Sports Groundsman – Fine Turf & Sports Pitch Maintenance

Location: Ilkeston, Derbyshire
Job Type: Full-Time | Temporary Ongoing | Long-Term Opportunities
Working Hours: Monday to Friday | Early Finish Fridays
Pay: Competitive Hourly Rate | Increasing to Over £14.00 per Hour After 12 Weeks

Sports Groundsman – Ilkeston

Thorn Baker Industrial Recruitment are currently recruiting for an experienced Sports Groundsman to join the Green Spaces team of a well-established local council based in Ilkeston, Derbyshire.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with a background in sports turf maintenance, groundskeeping or sports pitch preparation who takes pride in maintaining high-quality outdoor sporting facilities.

The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining a variety of sports surfaces, including football and rugby pitches, cricket wickets, bowling greens and other fine turf areas.

What's on Offer?

• Pay increase to over £14.00 per hour after 12 weeks

• Full-time, Monday to Friday working hours

• Early finish every Friday at 12:30pm

• Ongoing work with long-term opportunities

• Work within an established local authority Green Spaces team

• Varied outdoor work across a range of sporting facilities

• Support from a dedicated Thorn Baker recruitment consultant

Working Hours

• Monday to Thursday: 7:30am – 4:00pm

• Friday: 7:30am – 12:30pm

• Weekends: Not part of the standard working pattern

Key Responsibilities

As a Sports Groundsman, your duties will include:

• Maintaining fine turf surfaces including cricket wickets, bowling greens, croquet lawns and golf areas.

• Preparing, maintaining and marking out sports pitches for football, rugby, cricket, baseball and other sporting activities.

• Operating pedestrian and ride-on lawnmowers, including rotary and cylinder mowers.

• Carrying out grass cutting, edging, strimming and general grounds maintenance.

• Ensuring sports pitches and playing surfaces are maintained to a high standard and ready for use.

• Identifying and reporting turf defects, hazards and maintenance requirements.

• Following all relevant health and safety procedures when operating grounds maintenance machinery.

• Working independently and alongside colleagues to complete scheduled maintenance tasks.

What We're Looking For

Essential:

• Previous experience in sports grounds maintenance, fine turf management or a similar groundskeeping role.

• Practical experience operating pedestrian and ride-on mowers, including rotary and cylinder machinery.

• Knowledge of sports pitch preparation and line marking.

• Understanding of maintaining high-quality grass and fine turf surfaces.

• Good attention to detail and pride in delivering high standards of work.

• Ability to undertake physically demanding outdoor work in varying weather conditions.

• Reliable, punctual and able to work effectively within a team.

Desirable:

• PA1 and PA6 pesticide application certificates.

• Experience maintaining cricket wickets, bowling greens or other specialist sports surfaces.

• Previous experience working for a local authority, sports club, golf course or professional sporting facility.

• Relevant qualifications in horticulture, sports turf management or grounds maintenance.

Why Apply?

This position offers the opportunity to work within a professional Green Spaces team, maintaining facilities used by the local community.

With consistent weekday hours, an early Friday finish and an increased hourly rate after 12 weeks, this is an excellent opportunity for an experienced grounds maintenance professional seeking ongoing, stable employment.

How to Apply

If you have experience as a Sports Groundsman, Groundskeeper, Sports Turf Operative, Greenkeeper or Grounds Maintenance Operative, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today through Indeed with your up-to-date CV.

Alternatively, contact Dan at Thorn Baker Industrial Recruitment on 07557 954236 for further information.

Thorn Baker Industrial Recruitment is acting as an employment business in relation to this vacancy.