Parks and Open Spaces Operative
| Posting date: | 09 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £23,558 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 23 January 2026 |
| Location: | Dover, Kent |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Dover District Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | DDC0798 |
Summary
Dover District Council has an exciting agenda to deliver first class public services, putting our residents at the heart of everything we do. From building new, affordable homes to exciting regeneration schemes. A career with Dover District Council offers you the opportunity to excel.
As an employer, Dover District Council is proud to provide a supportive, friendly, diverse and flexible working environment in which our employees can thrive. We have a team of enthusiastic employees, delivering services they are passionate about.
The Role & Responsibilities:
You will be required to lone work, or as part of a team to carry out all aspects of ground’s maintenance activities within the the Dover district.
You will ensure all tasks and duties are completed during each day to the agreed standards and carry out daily maintenance checks and maintain allocated equipment in a clean and usable condition, reporting any defects.
Always act and operate any equipment in accordance with Health and Safety requirements, and in such a manner as to not risk injury to self, colleagues or members of the public.
Be responsible for the council’s vehicle with regards to usage, defect reporting and compliance with legislation.
Undertake any other duties, which may be reasonably required.
Who We Are Looking For
Are you an enthusiastic and reliable grounds maintenance operative? We are looking for dynamic people to maintain the gardens, parks and open spaces in and around the local area. Working as part of the Council’s in-house Parks & Open Spaces Team, the role involves the following aspects of maintenance:
Grass Cutting, Strimming, Weeding, Pruning, Planting, Litter Picking and Hedge Cutting.
Candidates should have proven experience in grounds maintenance, be competent in using the appropriate power tools where required and be physically fit.
Certificates in spraying (PA1 PA6), Horticulture and Ride on Mowers would be an advantage but not essential.
A full driving licence for a manual geared vehicle is also essential for this role.
As this role involves the use of vibration equipment, any offer of employment will be subject to satisfactory medical clearance. We will ask you to complete a medical questionnaire which will be sent to our occupational health medical advisor and as a result of this you may be asked to undergo a medical.
Due to the nature of the role, successful candidates will be required to complete a Basic DBS application as part of pre-employment checks.
What Can We Offer?
We can provide a friendly and supportive environment for you to excel in. We also offer several employee benefits, subject to eligibility criteria, such as:
Benenden Healthcare Membership and Employee Assistance Program
Opt-in Local government pension scheme with the opportunity for staff to make advanced, voluntary contributions (AVCs) to top up their pension
Generous annual leave provision
Discount scheme including reduced membership rates at the local leisure centre
On-site parking(site dependant)
Cycle2Work scheme
The quality of your application will be considered as part of the recruitment process.
For an alternative format, or to apply using a different method, please contact us.
What Next?
If you would like a further discussion about the post then please contact Dave Terry, Parks & Open Spaces Supervisor at dave.terry@dover.gov.uk or on 07801400275
Interviews to be held on TBC.
As an employer, Dover District Council is proud to provide a supportive, friendly, diverse and flexible working environment in which our employees can thrive. We have a team of enthusiastic employees, delivering services they are passionate about.
The Role & Responsibilities:
You will be required to lone work, or as part of a team to carry out all aspects of ground’s maintenance activities within the the Dover district.
You will ensure all tasks and duties are completed during each day to the agreed standards and carry out daily maintenance checks and maintain allocated equipment in a clean and usable condition, reporting any defects.
Always act and operate any equipment in accordance with Health and Safety requirements, and in such a manner as to not risk injury to self, colleagues or members of the public.
Be responsible for the council’s vehicle with regards to usage, defect reporting and compliance with legislation.
Undertake any other duties, which may be reasonably required.
Who We Are Looking For
Are you an enthusiastic and reliable grounds maintenance operative? We are looking for dynamic people to maintain the gardens, parks and open spaces in and around the local area. Working as part of the Council’s in-house Parks & Open Spaces Team, the role involves the following aspects of maintenance:
Grass Cutting, Strimming, Weeding, Pruning, Planting, Litter Picking and Hedge Cutting.
Candidates should have proven experience in grounds maintenance, be competent in using the appropriate power tools where required and be physically fit.
Certificates in spraying (PA1 PA6), Horticulture and Ride on Mowers would be an advantage but not essential.
A full driving licence for a manual geared vehicle is also essential for this role.
As this role involves the use of vibration equipment, any offer of employment will be subject to satisfactory medical clearance. We will ask you to complete a medical questionnaire which will be sent to our occupational health medical advisor and as a result of this you may be asked to undergo a medical.
Due to the nature of the role, successful candidates will be required to complete a Basic DBS application as part of pre-employment checks.
What Can We Offer?
We can provide a friendly and supportive environment for you to excel in. We also offer several employee benefits, subject to eligibility criteria, such as:
Benenden Healthcare Membership and Employee Assistance Program
Opt-in Local government pension scheme with the opportunity for staff to make advanced, voluntary contributions (AVCs) to top up their pension
Generous annual leave provision
Discount scheme including reduced membership rates at the local leisure centre
On-site parking(site dependant)
Cycle2Work scheme
The quality of your application will be considered as part of the recruitment process.
For an alternative format, or to apply using a different method, please contact us.
What Next?
If you would like a further discussion about the post then please contact Dave Terry, Parks & Open Spaces Supervisor at dave.terry@dover.gov.uk or on 07801400275
Interviews to be held on TBC.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.