Grounds Maintenance Operative

Love the Outdoors? Join Our Grounds Maintenance Team!

Do you thrive working in the fresh air and enjoy seeing the results of your hard work? We’re looking for a passionate and committed individual to join our Grounds Maintenance Team based at our Ringwood depot, serving beautiful locations across the district.

As part of this friendly, hands-on team, you’ll help keep our outdoor spaces looking their best all year round.

Your work will include

Grass cutting and hedge trimming

Shrub and formal planting maintenance

Soft landscaping projects

Cemetery grounds

A variety of horticultural & other tasks

What Makes This Role Special?

You won’t be stuck in one place! No two days are the same.

We work in variety of stunning and varied outdoor environments including public green spaces, woodlands, coastal areas & gardens.

If you’re motivated, take pride in high standards, and enjoy working to clear schedules, this is the role for you.

What We’re Looking For

Experience

A background in Grounds Maintenance or similar role

Driving

Full UK driving licence

Desirable

PA1 & PA6 herbicide certification, NVQ Level 1 or equivalent

Please note

This role requires a pre-employment health check and an Enhanced DBS check. You’ll need to declare any spent convictions, cautions, or warnings.

What’s in It for You?

As part of our commitment to being a supportive and people‑centred employer, we offer a range of benefits designed to help you thrive both in and outside of work:

£25,404 - £30,372 per annum (pay award pending)

23 - 24 days leave plus bank holidays, rising by an additional week’s leave after 5 years of continuous local authority service

Local Government Pension Scheme, with the option of Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs)

Employee Assistance Programme offering free 24/7 legal, financial, and personal wellbeing advice

Employee discount scheme with savings across major supermarkets, retailers, restaurants, and leisure providers

Cycle to Work Scheme, helping you save around 40 percent on bikes and accessories

A values‑led organisation, guided by our LEAF values (Learning, Empathy, Ambition, Fairness)

Access to learning and development opportunities to support your growth

A supportive, inclusive culture, where everyone is welcomed and valued

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and offer a range of active staff networks, including

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Group

LGBTQ+ Network

Women’s Network

Early Careers Network

Neurodiversity Network

About us

At NFDC we recognise that every colleague - whether in operational, frontline, or office‑based roles - plays a vital part in delivering high‑quality services to our communities. We are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive environment where people feel valued for the work they do and the strengths they bring.

We aim to foster a culture where people feel confident to share ideas, contribute their expertise, and develop through meaningful conversations with their managers and supported learning opportunities. Whilst we have our corporate values, LEAF Learning Empathy Ambition Fairness, we understand that different teams work in different ways, and we want our values to be lived in ways that make sense locally while staying true to our shared purpose as an organisation.

We want colleagues to thrive, which is why we promote wellbeing, balance, and opportunities for learning and progression. Our values guide how we work together and how we support each other to be confident, capable, and adaptable.

Click here to see why employees think that New Forest District Council is a great place to work: Working for NFDC

Please note

You’ll likely be aware that as part of the ongoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), the current organisation will transition into a new operating structure from 1 April 2028. It is important that applicants understand how this may affect their employment should they be successful. You will find attached a useful LGR update sheet at top of this advert.

If you’re interested

Please see the candidate booklet for more information about working at the Council and the job description.

If you are passionate about making a difference, committed to delivering excellent public services, and looking for a place where you can develop and continue to grow, we would be delighted to receive your application.

For an informal chat about the role please contact email/phone and role title

Please note this post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

Closing Date

Midnight 23rd May 2026

Interview Date

Wednesday 3rd June 2026

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.