Lead Grounds Caretaker

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job; however, any additional duties will be reasonably related to this class.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Performs the more difficult and responsible types of work in addition to grounds maintenance and repair work in the care and maintenance of District grounds including landscaped areas and athletic fields.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

The Lead Grounds Caretaker classification is distinguished from the Grounds Caretaker classification by the level of responsibility assumed and the additional duties assigned. Employees perform the most difficult and responsible types of duties assigned to classes within this series including the provision of lead support for assigned staff.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives limited direction from appropriate supervisor; refers only unusual decisions to supervisor. May provide technical and functional direction to assigned student workers. Coordinates, oversees, and provides support for the assignments of assigned staff. 

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES 

The following duties are typical for this classification.

1. Leads, plans, trains, and reviews the work of grounds staff; oversees and participates in performing the more difficult work of grounds staff; distributes work based on daily priorities.
2. Utilizes computers in the processing of completed work requests, campus/district communication, and material and/or information searches; estimates materials and equipment required for jobs assigned; submits requisitions for required materials; maintains a variety of reports and records; may assist in estimating time required to complete jobs.
3. Oversees the use, care, and operation of grounds maintenance equipment; maintains equipment and vehicles for proper working order.
4. Oversees and verifies the work of Grounds Caretakers for accuracy, proper work methods, techniques, and compliance with applicable standards and specifications; ensures adherence to safe work practices and procedures.
5. Performs routine grounds maintenance duties on District grounds, including landscaped areas and athletic fields; mows, edges, weeds, and maintains lawns, fields, flowerbeds, and other landscaped areas; trims and prunes shrubs, hedges, and trees; applies repellents and pesticides.
6. Maintains lawns, grounds, and other cultivated areas; prepares areas for planting by clearing, grading, fertilizing, and watering ground; prepares areas for flowerbeds by roto-tilling, weed oiling, and laying plastic; plants flowers, shrubs, trees; and lays rock.
7. Picks up leaves, paper and trash in grounds areas; cleans and removes weeds from areas such as sidewalks, parking lots, and roads; dumps trash cans; removes rodents and/or reptiles from campus area as necessary.
8. Operates and performs maintenance on a variety of light and heavy power grounds maintenance equipment and tools, including gang movers, roto-tillers, tractors, blowers, edgers, and other similar equipment; performs equipment safety inspections.
9. Oversees and assists in special projects related to grounds maintenance as assigned, including repairing potholes, mixing concrete, marking athletic fields or parking lots, moving permanent exterior furniture, and digging trenches, sign or fence postholes.
10. Operates and assists in the installation, maintenance and repair of the District’s irrigation system; programs or reprograms irrigation cycles; troubleshoots and resolves irrigation problems as necessary.
11. Assumes assigned responsibility for the use and application of restricted pesticides.
12. Perform other duties related to the primary job duties.

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

Environmental Exposure Tolerance

• Performing under physically demanding conditions
• Accepts and endures the necessity of working in unpleasant or physically demanding conditions
• Shows established adaptation and performance under unpleasant or physically demanding conditions

Safety Focus

• Showing vigilance and care in identifying and addressing health risks and safety hazards
• Maintains high level of conscientious safety practice

General Physical Ability

• Using strength, endurance, flexibility, balance and coordination
• Applying motor and perceptual abilities requiring no specific technique, training or conditioning

Professional and Technical Expertise

• Applying technical subject matter to the job **
• Knows the rudimentary concepts of performing the essential technical operations

Adaptability

• Responding positively to change and modifying behavior as the situation requires**
• Accept and adjust to changes and the unfamiliar 

Innovation

• Imagining and devising new and better ways of doing things**
• Fix what is broken; find solutions and fixes with resources at hand
• Finds new approaches to performing familiar tasks
• Create and invent new ideas; envision the unexpected, unexplored, untried**

Critical Thinking

• Analytically and logically evaluates information to resolve problems
• Follow guide, SOP or other step by step procedures for locating the source of a problem and fixing it
• May detect ambiguous, incomplete, or conflicting information or instructions**

Informing

Mechanical Insight

• Chooses the right tool for the job
• Applies principles of mechanical advantage to get the work done
• Follows step-by-step assembly procedures, troubleshooting guides, and simple diagrams

Customer Focus

• Attending to the needs and expectations of customer
• Seeks information about the immediate and longer term needs of the customer
• Anticipates what the customer may want or expect in a product or service
• Works across organizational boundaries to meet customer needs **

Attention to Detail

• Focusing on the details of work content
• Shows care and thoroughness in adhering to process and procedures that assure quality
• Applies knowledge and skill in recognizing and evaluating details of work**
• Applies skilled final touches on products 

Using Technology

• Working with electronic hardware and software applications
• Using basic features and functions of software and hardware

Valuing Diversity

• Shows acceptance of individual differences
• Welcomes input and inclusion of others who may be different from oneself
• Shows understanding and empathy for the challenges of groups seeking inclusion or dealing with perceived discrimination

**Lead, Advanced or Senior Level Positions

Education/Training: Equivalent to the completion of high school.

Experience: Three (3) years of general grounds maintenance experience.

License or Certificate: 

• Possession of a valid driver’s license.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain within eight (8) months of employment*, a California Department of Pesticide Regulation, Qualified Applicator Certificate (QAC) for the use and application of chemicals within or adjacent to District properties.

*At the District’s expense

Desired Education/Experience:

• Ability to recognize campus grounds needs and repair procedures (including irrigation).
• Ability to operate and troubleshoot all grounds equipment.

The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Environment: Work is performed in an outdoor field environment; travel from site to site; exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals, noxious weeds and plants, pollens, insect stings, noise, dust, grease, smoke, fumes, noxious odors, gases, and all types of weather and temperature conditions; works near moving mechanical parts; work and/or walk on various types of surfaces including slippery or uneven surfaces and rough terrain.

Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in a field environment; walk and stand for prolonged periods of time; frequently stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, crawl, climb, reach, and twist; frequently push, pull, lift, and/or carry moderate to heavy amounts of weight up to 50 pounds; occasionally push, pull, lift, and/or carry heavier amounts of weight with or without assistance; dexterity of hands and fingers to operate specialized hand and power tools and equipment; operate assigned equipment and vehicles; verbally communicate to exchange information.

Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction; vision sufficient to read printed documents; and to operate assigned equipment.

Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

The person selected for hire will be required to complete the following pre-employment requirements:

• Submit to and successfully pass DOJ live scan/fingerprinting. Cost of live-scan services to be borne by candidate.
• Tuberculosis (TB) risk assessment
• Other pre-employment requirements may be required depending on the position (i.e. certifications or licenses; see job posting qualifications section for details).

Successful completion of all pre-employment requirements is mandatory to be eligible for employment. These requirements are in accordance with the San Bernardino Community College District’s Administrative Procedures and Board Policies.