Gardener

Garden Maintenance Team Leader

Montrose Garden Design & Landscaping Ltd
Full-Time | Permanent

About Montrose

Montrose is a family-run landscaping and garden maintenance company established in 1975.

For over 50 years, we have been creating and maintaining gardens across Surrey, ranging from smaller residential gardens through to large private gardens and estates.

We pride ourselves on delivering a professional, reliable service and maintaining a high standard of workmanship. We are now looking for an experienced Garden Maintenance Team Leader to take responsibility for running our maintenance rounds and leading a small team.

The Role

This is not an entry-level gardening position.

We are looking for someone with a minimum of three years' experience working in and running multiple garden maintenance jobs who is comfortable taking responsibility for their own schedule, team, machinery and customers.

You will be responsible for making sure each day's work runs efficiently and that the gardens under your care are maintained to the standard expected by both Montrose and our customers.

You will work from a digital schedule using mobile apps, travel between multiple customer properties and lead another member of the garden maintenance team.

Just as importantly, we need someone who communicates.

If you notice a problem in a customer's garden, something requires additional work, machinery needs attention, a job is taking longer than expected, or there is something the office needs to know about, we expect you to identify it and communicate it promptly.

We don't want someone who simply turns up, cuts the grass and moves on to the next job. We want someone who takes ownership of the gardens they are responsible for.

Key Responsibilities

You will be responsible for:

• Leading and supervising another member of the garden maintenance team
• Running multiple scheduled garden maintenance visits each day
• Checking your daily and weekly schedule and planning the work accordingly
• Using scheduling and job-management apps on your phone
• Communicating regularly with the office regarding progress, issues and customer requirements
• Identifying additional work, potential problems or anything requiring the office's attention
• Ensuring each job is completed within the allocated time and to the required standard
• Carrying out quality checks before leaving each property
• Taking responsibility for the presentation and professionalism of the team
• Checking machinery, tools and equipment before and during the working week
• Reporting damaged, faulty or missing equipment
• Ensuring machinery and tools are properly maintained, cleaned and stored
• Making sure the vehicle is kept organised and ready for work
• Communicating professionally with customers when required

Practical Gardening Responsibilities

You will also be hands-on and expected to carry out all aspects of professional garden maintenance, including:

• Lawn mowing and lawn care
• Hedge cutting and shaping
• Pruning shrubs and small trees
• Border and bed maintenance
• Weeding
• Planting
• Soil cultivation and improvement
• Mulching
• Edging
• Seasonal garden maintenance
• Leaf and debris clearance
• Watering and general plant care
• Identifying basic plant health issues
• Keeping gardens clean, tidy and professionally presented

You will regularly use professional horticultural machinery including lawn mowers, strimmers, hedge cutters, blowers and other powered equipment.

What We're Looking For

Essential requirements:

• Minimum 3 years' professional garden maintenance experience
• Previous experience running or taking responsibility for multiple garden maintenance jobs
• Experience leading or supervising another team member
• Confident using professional garden machinery
• Comfortable using mobile apps for schedules, job information, photographs and communication
• Good knowledge of general garden maintenance
• Strong attention to detail
• Good organisation and time management
• Reliable and punctual
• Professional when dealing with customers
• Able to work independently and make sensible decisions
• Comfortable taking responsibility rather than waiting to be told what to do
• Good communication with both the office and other team members
• Full UK driving licence

The Person We're Looking For

This role will suit someone who takes genuine pride in their work.

You should be the type of person who notices when something isn't right and does something about it.

If a hedge doesn't look right, you fix it. If machinery needs attention, you report it. If you notice something at a customer's property that the office should know about, you communicate it.

We are looking for someone who can be trusted to run their working day professionally without needing constant supervision.

In return, you'll be joining an established family business where good people are valued and there is an opportunity to build a long-term career.

Confidential Applications

We understand that good candidates are often already employed.

Any application or conversation with us will be treated completely confidentially.

If you're interested but aren't sure whether the position is right for you, we'd still encourage you to have a conversation with us.

Salary & Benefits

Salary will depend on experience and ability.

The overall package can include:

• Competitive salary
• Company vehicle for work
• Workplace pension
• Paid holiday
• Professional equipment and machinery
• Training and development
• Permanent, full-time employment
• Opportunity to take responsibility and progress within an established company

If you believe you have the experience and attitude we're looking for, please apply with your CV and a short introduction explaining your garden maintenance and team-leading experience.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: £30,000.00-£33,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Additional leave
• Company events
• Company pension

Experience:

• Gardening: 1 year (preferred)

Licence/Certification:

• Driving Licence (required)

Work Location: In person