Job summary
- Main area
- Estates
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 4
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 358-7947285-E&F
- Employer
- University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Glenfield Hospital
- Town
- Leicester
- Salary
- £28,392 - £31,157 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 15/07/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Grounds & Gardens Supervisor
NHS AfC: Band 4
AI tools like chatbots and virtual assistants can support you as you complete your application. For example, they can check for spelling or grammar errors, or help you to decide what to include.
But they shouldn’t replace your own responses or be used to write the application for you.
Relying too much on AI can negatively impact your chances of success, because automatically generated answers:
- might not be specific or relevant enough to address the criteria in the recruitment profile
- often seem generic and not personalised enough – an AI response won’t show your unique voice and perspective
- could misrepresent information about you, such as your qualifications, skills and experience
We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct.
Job overview
The core duty of the role is to supervise grounds & gardens team members and contractors, provide practical instruction to staff and contractors and to act mentor for team members and apprentices to assist in their development and to compile and monitor training programmes. Ensure the grounds of the hospital are tidy and welcoming to patients and visitors.
Maintain operate & review the pre-planned maintenance programs to review & revises procedures and working practices where required.
The post holder will maintain good communications and working relationships with;
Members of Trust staff at all levels including nursing staff,
Estates Supervisors.
Estates Managers.
All Estates and Facilities staff across all disciplines.
External Agencies/ Specialist sub-contractors.
Carry out work in accordance with current legislation, codes of practice and best practice guidance
Work safely observing the Trust and departments Health and Safety Policies and procedures.
Work efficiently using technology to work within Service Level agreements and Key performance Indicators.
Carry out tasks and communicate failures and non-conformities to line manager.
To act in a professional manner when undertaking tasks and duties in contact with Patients, Visitors, contractors and staff.
Main duties of the job
The main duties of this role is:
- to lead a team of staff to ensure the grounds and gardens of the Leicester Royal Infirmary are kept clean and presentable
- to proactively make improvements to the garden areas developing layouts and planting selection
- organise seasonal plant and shrub ordering and procurement
- planning machine and equipment maintenance schedules
- ensure the staff are working in a safe manner and support them with any training requirements
Working for our organisation
Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023-2030).
We have four primary goals:
- high-quality care for all,
- being a great place to work,
- partnerships for impact, and
- research and education excellence
And we will embed health equality in all we do - taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.
Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:
- we are compassionate,
- we are proud,
- we are inclusive, and
- we are one team
This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.
About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust:
http://www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk/aboutus/work-for-us/current-vacancies/
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Carry out all the supervisory tasks associated with the gardening department. This will include aspects such as, direct supervision of the in-house gardening team, raising and allocating works, creating a site wide PPM schedule, managing holidays, training, tools and machinery maintenance etc. Liaising with contractors regarding contracted works, tree surveys, tree felling, winter gritting etc, everything associated with running and supervising the gardening department. Carry out routine gardening and grounds maintenance activities unsupervised to include, grass cutting and hedges.
Person specification
Communication and relationship skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, including the ability and confidence to liaise with all services and grades
- Ability to handle sensitive information with the confidentiality
- Must have excellent interpersonal skills at all levels internally and externally.
Desirable criteria
- Be Able to deal with complaints and queries in a professional and informative manner
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working within the NHS environment in Operational Estates
- Experience of Supervising Gardening Team with the minimum 3 Years’ Experience
- Experience of supervising staff and allocating work load and ensuring safe operation of equipment
- Experience of developing systems and processes to improve on our KPI’s and implement changes for the benefit of the department
- Knowledge of Health & Safety in connection with the Construction Industry
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience in gardening and landscaping
- Extensive knowledge of Gardening equipment and maintenance
- Extensive Knowledge of developing risk assessment’s
- Keep Accurate Records of Tree Surveys and arrange the visits
- To keep the Gardening Departments COSHH Register up to date.
- To ensure all machinery is maintained and in good working order
- To ensure your teams statutory and mandatory training along with appraisals are kept up to date
- Ensuring all relevant health & safety standards are met in relation yours, your staff and the general public, conducting and reviewing risk assessments of yours, your staff and contractors.
- Being responsible for the proper use, maintenance and safe storage of all plant, machinery, tools and equipment.
- Carry out driving duties, if able, as requested to collect or deliver plant and equipment to supplier or manufacturers agents. Current British driving licence preferred
Training & Qualifications
Essential criteria
- GCSE Grade 3 or Equivalent or above in English
- GCSE Grade 3 or Equivalent or above in Maths
- Qualification in Gardening/landscaping eg NVQ level 3 or equivalent
- Certificate in competence in PA 1 & PA 6 Pesticide Control Qualification
- Chainsaw License
- Qualification in Garden Machinery
Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours
Essential criteria
- Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust’s Values and Behaviours
Analytical and Judgement skills
Essential criteria
- Must be able to use own initiative without direct supervision
- Must be able to multitask and deal with frequent interruptions when carrying out complex tasks
- Must have excellent attention to detail with a high level of precision and accuracy
- Must be able to Diagnose a wide range of faults and come up with a solution
- Must be able to solve technical issues relating to the gardening machinery or plant
Planning and organisation skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent organisational and planning skills with the ability to manage difficult situations and prioritise workloads.
- Ability to forward plan and delegate tasks and have the confidence to do so.
- Be Able to Manager other Gardner’s within the team and arrange workloads.
- Organise Tree Surveys and provide accurate reports with action plans
Physical Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to do the job with enthusiasm and vigour
- Be flexible with working hours when incidents occur that could have impact on service delivery
- Be able to Operate fine tools and equipment
Other Requirements
Essential criteria
- Must have a driving licence and be able to travel between sites at short notice
- Must be willing to undertake highly unpleasant condition’s at times working in inclement weather and clearing of sewage after drains have over flowed.
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Lee Hines
- Job title
- Senior Estates Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07950 886075
List jobs with University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in Support Services or all sectors




