Green Spaces Manager

About the role

You will be passionate about providing high quality green spaces and working with communities to make Elmbridge a great place to live, work and play.

You will be responsible for managing more than 100 parks, recreation grounds and open spaces, over 20 countryside sites including 360 hectares of the Esher Commons Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI) and 7 cemeteries and closed churchyards.

You will have experience of contract management, procurement, budget development and control but you will also have the ability to manage a variety of services; ensuring the residents of Elmbridge are best served at all times.

You will have the opportunity to work within a great team environment seeking to improve the lives of some of our most vulnerable and deserving residents.

With an excellent personal development programme and support, you will have the opportunity to shape your own development and growth and make a real impact in the community.

The main purpose of the role:

To manage all aspects of the Council's Green Spaces contract, the borough's cemeteries service and countryside team ensuring continuous improvement in services.

Manage your team ensuring that all individuals have the opportunity for growth and development and have personal development plans linked to clearly understood performance targets. Ensure your team are thriving, that they know their objectives and the vision of the team and the organisation and more importantly that they feel empowered to achieve these goals. To participate effectively in the corporate management of the Culture, Leisure and Environment team. To promote a customer-oriented service delivery approach through effective management and development of the green spaces services which meets the needs of the local community.

Specific duties and responsibilities

To be responsible for the management and strategic development of the services associated with the Green Spaces service to meet the needs of theElmbridge community including: recreation grounds, parks and open spaces; Commons and countryside Services; Cemeteries and services for the bereaved; Allotment services; War memorials; To manage the development of an extensive Green Spaces service to meet the needs of the local community and encourages a wider range of participation/ interest in the facilities. To support the Head of Leisure and Cultural Services in the project management and development of new projects and facilities as required. Ensure delivery of circa £5million capital programme within the 26-27 financial year. The reivew of contract documents, management of the team undertaking tendering process and the moderation of tenders for the contracted services. Effective monitoring of the contract performance and working in partnership with the contractor to provide evolving services to meet the needs of the community.

To work closely with other partners (Surrey County Council, Surrey Police, Environment Agency etc..) to ensure the green spaces are safe and welcoming to all visitors. To seek to continually improve all services in line with legislation, value for money, good practice and the needs of the local community.

Maintain a thorough awareness of developments in all aspects of service delivery, legislation and practice relating to the functions of the section and advise the Head of Leisure and Cultural Services on. To support the Head of Leisure and Cultural Services to manage any unauthorised encampments or unauthorised moorings on council owned land. Work with a wide range of community groups and external agencies to develop cost-effective services and facilities. To encourage a healthy lifestyle through the use of the Borough's Green Spaces. To research, prepare reports, programmes and budgets as required. To attend meetings of the Council, its Committees and Sub-Committees, working and/or consultative groups and meetings with other organisations/agencies representing the Team as required. Develop and maintain full and effective liaison with other teams throughout the organisation