Assistant Head Groundsperson​

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​Position: Assistant Head Groundsperson​

Location: Charlton Athletic Training Ground, Sparrows Lane

Salary 34,000

Hours: FTE Mon-Fri +matchdays

About Us:

Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Charlton, south-east London. The club was founded on June 9th, 1905 and has a very storied history from rising to the top-flight of English Football in the 1930s (First Division) and again in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, to winning the FA Cup in 1947 and to leaving their Valley home in the mid-1980s only to make an impassioned return in 1992. Historically, the women's team played under Charlton Athletic from 2000 to 2007 but were released to become an independently run team in 2007 following the men's team's relegation from the Premier League.

The women's team were originally formed as a non-professional team in 1991 and were highly successful in the early 2000s winning The FA Cup, the League Cup, and the Charity Shield, as well as coming runners-up in the top division in multiple seasons. In February 2021, the club acquired the Charlton Athletic Women's team, turning the team full-time professional, and integrating them to become one club again.

Currently, our men's first team competes in League One, the third tier of English football, and our women's team competes in the Women’s Championship, the second highest division of women's football in England. At Charlton, we are ‘one club’ and can be truly described as a ‘family club’.

Role Description:

The purpose of this role is to To assist the Head Groundsperson in the management of playing surfaces at Charlton Athletics Training Ground. Setting and ensuring the highest standards of grounds maintenance and safety for players & employees. Working as part of a team to implement a works schedule that ensures that games and training programs can proceed as planned.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deputise for Head Grounds person onsite, ensuring that rota’s provide the necessary cover and flexibility to respond to the needs of the role and business
• Assist and help provide on the job training and support to team members, to ensure high standards are delivered and maintained.
• Supervise and carryout routine preparation and maintenance work in relation to playing surfaces. Undertake all preparatory and cultivation work to maintain safe quality playing surfaces.
• Provide regular feedback to the Head Grounds person on the performance of grounds team to support staff development and performance.
• Work flexibly across the Training Ground and Stadium as and when required.
• Assist with the supervision of contractors ensuring work is delivered safely and to agreed standards.
• Monitor and adapt artificial surface brushing and grooming works to ensure playing surface quality and life cycle of surface.
• Investigate and monitor pitch nutrition levels, so as to guide and control the application of fertilisation, seeding, fungicide, weed & pest control.
• Take responsibility for ordering of products and equipment when required, ensuring the correct level of authorisation is adhered to, utilising club purchase order procedures.
• Supervise and implement effective irrigation and watering plans to ensure correct application of water to surfaces.
• The safe use and operation of equipment and machinery used in grounds maintenance.
• Assist with the management of equipment and take corrective action on mechanical defects or breakdown of equipment
• At all times adhere to high standards in relation to Health and Safety upholding the company policy in this respect
• ​Ensure work area is kept clean, tidy and secure at all times
• Undertake general grounds maintenance tasks in relation to the playing surface and surrounding areas
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with coaches, colleagues, opposing teams and end users

Education/Qualifications/Training:

• National/Scottish Vocational Qualification Level 3 Amenity Horticulture and Sports Turf Management or IOG National
• Diploma in turf culture or BTEC/HND/HNC in Turf Science and Sports Grounds Management. [E] Level 4 [D]
• Relevant Health and Safety training (E)
• Preferred Pesticides Application PA1, 2 and 6 [E]
• ​Full Driving Licence [E]
• ​CS30 and CS31 certificates [D]

Specific Experience

• At least 1 years’ experience of supervising / managing and motivating a team in a sports pitch environment [E]
• Experience of grounds maintenance and construction [E]
• Experience of supervising contractors [E]
•  Experience within a professional football environment [E].

Abilities/Skills/Knowledge:

• Effective communication skills
• Basic IT skills
• Demonstrate vision and ability to persuade and deliver change into an organisation
• Strong organisational and time management skills
• Actively cooperate and communicate with others, fostering a culture of teamwork and collaboration.
• Positive about achieving Club, departmental and individual success.
• Proactively take on new responsibilities and seek out opportunities to learn new skills.
• Must have the ability to make quick decisions in a fast paced environment, if required.
• Must be accountable for delivering results within assigned levels of accountability.   

Additional Information:

• This a full time role that includes work on weekends and evenings (negotiable);
• Applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK;
• Charlton Athletic FC is committed to following relevant health & safety regulations and all members of staff are expected to be fully aware and adhere to, at all times, the Club’s H&S and fire safety procedures;
• Charlton Athletic Football Club are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff to share this commitment;
• CAFC is committed to the principle of equal opportunity and its policies for recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion are designed to ensure that no job applicant receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, color, nationality, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, ethnic and national origin, disability or gender reassignment.

Note: Please note that due to the high volume of applications we receive we regret that we are unable to respond to unsuccessful applicants.

To Apply: Please send a copy of your CV as well as a covering letter explaining why you want to apply for this placement to: ​​https://cafc.peoplehr.net/Pages/JobBoard/Opening.aspx?v=24bb06d9-dbba-48a0-892c-785f2f6759f1