Skilled Operative - Gardener

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Please apply online via the link provided.

Please note, we do not accept CVs submitted without a fully completed online application form.

Job Title: Skilled Operative (Gardener)

Location of work: Earlswood Depot, various sites throughout the Borough

Salary: £25,581 - £26,685 (pro rata if necessary)

Basis: Permanent, Full time

Hours: Annualised Hours (40hrs summer, 36 weeks / 27hrs winter, 16 weeks)

About the Role

Are you looking for a career opportunity in a fast developing, forward thinking, ambitious, and commercially focussed organisation?

We currently require a dedicated and experienced Gardener to join our Greenspaces team. Working within a small team carrying out routine ground’s maintenance operations in our parks and open spaces, including the maintenance of flower beds, shrubs, trees, and lawns through regular planting, pruning, mowing, watering, and weeding. You will be required to use a ride on mowers, strimmer’s and hedge cutters and have a good understanding of grounds maintenance operations.

About the Person

• Experience in horticulture, grounds maintenance, or similar roles.
• Qualification in the use of grounds maintenance machinery
• Relevant horticultural qualification
• Experience using ride on machinery
• Have good knowledge of plant care, turf management, and seasonal gardening practices.
• Physical fitness to carry out manual outdoor work in all weather conditions
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Staff Benefits

In exchange for your expertise, experience and enthusiasm, we will offer support in continuing your personal and career development, in addition to providing a wide range of employment linked benefits.

We provide you with competitive annual leave, and contribute 22.10% towards the LGPS pension scheme. You will also have access to a range of discounts including local and high street stores, and salary sacrifice schemes including a cycle lease scheme, and ‘Better’ leisure centre membership.

Additional Information

For an informal discussion about the role, please call Chris Wilkinson Greenspaces Operations Team Leader on [phone removed].

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, supporting the guaranteed interview scheme for disabled and ex-armed forces candidates, who meet the essential criteria for the role.

Closing date: Tuesday 29th September 2026 at 23:59

Interview date: To be confirmed

*On the occasions where we have high volumes of applicants, some roles may close earlier than the advertised end date in order for us to manage all of the applicants appropriately.

Values and Behaviours

Our great working environment and the values and behaviours of every individual and team in the Council, help to evolve the culture of our organisation to become more commercial, innovative and embracing of change. Successful applicants to our career opportunities will be able to demonstrate they share the values and behaviours we seek in our organisation.

Local Government Reorganisation

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council is part of the government’s plans for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) scheduled to take place in April 2027. This means the current two-tier system, where services are split between Surrey County Council and district and borough councils like Reigate, will be replaced with two unitary councils made up of East and West Surrey, which will handle all local services. Reigate and Banstead Borough Council will form part of the new East Surrey unitary authority.  

Although this may lead to some uncertainty for anyone considering a role with us, this process will take some time and during that time we still need to provide services. When local government is reorganised, most staff will transfer to the new council(s) which may offer additional opportunities for career development and variety as part of a larger organisation.

Further information on LGR can be found here: Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and Devolution | Reigate and Banstead