Assistant Grounds Manager

Assistant Grounds Manager

York Racecourse, multi-award winning and one of the leading racecourses in global racing, stages some of the best racing action in the world over a 18-raceday season from May to October.  In addition to this, York Racecourse hosts a large number of other high profile events including conferences, trade fairs, banquets and exhibitions. 

We seek an Assistant Grounds Manager with a passion for turf husbandry and exceptional team leadership skills to join our award-winning team. This is a rare opportunity for an enthusiastic grounds professional who will relish the challenge of delivering a world class racing surface, lawns and estate. Reporting into the Grounds Manager, you will help manage and lead a small, hard-working and dedicated Grounds team. The role would suit a sports turf professional with a horseracing, sports or turf industries background who is seeking to develop their career in sports turf by learning from one of the best Grounds Managers in the UK.

• Preparing, presenting, maintaining and repairing the racing surface to best effect delivering the best ground possible.
• Leading in the maintenance of the lawns, parade rings, grass areas, hedges and trees and wider estate ensuring the best husbandry in presentation, plant health, biodiversity and sustainability.
• Leading in the maintenance, servicing and effective and consistent delivery of our state-of-the-art irrigation system working alongside our world class irrigation supplier.
• Working with the Track Foreman and Workshop Foreman on maintenance, servicing and replacement of our machinery and specialist turf equipment fleet, ensuring best use and deployment of our equipment. 
• Selecting, acquiring and applying the best in seed, fertiliser, biostimulants and associated products to help us retain our status as a leader in sports turf husbandry.
• Leading, managing and supporting in developing the skills of our grounds team and working within the Leadership Team at York Racecourse to continue to innovate and develop this world class venue.

• Experience in sport turf husbandry with either experience or an appetite to progress their career into turf management and leadership.
• Exceptional specialist skills in agronomy, irrigation, specialist turf machinery and sprayers and confidence in all aspects of sports turf management.
• A naturally welcoming, friendly and efficient manner, with the communication and interpersonal skills necessary to act as an ambassador for York Racecourse and build relationships at all levels.
• Confidence in a varied and, at times, time pressured role, able to prioritise, use judgement and discretion.
• Enthusiasm to learn and being prepared to ‘jump in’ and undertake a wide range of turf, managerial and project related tasks and to help others as part of a small, busy team.
• Passion for sports turf with a knowledge of the racing world is a distinct advantage.

In return, we offer a competitive salary and attractive benefits including pension, holiday and time off in lieu, life cover (DIS) and racecourse-wide performance bonus scheme.

To apply please email your CV and covering letter, including remuneration details to Hugh Nickerson at Conundrum Consulting Ltd
Email [email protected]

Strictly no agencies please, all direct and third party enquiries will be forwarded to Conundrum.