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Job description

A key responsibility of the role is to manage and advise on pitch usage, working collaboratively with football and commercial stakeholders to maximise appropriate use of the stadium pitch whilst protecting playing quality, recovery periods and the Club’s long-term investment in the surface. The postholder will lead the Craven Cottage grounds team, manage budgets, specialist machinery and pitch infrastructure, and work closely with Football Operations, Stadium Operations, Commercial and Events teams to ensure the playing surface is prepared to the required standard for all approved uses.

Job requirements

Grounds & Playing Surface Management

• Lead all aspects of preparation, maintenance and presentation of the Craven Cottage playing surface.
• Ensure the pitch is maintained consistently to elite professional football standards.
• Develop, implement and monitor annual and seasonal turf management programmes.
• Plan and undertake mowing, aeration, fertilisation, irrigation, overseeding, topdressing, plant health and disease management programmes.
• Monitor pitch condition and performance through appropriate testing, inspection and record keeping.
• Monitor weather forecasts and ground conditions and adapt maintenance programmes accordingly.
• Manage playing surface usage to protect pitch quality, recovery and long-term performance.
• Maintain the highest standards of pitch presentation, including line marking, goal preparation and matchday set-up.
• Plan and deliver annual and in-season renovation programmes.

Essential Experience

• Significant experience in professional sports turf management.
• Experience in the preparation and maintenance of high-quality natural grass playing surfaces.
• Experience operating within professional football, professional sport or a comparable elite sporting environment.
• Experience managing playing surfaces subject to varied and intensive usage.
• Experience leading and developing a grounds team.
• Experience planning and delivering pitch maintenance and renovation programmes.
• Experience managing budgets, contractors, machinery and operational resources.
• Experience managing specialist pitch infrastructure including irrigation and drainage systems.

Essential Skills / Qualifications

• Relevant qualification in Sports Turf, Horticulture or Grounds Management.
• Strong technical knowledge of sports turf maintenance and agronomy.
• Strong understanding of irrigation, drainage, turf machinery and pitch infrastructure.
• Appropriate pesticide application qualifications relevant to the role.
• Good working knowledge of Health & Safety requirements associated with grounds operations.
• Good IT, administrative and record-keeping skills.
• Strong organisational, planning and communication skills.
• Ability to make sound operational decisions and balance competing football, commercial and operational demands.

Desirable Experience / Skills / Qualifications

• Significant experience maintaining a stadium pitch within professional football.
• NVQ Level 3 or above, or equivalent qualification, in Sports Turf Management.
• PA1 / PA2 / PA6 or equivalent relevant pesticide qualifications.
• IOSH or equivalent Health & Safety qualification.
• Experience of hybrid pitch systems and associated specialist technology.
• Experience managing major pitch renovation or reconstruction projects.
• Experience managing playing surfaces used for both elite sport and non-football events.
• Experience using turf performance monitoring and management information to inform maintenance programmes.

Personal Qualities

• Exceptionally high standards and attention to detail.
• Strong leadership and people-management capability.
• Pro-active and solutions focused.
• Calm and decisive under pressure.
• Reliable and accountable.
• Commercially aware and able to balance pitch protection with the wider operational requirements of the Club.
• Collaborative approach to working with football, commercial and operational departments.
• Strong work ethic and personal credibility.
• Flexible approach to working hours in line with fixtures, events and operational demands.

Additional Information 

Due to the nature of professional football and stadium operations, flexibility is required, including evenings, weekends and public holidays where operationally necessary.