General Manager

General Manager required

Job Ref ADV522

Do you work in the Grounds Maintenance Industry and fancy a new and exciting challenge?

Do you want to make a genuine positive impact on people’s lives through your work?

Blue Sky Services is a social enterprise owned by the Forward Trust and sits within our Employment Services Division. We deliver grounds maintenance, car park management, soft facilities management and horticultural services on behalf of local authorities, social landlords and other partners in London and surrounding counties. We provide social value by employing those from disadvantaged backgrounds and contributing to the wider Forward charity via margins raised through our services.

Blue Sky Services employs people with lived experience including ex-offenders, people in recovery and also the unemployed or NEET. All staff are employed on Forward Trust terms and conditions and we are a Real Living Wage employer.

The Forward Trust are a large national charity primarily delivering support to those with substance misuse issues. We also deliver a wider range of vocational training, apprenticeships, careers guidance, enterprise and employability services in prisons and the community.

This is an exciting and rare opportunity to work as a General Manager of a charitable Grounds Maintenance business with a high degree of autonomy to deal with the day to day management of the service. You will be working closely with the Head of Enterprise and your team members and you will be responsible for:

• General management of all day-to-day operations; ensuring a high standard of Grounds Maintenance and soft facilities management is maintained across our portfolio of clients, and delivering an excellent customer service.
• Scheduling and organising both regular contracted and ad hoc jobs, and ensuring equipment is effectively allocated to complete the work.
• Liaising with clients to ensure their expectations are being met and receive feedback for improving the service. Creating action-plans to raise standards in the event standards are below expectations.
• Winning and on-boarding new clients/commissioners.
• Promoting additional services of the Social Enterprise to maximise revenue potential
• Producing quotations for new grounds maintenance and associated jobs and ad hoc jobs for existing and new clientele.
• To support the training and development of staff working for Blue Sky Services.
• To be responsible for all aspects of Health and Safety in the yard/offices and whilst on client/customer sites including safe working practices e.g manual handling, RAMS, COSHH assessments
• To comply and report any health and safety, equalities and diversity, complaints/complements, safeguarding/prevent and other incidents relating to the work of Blue Sky Services to the Head of Enterprise or designated manager or Director
• To act as a positive role model for the employees of Blue Sky Services (including apprentices), and those on work experience.
• Develop good links with contractors and sub contractors to ensure that the work is carried out in a timely fashion to the appropriate quality standards.
• Report any concerns relating to employee behaviour or Health and Safety directly to the Head of Enterprise.
• Be responsible for the recording of revenue and daily expenditure of the Enterprise

Daily management activities will include:

• Managing the business on a day-to-day basis
• Conducting client visits
• Liaising with enquiries from prospective clients for services and prices
• Recruitment with support from designated Manager
• Managing the staff to include regular support and supervision meetings, absences with the support of dedicated HR systems in place.
• Producing the grounds maintenance schedule accounting for holidays and ad hoc jobs.
• Ensuring accurate financial records are kept for invoicing purposes.
• Support activities such as taking equipment for servicing and purchasing materials/tools.
• Working closely with the Head of Enterprise in developing and implementing strategies for growing the business

We are looking for an experienced General Manager within the Grounds Maintenance Industry.  This post is 37 hours per week and involves the full time management of the Enterprise and its day to day operations.

We encourage applications from either ex-offenders, those at risk of offending or have been in trouble with the police or in recovery and unemployed.

Below is a list of the qualities that we are looking for in applicants for this post.  Please address these points in your application.

• Have experience in managing teams and customer relationships.
• Have extensive experience on Grounds Maintenance and associated services with a broad knowledge of plants and Horticulture found in England
• Able to undertake all the duties of the job, with or without the use of aids and adaptations, including the manual handling of heavy objects, (with training).
• Full UK Driving Licence
• Relevant qualifications relating to Grounds Maintenance and Horticulture
• Able to work as a member of a team undertaking maintenance duties to contract specified standards, ensuring that the quality of service is maintained to meet client or customer requirements.
• Able to work on own initiative, comply with all work instructions given and liaise with the Head of Enterprise over any service delivery problems.
• Able to work to and apply quality assurance standards.
• Able to undertake any administrative duties required, e.g. completing Health and Safety formseal;H, record keeping, Supervision meetings, Absence reviews etc.
• Good knowledge of the health and safety regulations that affect the work area and able to work in accordance with all health and safety policy requirements; e.g. Manual handling, Personal Protective Equipment, (PPE), etc.
• To have a flexible and adaptable approach to work, including being willing and able to work as directed during the day, e.g. As relief and cover; to work unsociable hours, weekends and bank holidays if necessary to meet the demands of the service.
• To set and contribute to regular team meetings to discuss issues relating to the contracts and employee’s personal development and training.
• Familiarity with Microsoft applications such as MS Word and MS Excel

Experience

• Extensive Experience of working, supervising and managing in the Grounds Maintenance Industry

Alongside Simply Health coverage, and a contributory pension scheme to assist employees with their general health and well-being. We offer:

• Use of Company vehicle for business purposes
• Access to Simply Health insurance policy
• Training opportunities and career development
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
• Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter
• Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
• Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)
• 3 x Health and Wellbeing days 
• Crisis Loan Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme

This General Manager private advert is being managed directly by the employer. horticruitment are not involved in the hiring process and are therefore unable to share any additional information on this role. If you have any questions regarding this General Manager position, the best course of action is to apply for the job which will open a line of communication with the employer.

If you would like more information regarding horticultural qualifications and colleges, see our Career advice.

If you would like more information on the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) please click here and the Association Professional Landscapers please click here