Deputy Head of Grounds Maintenance

University of Reading - Professional and Managerial

Job description

Closing Date: 26th April 2026 at 23:59 (BST)

Role Type: Full time, Permanent

Interview Date: 12th and 13th May 2026

Due to the complexity of the Skilled Worker Visa route and eligibility criteria, applicants requiring sponsorship are recommended to check their eligibility on the Home Office website. We cannot provide advice to candidates at the application stage and will only discuss visa routes with candidates who are invited to interview. There is further information about this on the UK Visas and Immigration Website UK Visas and Immigration Website.

Occupying three beautiful campuses — Whiteknights, with its early 19th‑century landscape; London Road, with formal gardens and the ceremonial Great Hall; and Greenlands in Henley‑on‑Thames, with its riverside garden setting — the University of Reading offers a truly unique “University within a Park” environment. It is an inspiring place to work and grow.

We are seeking an ambitious Deputy Head of Grounds Maintenance who brings fresh ideas and a passion for high‑quality outdoor environments. Based at our Green Flag award‑winning Whiteknights campus, this role offers an excellent opportunity for a proactive individual with strong team‑leadership experience to oversee grounds maintenance operations across our parkland estate and satellite sites in Reading.

The role will be responsible for ensuring consistently high standards of workmanship, meeting agreed monthly performance targets, and allocating resources effectively to match operational demands. A key aspect of the post is ensuring that robust health and safety arrangements are not only in place but actively embedded in day‑to‑day practice.

Grounds maintenance at the University is delivered by an in‑house team supported by specialist contractors, while the Harris Garden — a much‑loved former botanic garden — benefits from the dedication of a volunteer group. The successful candidate will bring broad experience in grounds and habitat management, excellent customer‑service skills, strong health and safety knowledge, and the ability to lead and motivate both operational staff and volunteers on a daily basis.

Experience of working in a similar environment or organisation would be advantageous but not essential.

When filling out the application you must match you qualifications, skills and experience to the job description, giving full details and filling in all sections.

If you understand the challenges and function of a grounds maintenance team working in a multiple stakeholder environment and wish to be part of a team delivering a continually developing service then we would welcome your application. Please apply via the University of Reading jobsite and give examples in how you meet the key recruiting criteria detailed in the person specification.

Contact Details:

Contact name: Lucy Jellis

Contact Role: Head of Grounds Maintenance

Contact email: l.j.jellis@reading.ac.uk

Contact telephone: 07596 954130 (Monday to Friday 8am-4pm only please)