Grounds Maintenance Crew Leader

City of Tacoma•Tacoma, WA

17h•Onsite

About The Position

The City of Tacoma and Tacoma Public Utilities are seeking experienced grounds maintenance workers with strong leadership skills to oversee the daily activities of grounds maintenance workers and other assigned staff. The position includes interacting with the public; cultivating and caring for lawns, flowers, plants, trees, and ornamental shrubbery; maintaining rights of way; and operating and maintaining a variety of tools, equipment, and vehicles. Some duties require the proper use and disposal of pesticides. The role involves heavy manual labor, including lifting, digging, climbing, and walking long distances while carrying equipment or tools. Work is performed outdoors in adverse weather and may involve exposure to noise, chemicals, and hazards near energized objects such as high-voltage lines, transformers, and generators. Employees may need to drive heavy equipment on steep or rugged terrain and near heavily traveled roads.

Requirements

An equivalent combination of four years of education, training, or experience providing the knowledge and skills needed for plant, flower, shrub, tree, and lawn care and maintenance of gardening tools, equipment, and facilities.
Valid Washington State Commercial Driver's License with tanker endorsement and air brake restrictions removed; must be obtained before probation is completed and maintained thereafter.
Obtain department-required endorsements after hire and before probation is completed, and maintain them thereafter.
Flagging Certification by completion of probation, maintained thereafter.
First Aid and CPR Card by completion of probation, maintained thereafter.
Valid Public Pesticide Operator's License.
Ability to apply technical knowledge of grounds maintenance and landscape construction, plant species and planting techniques, plant propagation and care, plant diseases and pests, soils and fertilizers, irrigation systems, and related tools and equipment.
Ability to supervise assigned grounds maintenance workers and other employees.
Interpersonal skills using tact, patience, and courtesy; oral and written communication skills; and ability to follow and explain directions.
Ability to lift heavy objects in awkward or confined spaces using proper lifting and rigging techniques and to perform heavy manual labor.
Ability to establish cooperative working relationships, meet schedules and timelines, and operate, service, and make minor repairs on equipment.
Heavy manual work may include lifting up to 50 pounds without assistance and/or over 75 pounds with assistance, digging, climbing, and walking long distances with equipment or tools.
Work may involve outdoor conditions, adverse weather, noise, chemicals, energized-object hazards, and driving heavy equipment on steep or rugged terrain and near heavily traveled roads.

Nice To Haves

May be required to obtain additional endorsements as appropriate and maintain them thereafter.
May be required to obtain a Backflow Testing Certificate and maintain it thereafter.
Excellent attendance.
Enjoys working indoors and outdoors in all types of weather conditions.
Strong customer service orientation.
Enjoys leading work crews as part of a team effort.
Enjoys physically demanding work and varied job tasks.

Responsibilities

Oversee the daily activities of grounds maintenance workers and other assigned staff.
Interact with members of the general public.
Cultivate and care for lawns, flowers, plants, trees, and ornamental shrubbery.
Perform right-of-way maintenance.
Operate and maintain a variety of tools, equipment, and vehicles.
Use and dispose of pesticides properly when required.
Apply grounds maintenance and landscape construction practices and procedures.
Install and maintain irrigation and lawn sprinkling systems and other facilities.
Prepare and maintain routine records and reports.
Estimate labor and material costs.
Calibrate and safely operate spray equipment.
Explain and enforce safety rules and regulations.
Operate, service, and make minor repairs on equipment.
Perform heavy manual labor and meet schedules and timelines.