​Position: Head Grounds Person – Training Ground ​

Location: Training​Ground, Sparrows Lane

Salary £42,000 – £45,000

Hours: FTE Mon-Fri + matchdays as needed

About Us:

Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Charlton, south-east London. The club was founded on June 9^th, 1905 and has a very storied history from rising to the top-flight of English Football in the 1930s (First Division) and again in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, to winning the FA Cup in 1947 and to leaving their Valley home in the mid-1980s only to make an impassioned return in 1992. Historically, the women’s team played under Charlton Athletic from 2000 to 2007 but were released to become an independently run team in 2007 following the men’s team’s relegation from the Premier League.

The women’s team were originally formed as a non-professional team in 1991 and were highly successful in the early 2000s winning The FA Cup, the League Cup, and the Charity Shield, as well as coming runners-up in the top division in multiple seasons. In February 2021, the club acquired the Charlton Athletic Women’s team, turning the team full-time professional, and integrating them to become one club again.

Currently, our men’s first team competes in League One, the third tier of English football, and our women’s team competes in the Women’s Championship, the second highest division of women’s football in England. At Charlton, we are ‘one club’ and can be truly described as a ‘family club’.

Role Description:

The Head Grounds person will have responsibility for the playing surface at the Club’s Training Ground. The position will combine  ‘hands-on’ leadership with administrative and management responsibilities,  be forward looking and innovative.​ You will be proactive in promoting improvements to meet the Club’s needs, developing short- and medium-term new pitch construction and renovation plans. Working alongside the team to maintain and prepare the playing surfaces to an excellent standard to ensure that games and training can go ahead on schedule and to ensure the surrounding areas of the Training Ground are presented to the same high standard.

Key Responsibilities:

• To take full responsibility for the day to day running of The Training Ground (TG) and surrounding areas to meet the Club’s requirements. These duties include:
• ​Liaison with the first team’s management and academy coaching staff to ensure that their requirements are met.
• Close liaison with The Valley Head Grounds person in order to provide comprehensive and co-ordinated pitch management across the business.
• Provide strong management and supervision for the grounds staff in a “hands on” capacity to ensure the maintenance, upkeep and continuous improvement of the TG pitch surfaces.
• Formulate, implement, and routinely review a planned programme of maintenance & renovation works.
• Manage all reactive, unplanned work across TG.
• Be responsible for the maintenance and safe use of machinery.
• Keep and provide as necessary, a full inventory of all grounds plant, equipment, and machinery.
• Supervise and/or monitor contractors or sub-contractors employed directly by the Club.
• Ensure all relevant Health and Safety standards are adhered to.
• Maintain a thorough knowledge of and ensure compliance with all relevant National and Local current legislation, i.e. first aid, COSHH, environment management and employment to ensure compliance. Conduct regular risk assessment programmes.
•  Manage and coordinate a chemical application programme, that maximises the performance of the pitch surfaces through clear performance targets and goals.
• Communicate and motivate staff to achieve work schedules and objectives.
• Coordinate the negotiation, purchase, storage and control of all consumable materials and services in a cost-effective manner.
• Ensure departmental working practices and behaviours are upheld and displayed in a manner, appropriate to the Club’s vision and values.
• To proactively monitor and benchmark the sharing of best practice trends in grounds management and implement change where necessary.
• Work collaboratively with other managers of the business, ensuring standards are consistent throughout the business and working relationships are kept positive at all times.
• To scope all tasks, pricing and ordering of materials, undertaking the work personally and / or coordinating and supervising others to deliver timely completion.
• To prepare annual grounds budget for approval, prior to submission to the Board and to deliver all activity within the agreed budget. ​
• ​Experience of working on a variety of playing sports turf surfaces, including knowledge of maintenance of Desso / Hybrid / Fibres and synthetic surfaces.
• ​Full understanding of automatic irrigation and undersoil heating systems.

Education/Qualifications/Training:

• National/Scottish Vocational Qualification Level 3 Amenity Horticulture and Sports Turf Management or IOG National Diploma in turf culture or BTEC/HND/HNC in Turf Science and Sports Grounds Management.
• Pesticides Application PA1, 2,
• Membership of Institute of Groundsman
• Relevant Health and Safety training essential
• Full Driving Licence.

Specific​Experience​

• At least three years’ experience of managing and motivating a team in a sports pitch management environment.
• Experience of maintaining a stadium pitch would be beneficial.
• Demonstrate experience of grounds maintenance and construction
• Experience of managing contractors
• Experience of budget management

Abilities/Skills/Knowledge:

• Effective communication skills
• Basic IT skills
• Demonstrate vision and ability to persuade and deliver change into an organisation.
• Strong organisational and time management skills
• Actively cooperate and communicate with others, fostering a culture of teamwork and collaboration.
• Positive about achieving Club, departmental and individual success.
• Proactively take on new responsibilities and seek out opportunities to learn new skills.
• Must have the ability to make quick decisions in a fast-paced environment, if required.
•  Must be accountable for delivering results within assigned levels of accountability.

Additional Information:

• This a full-time role that includes work on weekends and evenings (negotiable);
• Applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK;
• Charlton Athletic FC is committed to following relevant health & safety regulations and all members of staff are expected to be fully aware and adhere to, at all times, the Club’s H&S and fire safety procedures.
• Charlton Athletic Football Club are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff to share this commitment.
• CAFC is committed to the principle of equal opportunity and its policies for recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion are designed to ensure that no job applicant receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, ethnic and national origin, disability or gender reassignment.

​Safeguarding:

Charlton Athletic Football Club are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. The successful candidate may be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS). The possession of a criminal record will not necessarily prevent an applicant from obtaining a post, as all cases are mediated individually according to the nature of the role and the information provided.

Note: Please note that due to the high volume of applications we receive we regret that we are unable to respond to unsuccessful applicants.

To Apply: Please send a copy of your CV as well as a covering letter explaining why you want to apply for this placement to: https://cafc.peoplehr.net/Pages/JobBoard/Opening.aspx?v=7d42d1b1-c262-4e67-a365-005250660d5d