Landscaping & Grounds Management Specialist

Sodexo Careers•Chicago, IL

About The Position

We are seeking a highly skilled travelling Landscaping and Grounds Management - Turf Management and Athletic Fields Specialist to support a diverse portfolio of K–12 and independent school campuses across the United States. 75% travel. This role is ideal for a hands-on expert who thrives in complex K12 or Campus sports environments, understands the nuances of landscape design, native planting, and multi‑sport field maintenance, and can serve as a trusted Subject Matter Expert (SME). Our successful leader will have a demonstrated history with landscape design, sports field, turf and natural sports fields and grounds strategy, and have experience executing on-site training. With extensive travel and direct engagement at client locations, this position plays a critical role in elevating field quality, safety, and long-term sustainability across multiple regions in the education segment. Do YOU have experience in landscape design, sports field and turf management? If yes, we hope you will apply!

Requirements

Proven background in Turf Management, Athletic Fields, Grounds Design, and Training, with the ability to demonstrate deep expertise in Education Sports Field and landscape design environments.
Experience in school campuses, independent schools, or large sports facilities, ideally with baseball field specialization.
Strong technical knowledge of chemicals, schedules, native plantings, irrigation, and drought‑resistant strategies.
Ability to travel extensively across Central to Eastern U.S. regions, managing multi-day site engagements with minimal oversight.
Minimum Education Requirement: Associate’s Degree or equivalent experience
Minimum Functional Experience: 2 years

Nice To Haves

Preferred education in Grounds Management or Landscape Design; athletic field certifications (state-level or equivalent) are a plus.

Responsibilities

Deliver on-site training and coaching to local grounds teams, enhancing operational consistency and field performance.
Conduct multi-day site visits across the nation and broader Midwest/Eastern regions, typically traveling 75% of the time and returning home by Fridays.
Lead turf management and athletic field operations, ensuring high-quality playing surfaces across baseball, multi-sport, and large campus environments.
Provide SME-level guidance on grounds design, field renovation, native planting, drought management, and chemical application strategies.
Partner with internal teams to ensure alignment with best practices and client expectations.