Lead Groundskeeper - Parks & Recreation Division

In order to be considered for this position, applicants must successfully submit a completed application prior to the posting deadline. Applications submitted with incomplete or missing education and/or work experience sections will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. These applicants will be disqualified from consideration. The attachment of a resume to the application does not fulfill this requirement and will not prevent incomplete applications from being rejected. Education and work experience fields must be completed, regardless of the presence of an attached resume.

Once the posting closes, all applications will be reviewed. The information provided on the application will be utilized to determine whether or not each applicant meets the Minimum Requirements for this position as noted in the Job Description. We encourage all applicants to provide a comprehensive, concise history of their education, certification, licensing, and employment history. Please read the Minimum Requirements thoroughly and then demonstrate that you meet these requirements on your application.

For questions regarding this posting, please contact Sherry Christman, Human Resources Analyst at schristman@norcopa.gov or 610-829-6382.

Equal Employment Opportunities - It is the policy of Northampton County to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, sex, gender identity, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability, or any other status protected by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and any other state, federal, or local law.

GENERAL PURPOSE
The Lead Groundskeeper performs semiskilled grounds maintenance work and training of Parks and Recreation division staff in the operation and maintenance of light and heavy duty power equipment, related facilities, and equipment. This position is subject to call-out during inclement weather, and other emergencies, twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week. Work is performed at County parks, facilities, and other sites as assigned.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED
This position reports directly to the Parks Foreman, Parks and Recreation Superintendent, and/or the Director of Public Works.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED
This position exercises supervision of the work of Groundskeeper positions, as well as temporary/seasonal employees, and volunteer staff.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES OF THE POSITION
Receives job schedules and priorities. Plans and assigns jobs to crews and/or individuals. Distributes equipment and materials and provides transport to work site. Assists with problems and inspects work in progress and upon completion. Makes notes of incidents, breakdowns, or other events and documents job completion.

Conducts training for the use, maintenance, and operation of equipment and facilities. Promotes best management policies for maintenance, in accordance with the Parks and Recreation division goals. Assigns work to subordinates and reviews work performance.

Assists Parks Foreman and Parks and Recreation Superintendent with soliciting quotes for contracted work, and assists with requisitions, procurement requests, and purchase orders. Maintains an active purchasing card for equipment, maintenance, travel, and training purchases, as well as supplies and equipment for staff. Monitors supply inventory and makes purchases as needed.

Operates and services all division equipment including hand power tools, riding and/or rotary mowers, snow removal equipment, excavators, front-end loaders, trucks, and other equipment.

Maintains clean grounds, waterways, facilities, trails, and walkways throughout the year, in all types of weather. Ensures all areas, equipment, and facilities are safe, clean, and in good appearance. Removes trash and other debris, cleans facilities such as restrooms, and maintains heating systems, electrical systems, septic systems, well pumps, and other equipment associated with assigned areas - i.e. tennis and volleyball courts, playgrounds, etc.

Performs repair work in facilities such as unstopping sinks and basins, winterizing restrooms, mending broken fencing, doors, windows or partitions, and/or painting signs, exterior and interior of buildings, and recreational facility markings. Builds and repairs birdhouses, duck blinds, and similar items.

Performs land management and maintenance, which includes tilling, aerating and preparing land. Applies fertilizer, pesticide, and other chemical solutions with spray rigs to grass, shrubs, trees, and other plantings to prevent and/or control weeds, disease, and pests, or to stimulate growth. Repairs concrete and macadam sealing. Waters, fertilizes, cultivates, and trims lawns, shrubs, flowers, trees, and other plantings. Plants trees, shrubs, and flowers. May perform hand mulching and hand weeding.

Responsible for winter maintenance on County properties, including the removal of snow, ice, and other hazards. Operates, maintains, and repairs snow removal and de-icing equipment.

Maintains rivers, streams, ponds, and other waterways and their banks to allow flow. Removes all debris within these areas.

Traps and disposes of wildlife posing threats to County property.

Maintains a current knowledge of all Parks and Recreation division programs, special events, park policies, and park amenities in order to provide key information to staff, county partners, and park patrons.

*An employee assigned to this title shall perform a majority, but may not perform all, of the duties listed in this job description. Conversely, minor level duties performed on the job may not be listed. The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

REQUIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE - Possession of a high school diploma or equivalent; AND

At least three (3) years of full-time, professional work experience in grounds maintenance work, which has included involvement in troubleshooting jobs and/or overseeing other workers.

CERTIFICATION/LICENSE - Employee assigned to this title is required to possess and maintain a valid and current motor vehicle operator's license; AND

Employee must possess certification to administer pesticides as issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, within six (6) months of hire.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION - As a post-offer, prerequisite for appointment, appointees must pass a motor vehicle driving record check.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, supervisors/managers, other agencies, and the general public.

Ability to task switch and prioritize workload, with frequent interruptions, in order to meet deadlines and accomplish assigned responsibilities.

Ability to learn and retain detailed knowledge of policies, procedures, and practices of the Parks and Recreation division.

Ability to use, or learn to use, content management systems for website updates.

Knowledge of methods, techniques, materials, and equipment used in park and facility operation and maintenance.

Knowledge of methods and techniques used in power equipment operation, forestry, agriculture, and pesticide best practices.

Basic knowledge of carpentry, plumbing, electric, water pumps, and septic systems.

Ability to train, instruct, assist, and oversee lower level personnel engaged in grounds maintenance work.

Ability to understand, follow, and issue verbal and written instructions.

Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English to perform the duties of this position.

Ability to work outdoors, in differing climatic conditions, for several hours at a time.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
Pick-up truck, dump truck, back hoe, loader, forklift, and snow blower. Lawn and landscaping equipment which includes tractors, mowers, aerator, chain saw, edgers, weed trimmers, electric motors, pumps, sprinklers, and irrigation systems. Miscellaneous hand and power tools for turf maintenance, carpentry, roofing, painting, plumbing, electrical, and cement finishing work. Boiler, telephone or cell phone, and mobile or portable radio.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, walk sit and talk or hear.

The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to eighty (80) pounds, and occasionally lift weight up to one hundred (100) pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may work near moving mechanical parts or in adverse weather conditions, including flood conditions. The employee may encounter wet and/or humid conditions, fumes, toxic or caustic chemicals. The employee may deal with high volume of vehicular traffic. The County will provide proper safety equipment and safety training.

The noise level in the work environment is moderately noisy.

SELECTION GUIDELINES
Formal application, rating of education and experience, interview, and reference check as well as job related tests may be required.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

FLSA STATUS: FLSA NON-EXEMPT (ELIGIBLE FOR OVERTIME)
DESIGNATION: CAREER SERVICE
PAY GRADE: RU-17
UNION STATUS: AFSCME RESIDUAL UNIT

Updated June 2023