Job Description:

About the Department of Facilities Management

Mount Royal University’s Facilities Management department is responsible for the planning, development, construction, design, operation, maintenance, safety, security and stewardship of all the buildings, infrastructure, sites and services within Mount Royal's campus community. Through efficient and environmentally sustainable operation, we offer grounds, custodial, building operations, facilities planning, security services and engineering professional services to provide a physical environment that supports and enhances our academic space for students and staff. Our team of professionals are dedicated to providing customer service excellence. Our staff respond to daily service requests and emergency/ priority situations as needed.

About the Role

Reporting to the Manager, Grounds, the Supervisor Grounds provides leadership, coordination, and direction to a team of Groundskeepers to ensure a safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor University Campus environment.

This position works 7hrs/day during weekday hours, and involves hands-on grounds maintenance.

Responsibilities

Responsibility 1 (40%): Grounds Operations

• Provides leadership, coordination and direction to Groundskeepers.
• Coordinates turf grass maintenance: ensuring uniform color and height while applying horticultural practices by fertilizing, aerating, dethatching, top dressing, sodding, seeding, and weed control.
• Maintains the health and appearance of all landscaped areas including removing invasive species, fertilizing, watering and applying pesticides.
• Practices proper horticultural techniques to care for trees, shrubs, turf, and flowers.
• Supervises designs and maintenance of annual flower/perennial bed plans in the spring and plants bulbs in the fall.
• Supervises annual planting of trees/shrubs and supports shaping, training and removal.
• Supervises major fall leaf removal operations.
• Adheres to compliance with occupational health and safety (OH&S) codes.
• Assists the Manager with reviewing reports, data trends and statistics for continuous improvement opportunities and to proactively plan and adjust groundskeeping activities.
• Assists the Manager to monitor groundskeeping performance and implements processes, procedures and methods to improve results in all key functional areas.
• Responds to emergencies or requests from the university for any groundskeeping support.

Responsibility 2 (40%): Administration and Staffing

• Daily assignment/direction of work requests.
• Responsible for ensuring work requests are prioritized and managed daily.
• Monitors staff quality of work.
• Communicates updates to staff.
• Mentors and coach staff.
• Liaises with management daily.
• Assists with the recruitment process (selection committee).
• Contributes to performance evaluations of staff.
• Responsible for approving staff time sheets.
• Responsible for reviewing staff leave requests.
• Responsible for training and orientation of new and existing staff.

Responsibility 3 (10%): Collaboration and Support

• Collaborates with and supports other facilities management resources, supervisors and management to encourage a continuous improvement and team building culture.
• Collaborates with and supports Irrigation Specialist to develop and manage watering programs for all plantings.
• Acts as a lead role assisting the Manager during times of absence due to leave to maintain business continuity.
• Schedules, supports, coordinates and provides direction as required to contractors to perform contracted services.
• Supervises, supports (hands-on) and adheres to MRU’s snow removal program.
• Applies sand, gravel and deicer to maintain safe surfaces (refer to Equipment List).
• Installs, maintains and dismantles snow fences as required for seasonal weather management.

Responsibility 4 (10%): Equipment Operation

• Supervises, maintains and operates a range of grounds equipment.
• Supervises riding, hand-held and push-type equipment for seasonal tasks (refer to Equipment List).

Qualifications

• 3-5 years' experience working in a similar role.
• Two-Year Diploma from a University or Equivalent or Journeyman Ticket.
• A broad and diverse knowledge base is essential to understand the complex horticultural and irrigation systems utilized at the University.
• Must have a clear understanding of job expectations and possess the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• A self-starter who is highly motivated and capable of managing responsibilities proactively.
• Demonstrated ability to independently carry out daily tasks that involve problem-solving, scheduling, and the safe and effective use of chemicals, fertilizers and specialized equipment.
• Understanding of plant biology and physiology to support proper horticultural practices and plant health management.
• Awareness of the effects and timing of cultural practices such as mowing, fertilizing, pruning, irrigation and aerating.
• Ability to calculate solution concentrations for pesticide and fertilizer applications.
• Proficiency in calibrating equipment including sprayers and spreaders to ensure accurate and safe material application.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and safe, reliable driving skills.
• Well-developed organizational abilities and effective instructional/leadership skills.
• Physically fit and able to perform demanding outdoor work in various conditions.
• Flexible availability, with the ability to work occasional overtime as needed.
• Sound knowledge of horticultural best practices, including appropriate timing and application of fertilizers, pesticides, and cultural techniques.
• Proactive and creative in contributing ideas for improving operational systems and workflow efficiency.

This position requires regular work in challenging environmental conditions, including exposure to:

• Extreme temperatures, ranging from +32°C to -35°C

• Adverse weather, such as snow, rain, high winds, and ice

• Environmental factors, including noise, fumes, dust, dirt, and precipitation

• Occasional work at heights, particularly during tree pruning and related tasks

• The role demands resilience, situational awareness, and adherence to all safety protocols in order to perform effectively and safely under these conditions.

Salary: $70,841 - $89,646 per annum

Closing Date: Open until position is filled

A cover letter and resume should be submitted in one .pdf document. Please title your .pdf document as follows: [Last Name], [Requisition Number], [Document Title].pdf (ex. Smith, 999999, CV.pdf).