Senior Environmental Operative - Grounds

Senior Environmental Operative – Lead Frontline Environmental Services with Pride

Are you an experienced environmental operative ready to take the next step? As a Senior Environmental Operative at Peabody, you’ll play a key role within our Environmental Services team, delivering high‑quality, customer‑focused grounds and street‑scene services while supervising and supporting a team of Environmental Operatives.

This is a hands‑on role where your practical expertise, leadership skills and commitment to customer service will make a visible difference across our estates. You’ll work outdoors, manage day‑to‑day activities on site and act as a positive role model for your team.

What you’ll do

• Organise and allocate on‑site work, ensuring teams have the correct plant, tools and equipment
• Carry out a wide range of horticultural and environmental tasks including mowing, weeding, pruning, planting, litter and leaf clearance, and pest control
• Maintain waterways and bankside assets safely and effectively
• Operate a wide variety of equipment, from hand tools to ride‑on machinery and specialist plant
• Lead team briefings and ensure clear daily communication with operatives
• Supervise a small site‑based team, ensuring grounds maintenance and street‑scene standards are met
• Deal with day‑to‑day people matters on site, escalating complex issues to the Supervisor
• Build positive relationships with residents, colleagues and stakeholders
• Proactively resolve service issues and complaints
• Follow and promote Health & Safety, customer care, equality and organisational policies at all times

What you’ll need

• Proven experience working in a grounds maintenance or environmental services environment
• Experience supervising a small, site‑based team
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions
• Practical experience using a wide range of powered equipment
• Confidence training or guiding others in safe equipment use
• Good understanding of Health & Safety requirements in public spaces
• Ability to use smartphones and basic digital systems
• NVQ Level 1 or equivalent experience

Who you are

You will be:

• Self‑motivated and able to use initiative
• Organised and able to prioritise workloads to meet deadlines
• A supportive and reliable team player
• Clear, polite and professional when communicating with the public and colleagues
• Committed to delivering high standards and excellent customer service

Why Join Us?

When you join Peabody, you’re joining a team guided by our values:
Be Kind, Do the Right Thing, Love New Ideas, Celebrate Diversity, Keep Our Promises, and Pull Together.
We’re proud of the environments we manage and the people who help keep them safe, clean and welcoming.

What We Offer

• 30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Two paid volunteering days each year
• Flexible benefits scheme and employee discount portal
• Life assurance at 4x your salary
• Up to 10% pension contribution

Please read before applying

Interviews will be in person at our Hailey Road depot on Thursday 28th May.

This role involves supervising staff, working outdoors in all weather conditions and using a range of machinery and equipment. You must be comfortable delivering hands‑on environmental services while supporting team performance, safety and customer satisfaction.

If this sounds like the right role for you and you’d love to be part of Peabody, we’d like to hear from you.
Please apply now by submitting an anonymised CV and a short statement explaining why you’re the perfect fit for this role.

Got questions? Reach out to George Murphy, Talent Specialist, at george.murphy@peabody.org.uk