ASSISTANT HEAD GROUNDS WORKER

DEFINITION

Under direction of a Head Grounds Worker or other supervisory official in 
a state college, institution, or department, has charge of the maintenance of 
grounds; assists in the planning, laying out, supervising, and/or assigning 
the necessary work; does other related duties as required.

NOTE: The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes 
only.  A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed 
in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may 
not be listed.

EXAMPLES OF WORK

May organize the maintenance of institutional grounds and develop 
effective work measures, programs, schedules, and procedures.

May prepare daily work schedules for employees having custody of 
inmates, patients, or students and employees assigned to grounds duties, 
provides assignments and instructions to these persons, and supervises the 
performance of their work.

May plan and direct work involved in maintenance of institutional grounds 
including preparation of the soil, the seeding, rolling, weeding, feeding, 
and cutting of lawns, and the planting, transplanting, thinning, and 
harvesting of flowers for cutting and other use.

May plan the removal of snow and/or direct the operation of snow blowers 
and salt spreaders.

May develop the program for tree culture and tree surgery procedures on 
the grounds and, in the absence of the Head Grounds Worker, may be 
required to climb and top tall trees.

May supervise the care of noncultivated areas of the grounds to ensure 
they are properly maintained.

May develop the program to clean and maintain roadways, walkways, and 
parking fields, and supervises the crew engaged in these operations.

Oversees the use of equipment, materials, supplies, and implements used 
to maintain grounds including tractors, grass cutters, scythes, hoes, rakes, 
sprinklers, garden hose, cultivators, spaders, shears, spraying devices, 
fertilizers, seeders, and other garden and grounds keeping equipment and 
tools.

Prepares requisitions for equipment, materials, and supplies and ensures 
these are safeguarded, stored, used, and recorded.

Supervises measures taken to ensure safety, custody, and progress of 
students, employees, inmates, or patients and others assigned to grounds 
work.

Reports suspicious persons and behavior and takes appropriate actions.

Prepares regular reports on grounds maintenance activities containing 
findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

Maintains records and files.

May be required to undergo fire training classes (in the Department of 
Human Services).

Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or 
manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or 
related units.

REQUIREMENTS

	EXPERIENCE
	
	Two (2) years of experience in work involving large scale grounds work, 
	gardening, tree surgery, and tree care operations.
	
	LICENSE
	
	Appointee may be required to obtain a NJ Certified Pesticide Applicator's 
	or Operator's Permit in the required categories.
	
	Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New 
	Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is 
	necessary to perform essential duties of the position.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of methods used to plan, lay out, and supervise maintenance 
work on lawns and grounds.

Knowledge of tree culture and surgery methods, materials, and procedures.

Ability to provide assignments and instructions to staff.

Ability to lay out flower beds and direct the preparation of soil, planting of 
seeds, weeding and thinning of bedding stock, and production of flowers 
for cutting purposes.

Ability to provide guidance to staff involved in the growth of trees, 
shrubbery, and perennial plants, and to direct the pruning of trees and 
shrubs, weeding and mowing of lawns, and trimming of hedges.

Ability to perform tree care and oversee tree surgery work which involves 
the climbing of trees of varied heights.

Ability to supervise the use of equipment, materials, tools, and supplies 
and to train students, employees, patients, or inmates to properly use these.

Ability to take the measures required to ensure safety and custody of 
patients and inmates assigned to grounds keeping work, to recognize 
suspicious and/or dangerous situations and occurrences, and to take 
necessary measures to secure safe, orderly conditions.

Ability to requisition, safeguard, store, and record equipment, tools, 
materials, and supplies.

Ability to prepare clear, sound, accurate reports containing findings, 
conclusions, and recommendations.

Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and 
information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English 
sufficiently to perform duties of this position.  American Sign Language or 
Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of  communication.

Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can 
perform essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is 
made to their known limitations.  If the accommodation cannot be made 
because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may 
not be eligible.

CODES:     12/R13 - 42746     MCK     03/03/05