• Job Role: Grounds Facilities Manager
• Hours per week: 37.5 per week, over a flexible working contract (may include weekends).
• Location: GreenAcres Kemnal Park, A20 Sidcup Bypass, Chislehurst, BR7 6RR
• Salary: Competitive salary based on experience, (plus performance incentives).
• Role Type: Permanent.
• Driving License:  Full Licence Required
• Closing Date: This vacancy will close when a suitable candidate is found.

About Us:

GreenAcres is the largest privately owned mid-sized provider of bereavement services in the UK. We offer a sustainable alternative to traditional cemeteries through our beautiful woodland and traditional memorial parks. We operate six sites across the UK, including a single-site multi-brand strategy at one of our operations.

GreenAcres provides a unique end-of-life experience for bereaved families, focusing on preserving and enhancing the natural beauty of these serene locations, we provide families with a distinctive and often eco-friendly way to memorialise their loved ones. Providing a personalised service in a unique and caring environment for all our families and we are looking for exceptional people to join our team.

Position Overview:

As the Grounds Facilities Manager, you will lead, motivate and develop the Grounds and Maintenance teams, to ensure that Kemnal Park and Eternal Gardens are maintained to a high standard all year round, with a genuine enthusiasm to help our families.

Strong leadership skills are required to achieve and deliver park objectives. The Grounds Facilities Manager will ideally be from a landscape or horticultural background who will champion and promote exceptional customer service, within the teams they are managing.

Diary management and effective planning around required work are essential. Plus, providing support and guidance to your teams to achieve high volume output and productivity.

Key Responsibilities:

1.   CUSTOMER SERVICE

• Ensure the Grounds team consistently promotes the highest standard of professional customer service.
• All customer queries and complaints are handled in a timely and compassionate manner and tracked via the operating system.
• Seek out opportunities to improve the Park’s environmental credentials.
• Ensure a 5-star first impression is created for customers by ensuring the park always looks its best 365 days a year.
• Ensure the effective delivery of services to Group standards and values.

2.   GROUNDS

• Ensure the Grounds team maintain the grounds to a prestige, distinctive and contemporary standard.
• Lead the team to effectively perform all funeral–related duties to our WOW standards as expected by our customers, such as digging and backfilling of graves, preparing ash interments, maintenance of the park, and project work.
• Manage facilities and maintain vehicles and site equipment.
• Knowledge of industry trends and legislations ensuring that best practice is adopted.
• Responsible for the development, coordination, and delivery of all ground projects in the park in conjunction with the Park Director.

3.   SALES AND MARKETING

• Play a key role in delivering sales targets through effective delivery of all activities and landscaping projects.
• Liaise with the Service Manager and Park Director to ensure that stock levels are maintained at an appropriate level.
• Work closely with the Service Manager and Park Director to ensure all customer events are delivered successfully.
• Deliver the community engagement strategy for long-term growth.
• Input into the continuous development of new products and services for the site.

4.   PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

• Play a key role to lead on our One Team One Group values and behaviours.
• Effective calendar management to plan grounds team resourcing and activity.
• Lead, motivate and develop the grounds team to deliver on KPIs.
• Develop the team through coaching, training, e-learning and providing external training as required.
• Meet regularly with the team supervisors to provide, guidance, support and training as required.
• Follow the annual appraisal process for all members of the grounds team and set SMART, aligned objectives for them.
• Manage all grounds recruitment as required in conjunction with the Park Director and HR.
• Ensure the retention of quality colleagues.
• Follow group policies and procedures as required for any Employee Relations cases.

5.   FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

• Manage the grounds budget effectively including Purchase Order System and salary budget management.
• Drive efficiencies within the operational areas to meet targets and manage costs.
• Utilise available systems to create continuous efficiencies and ensure lean ways of working.
• Adherence to all internal central and operational processes.
• Lead on the effective use of the operating system to map the site. Locate stock and allocate tasks.

6.   HEALTH, SAFETY AND SECURITY

• Ensure colleagues are adhering to all Health and Safety procedures.
• Responsible for internal audit compliance
• Ensure overall security of the site.
• If required and trained deliver first aid and follow the correct health and safety procedures to ensure own safety.

Qualifications:

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Must be able to demonstrate people-led management.
• Experience working either in landscaping or horticulture (ideally with a horticultural qualification).
• A passion for supporting our families and community, always showing empathy and respect.
• Computer literate/data entry – (training will be provided on our internal systems).
• Driving Licence required.

Benefits include:

• Opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the bereavement services sector while promoting sustainability.
• Supportive work environment and opportunities for professional growth.
• Exceptional holiday entitlement of 33 days inclusive of bank holidays
• Enhanced Pension 6% Employer & 3% Employee
• Life Assurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Employee Healthcare Plan
• Company Sick Pay
• Bicycle to Work Scheme
• Free parking on-site
• Annual Flu Jab Voucher
• Me day, a day off for your Birthday

Application Process:

Interested candidates who meet the qualifications for this position are invited to submit their CVs and a cover letter detailing their relevant experience and why they are suitable candidates for this role.

Please send your application to [email protected] or submit your application via the applicable job portal.

Shortlisted candidates will thereafter be invited to a screening interview with Human Resources.

Successful candidates will thereafter be invited to an interview with the management team at Kemnal Park.

However, due to the high number of applications expected, should you not hear from the team within two weeks of your application you have unfortunately been unsuccessful.

Additional Criteria:

• Eligibility to work in the UK.
• Live within commuting distance.
• GreenAcres is an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds to apply.
• GreenAcres appoints on merit. If you require any reasonable adjustment or other assistance to participate in the recruitment process, please contact [email protected]

*Note: This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the position and does not encompass all the responsibilities and duties associated with the role. Additional tasks may be assigned as needed. *

Closing date 31 May 2024.

GreenAcres appoints on merit.