Director of Grounds

Position Description –Director of Grounds

Reports to

CEO

Direct Reports/ Exempt

Operational Department/Exempt

Work Location

Corporate Office

Position Summary and Objectives

This position is responsible for planning, developing, implementing, optimizing, and maintaining a comprehensive and integrated program to improve productivity, reduce operational cost, improve customer and employee retention for Ambassador Services’ Landscaping Services business unit.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to: Daily communication with assigned clients, daily management of contractors and employees. Daily planning, scheduling, dispatching and monitoring special service request, scheduling preventive equipment maintenance, ensuring accurate and timely contractors’ payment for services performed.

This individual will participate as a member of the leadership team, working collaboratively with directors and managers from different department to improve employee and customer experience. The successful candidate will develop a roadmap to promote employees’ tenure, and customer loyalty.

Primary Responsibilities and Key Deliverables:

Administrative and Supervisory Responsibilities

· Manage and direct contactors and employee on day-to-day responsibilities of company, new customer requests, service issues and special projects for landscaping services.

· Create a department strategic plan which complies with and enhances the company-wide strategic business plan.

· Ensure adherence to key performance objectives to meet business and customer expectations.

· Identify patterns and problem areas and implement effective solutions to increase efficiency.

· Project a positive image of the organization to employees, customers, industry, and community.

· Maintain extensive knowledge of Company’s products and services.

· Attend project status meetings and Business Quarterly Reviews (QBR) with customers and Customer Success Managers as needed.

· Collaborate with the Leadership team and other departments as a unit to promote efficient communication efforts across the business.

· Avoid legal challenges by complying with federal, state, and local legal requirements.

· Implement sales plans to meet business goals.

· Other job-related duties as assigned.

Customer and Financial Responsibilities

· Provide effective team and project management duties, including overseeing project completion timelines, monitoring project costs, and ensuring client needs are met.

· Execute overall management responsibility around client implementation.

· Evaluate client satisfaction based on various reports and customer feedback.

· Improve customer service and satisfaction through policy and procedural changes.

· Respond to client requests in a timely manner.

· Review, analyze, and evaluate business procedures.

· Responsible for maintaining an operations continuity plan and overall budget metrics system that promotes accountability from subordinates and peers.

· Responsible for job revenue and profitability.

· Identify and develop new landscape service concepts.

· Develop and manage relations with key client stakeholders.

· Identify initial solution requirements through discovery sessions with clients.

· Collaborate with directors and managers of other departments on strategies to improve customer satisfaction levels, and customer retention.

· Identify resources required for project completion.

· Engage project managers capable to handle projects independently.

· Direct development of technical and operational strategy.

Employees and Performance

• Collaborate with leadership to build an environment of collective responsibility and accountability.
• Provide outstanding leadership including opportunities for coaching and development, to maximize work output and work quality.
• Work with human resources (HR) to ensure employee satisfaction is high (incentive programs) and productivity is continually increasing.

· Implement policies and procedures that will improve day-to-day operations.

· Communicate and explain new directives, policies, or procedures and meet with staff to explain changes, answer questions, and maintain morale.

· Develop long-term strategies and sponsors key initiatives to promote and achieve a culture of service excellence and employee engagement.

· Work with HR and leadership to continue enhancing the candidate and new hire experience through programs focused on recruiting, interviewing, pre-boarding, and onboarding.

· Driving a listening culture and building feedback mechanisms into employee engagement activities and internal communications to enable employees to have an opportunity for dialogue.

· Assist with the development and roll-out of key HR programs including performance management, learning & development, talent management, etc.

· Work with the HR leadership to lead the development, implementation, and assessment of strategies and programs to attract, retain and promote a diverse workforce for the organization.

· Execute projects which contribute to a high performing organization closely linked to our values and culture.

• Participate in the hiring and training of departmental managers.
• Organize and oversee the work and schedules of subordinate supervisory staff.
• Handle discipline and termination of employees as needed and in accordance with company policy.
• Ensure work environments are adequate and safe.

• Develop and execute annual budgets and proposals, timelines, and creative design to increase employee engagement and to sustain the employee culture. 
• Develop employee recognition strategies to include reviewing, evaluating, and making recommendations for departmental recognition programs.
• Participate in ongoing analysis of key data identifying trends. Develop, evaluate, and implement new processes to ensure employees are informed of company and property initiatives, programs, and announcements.
• Collect timely data to support business initiatives through focus groups, surveys, one-on-one interviews, and other methodology; evaluates and applies the data to support decisions.
• Strategically collaborate with and build relationships across functional divisions, internal and external key stakeholders.
• Assess and analyze targeted stakeholders to enable strategic design and implementation of initiatives.
• Researches, evaluates, and selects vendors according to requirements aligned with request for proposal.

Required Skills and Competencies:

· Ability to learn, apply and interpret knowledge of policies, procedures, practices, business theories and systems.

· Strong attention to detail.

· Ability to follow up with multiple stakeholders and complete given tasks and deliverables.

· Use a need-based marketing methodology to achieve goals and position for long-term results.

· Business & Industry Knowledge: Use existing knowledge of the commercial landscaping industry and specific dynamics of the building and facilities markets, understand human capital, and use economic and financial data to understand potential clients' businesses.

· Company & Solution Knowledge: Understand the Company and its people, processes, and solutions; exemplify our vision and values, describe our landscape services and solutions, and optimize our resources and technology as tools to drive business.

· Individual Effectiveness: Drive business results by leveraging and expanding personal capabilities and qualities, including initiative, decision making, planning, and resilience.

· Relationship Building: Build relationships both internally and externally for the purpose of fostering collaboration across several entities.

· Compliance: Adhere to all company policies, procedures and business ethics codes and ensure that they are communicated and implemented within the team.

Minimum Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in commercial landscaping operations and leadership role.

· Proven ability to build and manage budgets, forecasting labor, materials and equipment accurately.

· Demonstrated success improving job margins and reducing waste.

· Strong client-facing skills with commercial property managers and governmental management.

· Knowledge of contract terms, scopes of work, and service-level expectations.

· Proven ability to implement standard operating procedures across crews.

· Strong safety leadership with a history of reducing incidents.

· Skilled at problem-solving in dispersed, labor-heavy field operations.

· Professional and proactive work ethic.

· High competence in project and stakeholder management.

• Ability to learn, apply and interpret knowledge of policies, procedures, practices, business theories and systems.
• Ability to demonstrate a professional demeanor and promote business culture.
• Ability to take ownership and accountability of the requirements of the job.
• High level of attention to detail, take initiative, problem-solve independently or collaboratively, depending on the situation, and display personal organizational skills.
• Proven ability to multi-task effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Previous experience of managing operational outcomes through an outsourced vendor.
• Demonstrated ability to balance services from internal and external sources.
• Strong ability to work with peers as a team and deliver through influencing.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficient at mathematics and financial statements.
• Goal-oriented with proven ability to get results.
• Maintaining and increasing standards of customer service.
• Competency in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook.