Full job descriptionNHS AfC: Band 3Grounds & GardensJob Details*Contract: Permanent
*Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
*Site: John Radcliffe Hospital
TownOxford
Salary£25,760 - £27,476 per annum pro rata
Salary periodYearly
Closing25/11/2026 23:59
Interview date17/12/2026
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research.
The Trust comprises of four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.
Many of our recruitment programmes use Value Based Interviewing to identify those who have the skills we seek, who share our values and who are able to deliver compassionate excellence from the outset. We know that this makes a significant difference to your job satisfaction and above all the outcomes and experience of our patients and their families.
Job overviewDo you enjoy working outdoors and taking pride in creating and maintaining well-kept green spaces?
We’re looking for a practical and motivated Grounds & Gardens Operative to help maintain the grounds and gardens across our Trust sites.
This is a varied, hands-on role where you’ll work independently to keep our outdoor spaces maintained to a high standard. You’ll play an important part in creating welcoming surroundings for our patients, visitors and colleagues.
You’ll plan and organise your workload, respond to changing priorities and work safely in accordance with Trust policies and procedures. The role involves travelling between Trust sites, so you’ll enjoy variety and the opportunity to work across different locations.
If you’re proactive, practical and enjoy seeing the results of your work, we’d love to hear from you.
Main duties of the jobAs part of the Estates team, you’ll help ensure our grounds and gardens are maintained safely and effectively throughout the year. You’ll be trusted to organise your own workload, work independently and respond flexibly when priorities change.
Key responsibilities include:
*Maintaining and carrying out repairs to the Trust’s grounds and gardens.
*Working from a scheduled planned preventative maintenance schedule.
*Planning and organising your own work and schedule.
*Working independently and proactively responding to changing workloads.
*Using tools, equipment and materials safely and accurately.
*Identifying practical solutions to routine equipment and maintenance issues.
*Communicating effectively with colleagues, staff, contractors and other service users.
*Completing required job records, timesheets and other Estates documentation.
*Working in accordance with relevant statutory requirements, British Standards, HTMs, HBNs and Trust policies and procedures.
*Undertaking overtime for emergency repairs when required by management.
*Travelling between Trust sites as required.
Working for our organisationOxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and most respected NHS teaching trusts, providing world-class healthcare across four hospitals: the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre and Horton General Hospital and over one hundred satellite sites.
You’ll become part of an organisation at the forefront of patient care, research, education and innovation. You’ll have access to excellent learning and development opportunities, work alongside highly skilled multidisciplinary teams, and contribute to services that make a real difference.
Our commitment to Delivering Compassionate Excellence is at the heart of everything we do. Guided by our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence, we strive to create an environment where staff feel supported, valued and empowered to thrive. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel and the OneTeamOneOUH - LIVING OUR VALUES video .
We are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful and safe workplace for everyone. As signatories to the NHS Sexual Safety Charter, we have a zero-tolerance approach to inappropriate behaviour and are dedicated to fostering a culture where all colleagues feel welcomed, respected and able to be themselves. We pledge zero tolerance for inappropriate sexual behaviour and commit to the ten core principles.
Detailed job description and main responsibilitiesPlease refer to the full job description and person specification
JOB OVERVIEW
Operational Responsibilities*To work in accordance with the requirements of HTM’s, HBN’s Model
*Specifications, relevant Statutory Regulations, Codes of Practice, British
*Standards and Trust Policies and Procedures.
*To work in accordance with the requirements of the Trusts gardening services
*performing non complex tasks.
*Actively participate in the operation of the Trusts labour control scheme by
*working within the scheme including completion of all paperwork required of the
*scheme. (Including completion of all job dockets and time sheets).
*To work without supervision. Work overtime to carry out emergency repairs as
*required by management.
*Plan own work and schedule of works.
*Must be able to communicate with a range of staff and clients on non-complex
*technical issues.
*Ability to prioritise changing workloads and to act pro-actively to address work
*requests in conjunction with the Estates Manager/Estates Officer/Estates
*Maintenance Team Leader.
*Ability to problem solve equipment and interpret operational manuals to
*establish best solution for problems. Ability to understand and comment on
*maintenance policies.
*Ability to manipulate fine tools and equipment/materials, allowing only a narrow
*margin of error.
*Learning, Respect, Delivery, Excellence, Compassion, Improvement...