, compliant, and ready for student sport, training and community use.
This is a hands-on role where you’ll combine your technical expertise with team leadership. You’ll supervise and guide sports turf operatives, ensuring work is completed to a high standard, while fostering a positive, collaborative culture. From mowing, fertilising and line marking to astro-turf care, planting and winter maintenance, you’ll be involved in the full range of sports turf and grounds management tasks.
With responsibility for compliance, machinery upkeep, and health and safety, your work will directly support the student experience and contribute to the University’s reputation for excellent facilities. About you You will be an experienced sports turf or grounds professional with a passion for delivering high-quality playing surfaces and amenity spaces. You’ll bring a recognised qualification in sports turf, horticulture or a related field (e.g. NVQ Level 2 or equivalent), alongside a PA1/PA2/PA6 spraying licence and a full driving licence.
With proven hands-on skills in turf care, machinery use and maintenance, and grounds upkeep, you’ll be confident in preparing and maintaining pitches for a range of sports. Supervisory experience is important, as you’ll be guiding and supporting colleagues, setting work schedules, and ensuring high standards are achieved.
You’ll have a good working knowledge of health & safety and risk assessment requirements, with the ability to maintain compliance at all times. Strong communication and organisational skills will help you liaise effectively with colleagues, contractors, and sports users.
Most of all, you’ll be someone who takes pride in your work, thrives in a team environment, and embodies the University’s values of being Inclusive, Inspiring and Impactful.
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