What are the responsibilities and job description for the Groundskeeper position at Howard Payne University?
Expectation and Condition of Employment
Howard Payne University, a church-related institution affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, seeks to employ evangelical Christians who are dedicated to teaching and service as they model the principles of the Christian faith and the University’s sincere religious beliefs.
Howard Payne University (hereafter, University) is committed to the integration of learning and Christian faith in the pursuit of truth. Employees are expected to embrace the Christian Mission Statement and Core Values of the University and must support the University’s affirmation of traditional Christian and Baptist beliefs by leading lives of service through active involvement in Christian activities both on campus and through a local church.
Mission Statement
Howard Payne University is a Christ-centered academic community dedicated to excellence by developing and equipping the whole person for intellectual inquiry, personal and professional integrity, and service to God and humanity.
Core Values of Howard Payne University
We believe and affirm that the University as an institution and each individual called to serve the Lord at Howard
Payne should strive to demonstrate a commitment to these five Core Values:
- Centered on Christ (cf. Col. 3:17, Matt. 7:24)
- Focused on Community (cf. Eph. 4:4-6, 1 Pet. 3:8)
- Called to Service (cf. Mark 10:45, Phil. 2:3-5)
- Committed to Excellence (cf. Gen. 1:31, 1 Cor. 9:24)
- Dedicated to Stewardship (cf. Gen. 2:15, 1 Pet. 4:10)
As a condition of employment, employees agree to be paid by Direct Deposit. Applicants offered contingent employment based on the University obtaining a clean background check agree the contingent offer of employment may be revoked based on the information obtained in the background check.
If offered employment, your acceptance will indicate that you have read and agree to the Expectations and Conditions above.
Application Procedure
To be considered for this position, please submit the following:
- a letter of application addressing in detail how you meet the position requirements
- a resume or CV (curriculum vitae)
- unofficial transcripts, and
- a completed HPU Employment Application
Job Summary
Ensure the safe and proper maintenance of University grounds.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. The Grounds Supervisor or Director of Facilities may assign other duties.
1. Operate commercial-size mowers, gators, edger’s, weed eaters, chain saws, blowers, power washers, etc.
2. Trims and edges around curbs, walks, flowerbeds, and walls
3. Plants grass, flowers, trees, and shrubs under the Grounds Supervisor supervision
4. Mow, fertilize and care for all turf and planted areas, including athletic fields
5. Prune shrubs and trees to shape and improve growth of remove damaged leaves, branches, or twigs
6. Clean and repair university streets and parking lots
7. Under supervision and using prescribed safety standards, spray lawn, shrubs, and trees with fertilizer, herbicides, and insecticides
8. Rake and remove leaves and trimmings
9. Spread chemicals on public passageways to prevent ice buildup and shovel snow from walks and driveways
10. Sharpen tools such as blades and shears
11. Make minor repairs on Grounds Department equipment
12. Any and all other duties assigned by the Grounds Supervisor or Director of Facilities
Supervisory Responsibilities
There are no supervisory responsibilities with this job.
Competencies
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
1. Modeling Christian Faith - Must be committed to modeling the Christian faith. Displays a proven record of modeling the Christian faith in business operations, customer service functions, and interactions with others. Is committed to continuing to model Christian faith in a manner consistent with the University’s Mission Statement and Core Values
2. Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner, gathers and analyzes information skillfully, develops alternative solutions, works well problem solving as part of a group, uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics
3. Customer Service – Manages difficult or emotional situations effectively, solicits feedback to improve service, responds to requests for service and assistance promptly and effectively, meets the commitments they make to others
4. Oral Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations, listens and gets clarification, responds well to questions, demonstrates group presentation skills, participates in meetings
5. Teamwork - Balances the needs of the team and individual responsibilities effectively, exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views, gives and welcomes feedback, contributes to building a positive team spirit, puts the success of the team above their own interests, is able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives, supports everyone's efforts to succeed
6. Quality Management - Looks for ways to improve and promote quality, demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness
7. Business Acumen - Understands the business implications of their decisions, displays an orientation to working within approved budgets and University profitability. Aligns their work with the University’s Strategic Plan
8. Cost Consciousness - Works within their approved budget, develops and implements cost saving measures, conserves University resources
9. Ethics - Treats everyone with respect, keeps commitments, inspires others to trust them, works with integrity and ethically, upholds the University's Mission Statement and Core Values
10. University Support - Follows policies and procedures consistently, completes administrative tasks correctly and on time, supports the University’s Mission Statement and Core Values, Benefits the University through external community and professional activities, supports affirmative action and respects diversity
11. Motivation - Sets and achieves challenging goals, demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles, measures themselves against a high standard of excellence, takes calculated risks to accomplish goals
12. Quality - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness, looks for ways to improve and promote quality, applies effective feedback to improve performance, and monitors their own work to ensure quality
13. Safety and Security - Observes University safety and security policies and procedures, determines appropriate actions beyond guidelines, reports potentially unsafe conditions, uses equipment and materials properly
14. Dependability - Follows instructions, responds effectively to their supervisor’s direction. Takes responsibility for their own actions and keeps commitments. Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals. Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each Essential Duty and Responsibility listed above satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the Essential Duties and Responsibilities.
1. Education and Experience - High school diploma or GED, or one to three months directly related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience
2. Language Skills - Must be able to read, write and converse effectively in English in order to follow the University's Administrative Policies and safely perform the essential duties of the job. Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of employees
3. Reasoning Ability - Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form in English. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations
4. License - Must be at least 21 years of age and maintain a valid Texas driver's license to drive any vehicle, including personally owned vehicles, on behalf of the University
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk and talk or hear. The employee is regularly required to sit; reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 50 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 100 pounds with help or mechanical devices. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus
6. Work Environment - The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the Essential Duties and Responsibilities of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles and toxic or caustic chemicals used to teach in classrooms and labs or used to clean and/or renovate buildings and maintain the grounds of the University. The employee is frequently exposed to extreme cold; extreme heat and vibration. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; high, precarious places and toxic or caustic chemicals. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud
