Senior Training Facility Ground Person

EFL; Doncaster; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A professional sports club in Doncaster is seeking a Senior Training Facility Grounds Person to manage the grounds team and maintain all playing surfaces to the highest professional standards, ensuring safety and quality across football and rugby league. Responsibilities include leading daily operations, managing pitch renovation, and collaborating with various stakeholders. Candidates must have proven grounds management experience, relevant qualifications, and be flexible with working hours.

Qualifications

• Provable experience in grounds management at a professional sports venue.
• Strong technical knowledge in pitch preparation and turf management.
• Full UK driving licence and PA1/PA6 sporting certificates preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day management of grounds maintenance.
• Prepare all playing surfaces to the highest standards.
• Manage staff team effectively for optimal performance.

Skills

Grounds management experience

Technical knowledge of turf care

Planning and organizational skills

Strong communication skills

Flexible work hours

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Sports Turf Management

Tools

Machinery operations

Job description

The Senior Training Facility Grounds Person will lead the grounds team at the Elite Performance Centre, maintaining and developing all playing surfaces to the highest professional standard. Responsible for the management, preparation and maintenance of training pitches, the role ensures they are safe, high-quality, and fit for purposes across football and rugby league.

Key duties and responsibilities:

• Lead the day-to-day management, planning and delivery of grounds maintenance across the Elite Performance Centre.
• Provide weekly reports to the Head of Football Administration and Operations.
• Ensure all playing surfaces are prepared to the highest professional standard.
• Lead the grounds team who are there to support at the Elite Performance Centre.
• Communicate effectively to all relevant internal stakeholders.
• Maintain grounds equipment, machinery, and irrigation systems, ensuring they are safe, serviced and fit for purposeli>
• Manage pitch renovation programmes, including seeding, fertilising, aeration and turf repairs.
• Ensure cost efficiency and value in all operations.
• Work closely with coaches, operations and events staff to schedule and balance pitch usage.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety standards, risk assessments, and best practice in grounds maintenance.
• Develop and implement plans for continuous improvements of playing surfaces and associated areas.
• Act as a key point of contact with external contractors, suppliers and governing bodies on ground‑related matters.
• Adhere to company policies and procedures.
• Act at all times with utmost good faith to the club(s) and company.
• Devote full attention and ability to fulfilment of the duties required by the role.
• To work closely with fellow staff, maintain good relationships, and collaborative working practices.
• To work with colleagues throughout Club Doncaster to extend knowledge and skills in order to identify and develop best practice.
• To undertake other duties, training and/or hours of work as may be reasonably required and which are consistent with the general level of responsibility of this job.
• To maintain the quality of service provision, regularly evaluating work and seeking to make improvements.
• Present a professional image when dealing with both internal and external contacts and partners, acting in a professional manner at all times.

About The Candidate

Person specification:

• Be punctual and prepared for all meetings.
• Clear and respectful communication with your peers and customers.
• Keeping to deadlines set by your line manager or senior management.

Our values:

• We are proud of our work and our working environment(s).
• We are passionate about everything we do.
• We are high performing in everything we do.
• We move forward as one as a group of staff and organisation.

Character specification

• Embody high energy, enthusiasm and humility.
• Being customer focused in providing the best supporter or client experience possible.
• Perform all assigned tasks efficiently and in a timely manner.
• Flexibility in doing things differently to improve efficiency.
• Able to communicate effectively and confidentially individually and in group situations.
• Listen and respects other people’s views and opinions.
• Can develop open and effective relationships with all colleagues.
• Awareness of impact of own behaviours on others and is able to modify approach or style to achieve results.

Skills and experience required

• Proven experience in grounds management at a professional sports venue (multi‑sport desirable).
• NVQ Level 3 or higher in Sports Turf Management (or equivalent qualifications).
• Strong technical knowledge of turf care, pitch preparation, and machinery operations.
• Experience in managing and developing staff teams.
• Excellent planning and organisational skills with the ability to work to tight deadlines.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to liaise effectively with a range of stakeholders.
• Flexible and willing to work evenings, weekends and matches or events as required.
• Full UK driving licence and PA1/PA6 sporting certificates (Preferred).

About The Club

The above mentioned duties and responsibilities should be regarded as neither exclusive nor exhaustive as the post holder may be required to undertake other reasonably determined duties and responsibilities, commensurate with the grading of the post, without changing the general character of the post.

Applicants must hold a full driving licence. It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure up-to-date documentation is provided to Club Doncaster.

About Club Doncaster:

Club Doncaster is the elite brand of sporting organisations working to support and strive forward our community. Our spoken aim is to be: an ambitious and successful club of which the community is proud of.

We work with a culture that promotes unity, creativity and aspiration to promote success – this is why we are Club Doncaster.

We look for people with passion, honesty and who embrace a challenge on a daily basis, with the energy and passion to strive forward and prove each day.

Safeguarding

Club Doncaster takes its safeguarding responsibility very seriously. This means recruiting the correct people for Club Doncaster.

We acknowledge our clear responsibility to safeguard children and vulnerable groups in our care, and have policies and guidelines to ensure this.

The successful candidate will have to complete an Enhanced DBS check before starting employment with the club.

Equal opportunities

Club Doncaster is an equal opportunity employer and is determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

Our Recruitment and Selection Policy, Code of Conduct, Diversity & Equality Policy, Equal Opportunities Policy and Right to work in UK Policy are available to all applicants on request.