Supervisor of Landscaping and Groundskeeping

Also called: Arborist Crew Leader, Buildings and Grounds Supervisor, Cemetery Workers Supervisor, Crew Leader, Field Manager

Varies

estimated salary

First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping worker directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in landscaping or groundskeeping activities. Work may involve reviewing contracts to ascertain service, machine, and workforce requirements; answering inquiries from potential customers regarding methods, material, and price ranges; and preparing estimates according to labor, material, and machine costs.

  • Monitor project activities to ensure that instructions are followed, deadlines are met, and schedules are maintained.
  • Establish and enforce operating procedures and work standards that will ensure adequate performance and personnel safety.
  • Inspect completed work to ensure conformance to specifications, standards, and contract requirements.
  • Provide workers with assistance in performing duties as necessary to meet deadlines.
  • Direct activities of workers who perform duties, such as landscaping, cultivating lawns, or pruning trees and shrubs.
  • Confer with other supervisors to coordinate work activities with those of other departments or units.
  • Schedule work for crews, depending on work priorities, crew or equipment availability, or weather conditions.
  • Direct or perform mixing or application of fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides.
  • Direct or assist workers engaged in the maintenance or repair of equipment, such as power tools or motorized equipment.
  • Perform administrative duties, such as authorizing leaves or processing time sheets.
  • Answer inquiries from current or prospective customers regarding methods, materials, or price ranges.
  • Inventory supplies of tools, equipment, or materials to ensure that sufficient supplies are available and items are in usable condition.
  • Investigate work-related complaints to verify problems and to determine responses.
  • Perform personnel-related activities, such as hiring workers, evaluating staff performance, or taking disciplinary actions when performance problems occur.
  • Review contracts or work assignments to determine service, machine, or workforce requirements for jobs.
  • Prepare service estimates based on labor, material, and machine costs and maintain budgets for individual projects.
  • Plant or maintain vegetation through activities such as mulching, fertilizing, watering, mowing, or pruning.
  • Order the performance of corrective work when problems occur and recommend procedural changes to avoid such problems.
  • Maintain required records, such as personnel information or project records.
  • Train workers in tasks such as transplanting or pruning trees or shrubs, finishing cement, using equipment, or caring for turf.
  • Prepare or maintain required records, such as work activity or personnel reports.
  • Negotiate with customers regarding fees for landscaping, lawn service, or groundskeeping work.
  • Identify diseases or pests affecting landscaping and order appropriate treatments.
  • Recommend changes in working conditions or equipment use to increase crew efficiency.
  • Confer with managers or landscape architects to develop plans or schedules for landscaping maintenance or improvement.
  • Tour grounds, such as parks, botanical gardens, cemeteries, or golf courses, to inspect conditions of plants and soil.
  • Design or supervise the installation of sprinkler systems, calculating water pressure, or valve and pipe coverage needs.
  • Install or maintain landscaped areas, performing tasks such as removing snow, pouring cement curbs, or repairing sidewalks.
Work Context
  • Outdoors, Exposed to Weather — 75% responded "Every day".
  • Frequency of Decision Making — 93% responded "Every day".
  • Telephone — 87% responded "Every day".
  • Responsibility for Outcomes and Results — 73% responded "Very high responsibility".
  • Work With Work Group or Team — 78% responded "Extremely important".
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 76% responded "Every day".
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 69% responded "Very important results".
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Work Activities
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
  • Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Establish work standards.
  • Inspect work to ensure standards are met.
  • Supervise maintenance workers.
  • Plan employee work schedules.
  • Plant greenery to improve landscape appearance.
  • Irrigate lawns, trees, or plants.
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Knowledge

English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Administration and Management
  • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
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Skills

Coordination
  • Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Active Listening
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
  • Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring
  • Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
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Abilities

Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity
  • The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Speech Clarity
  • The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology
Office suite software
  • Microsoft Office Hot Technology
Electronic mail software
  • Microsoft Outlook Hot Technology
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