Grounds Maintenance Assistant

First Wessex is a Hampshire-based housing association providing homes and services to local communities throughout Hampshire and parts of Surrey. We pride ourselves on working closely with residents and surrounding communities to make sure we deliver high quality homes and services. We manage and maintain around 20,500 affordable homes for rent or purchase and currently develop in excess of 300 new homes each year!

First Wessex staff play a critical role in the success of the business. It is our people who innovate, develop relationships with our stakeholders, promote our identity, deliver our services and find new ways to improve efficiency and productivity. Organisations with superior workforces are the most successful and at First Wessex we aim to attract, develop and retain the very best people to carry out the work required throughour professionalism, knowledge and ability to work effectively with our customers and stakeholders.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated person who is passionate about making a real difference!

As a Grounds Maintenance Assistant you will be a part of delivering excellent customer and community services & take pride in the work you do! We are not just a landlord, our aim is to inspire people & make our neighbourhoods the best they can be! The role will be based in Eastleigh, working 39 hours a week on a permanent basis. The annual salary is £26,000per year, plus access to a company vehicle & a range of generous benefits!

Role Purpose

The purpose is to assist the Team Leader in carrying out a high standard of grounds maintenance work, including grass cutting, hedge cutting, border maintenance, weed control, leaf clearance and low level tree work to communal land on allocated sites.

Main Duties:

To help plan & organise the tools and equipment required for your work, load up the vehicle and leave the depot in a timely manner, minimising delays and take the most direct routes to the sites on your established rota, not deviating and avoiding delays
To follow established work routines and tasks on site and in sequence, with scope for autonomy to make adjustments in the event of unanticipated events
To complete daily work records for your sites when your Team Leader is absent, and ensure that your device is charged and switched on at all times, during working hours.
To wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as identified in the Risk Assessment for the task.
Use the Hand Arm Vibration (HAV) meter each time you use hand held machinery, to assist and support First Wessex with their HAV management policy.The candidate

Must have experience of commercial grounds maintenance work and the various types of equipment, machines and materials to undertake that work
Must hold a full current driving licence with category B (vehicles up to 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass) and be capable and competent to drive and reverse with a 3,500kg commercial vehicle
Would be ideal for the candidate to have NPTC Level 2:
Safe use of Handheld hedge cutters
Safe use of Pedestrian mowers
Safe use of Ride on self propelled mowers
Safe use of Brush cutters & Trimmers
Use of Pesticides PA1 & PA6A
Use of Chainsaws – Felling & Processing of trees upto 380mm
Use of Chainsaws – Maintenance and Cross cutting
A horticultural qualification would also be ideal but is not essential Ideal

This role is subject to a basic disclosure check.