ABOUT RAMAPO COLLEGE:

Ramapo College of New Jersey (RCNJ) develops ethical leaders who serve as change agents across all sectors. The College’s unique interdisciplinary academic structure, its liberal arts core, its size (approximately 5,500 students), and its setting in the foothills of the Ramapo Mountains on the New Jersey/New York border provide an optimal environment for individualized, student-centered learning and leadership development. RCNJ’s designation as “New Jersey’s Public Liberal Arts College” by the State legislature is the foundation from which the College’s commitment to an accessible and transformative undergraduate and graduate education is realized.

Established in 1969, CondeNast Traveler named Ramapo one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America. The barrier-free campus occupies 300 acres and is home to 52 bachelor’s degree programs spanning the arts, business, data science, humanities, education, nursing, social work, social sciences, and the sciences. Ramapo College boasts an average student/faculty ratio of 16:1 and an average class size of 21; affording students the opportunity to develop close ties to the College’s exceptional faculty. In addition, the College offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work, and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice. Every degree program is designed and delivered through the collaborative and interdisciplinary efforts of student-centered faculty scholars and staff who are committed to serving the public good through the delivery of an academically rigorous, inclusive, and a transformative collegiate experience. Ramapo is ranked #1 among New Jersey public institutions by College Choice and is recognized as the State’s top college on the list of Best Disability Schools by Great Value Colleges. Further commendations include designation as a “Military Friendly College” in Victory Media’s Guide to Military Friendly Schools, and as a leading college by U.S. News & World Report, Kiplinger’s, Princeton Review, and Money Magazine, among others.

EEO Statement:

Ramapo College is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Ramapo has a long history of advocating, advising, and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusiveness. Examples can be found in its mission statement, strategic plans, degree and course offerings, community outreach programs and other diversity programs. Ramapo’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is infused across all facets of the College; where the environment is welcoming, dedicated to social justice, respectful of freedom of expression, focused on educating and having an ongoing conversation regarding cultural competence and the benefits and importance of diversity.

Job Summary:

Under direction of the Associate Director of Facilities, has charge of campus grounds maintenance; performs other related duties as required.

DUTIES:

Organizes the maintenance of campus grounds and develops effective work measures, programs, schedules, and procedures.

Prepares daily work schedules for employees assigned to grounds duties, provides assignments and instructions, and supervises the performance of their work.

Plans, lays out, and directs work involved in maintenance of grounds including preparation of soil, seeding, rolling, weeding, cutting of lawns, and the planting, transplanting, thinning, and harvesting
of flowers and trash pick up and removal, and any other landscape or grounds related work.

Plans the removal of snow and directs snow removal labor and operation of snow removal equipment. Develops work programs and strategies to handle different physical areas of the College, and programs that accounts for different staffing levels and different shifts.

Plans, organizes, and assigns work of the organizational unit and evaluates employee performance and conduct, enabling the effective recommendation of the hiring, firing, promoting, and disciplining of subordinates.

Supervises the care of all areas of the grounds including non-cultivated areas and sees that the grounds are properly maintained.

Supervises and trains personnel in the proper use of equipment, materials, supplies, and implements used to maintain grounds including tractors, grass cutters, scythes, hoes, rakes, sprinklers, garden hose, cultivators, spades, shears, spraying devices, fertilizers, seeders, and other garden and grounds keeping equipment and tools.

Prepares requisitions for equipment, materials, and supplies and ensures these are properly safeguarded, stored, used, and recorded.

Supervises the measures taken to ensure the safety of grounds workers.

Communicates, disseminates and manages information through electronic and other means.

Communicates efficiently and professionally with all stakeholders including employees, supervisors, contractors and the College community.

Track daily work orders, insure they are properly completed, follow-up to completion in a timely fashion, and insure issues are resolved.

Responsible for the scheduling and completion of preventative maintenance work within the required time frames.

Directs and performs tree care and tree surgery duties required on campus grounds which may involve climbing and topping of tall trees.

Supervises the care and propagation of trees, and personally plants trees and shrubs, as recommended.

Prepares reports of unusual occurrences and significant conditions in the buildings or on the grounds and takes those steps required to ensure safe, orderly conditions.

Prepares periodic reports of the progress of individual employees and prepares reports on grounds maintenance activities containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

May be required to undergo various training and/or train subordinate personnel. Recommends training for self and for subordinate personnel.

Recommends the use of outside consultants or outside contractors where appropriate.

Maintains records and files in a clear organized fashion.

Effectively manages the employee Performance Evaluation System (PES), daily overtime allocation, accurate payroll time submittal and distribution for subordinate staff. Meets all scheduled submittal deadlines.

Collaborates with outside entities, such as city, state, and utilities, as needed.

Responsible for the management of all aspects of the Grounds department.

Provides budget projections for operating costs and for capital expenditures.

Prepares public relations material that give details on work accomplished, work underway, and goals.

Prepares correspondence, formal letters and reports.

Safeguards the confidentiality of college personnel records, files, fiscal data, correspondence and similar confidential materials.

Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge of supervisory techniques, principles of human resource management and organizational citizenship, knowledge of team oriented techniques, recognizes and respects the diversity of individuals

Knowledge of and ability to use electronic systems of communication and management.

Knowledge of preventative maintenance and work order techniques and systems.

Knowledge of those organizations whose functions are impacted upon by operations of the unit or section.

Ability to assign and instruct employees, and supervise performance of their work.

Ability to proactively respond to situations and follow-up to completion.

Ability to organize assigned work, analyze problems, find better alternative solutions and develop effective work methods.

Ability to react quickly and effectively to time sensitive situations. Ability to respond to call-in emergencies and events during non business hours.

Knowledge and ability to lay out planting and flower beds and direct the preparation of soil, planting of seeds, weeding and thinning of bedding, stock and production of flowers for cutting purposes.

Knowledge and ability to perform and supervise staff involved in the growth and care of trees, shrubbery, and perennial plants, and to direct the pruning of trees and shrubs, weeding, mowing and maintenance of extensive lawns.

Ability to supervise the use of equipment, materials, tools, and supplies and to train employees to properly use these. Ability to provide guidance and instruction to staff.

Ability to take the measures required to ensure the safety of employees assigned to grounds keeping work, to recognize suspicious and/or dangerous situations and occurrences, and to take necessary measures to secure safe, orderly conditions.

Ability to requisition, safeguard, clean and store, record, and supervise the use of equipment, tools, materials, and supplies.

Ability to prepare clear, sound, and accurate reports concerning grounds keeping and progress containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

Ability to inspect machinery and equipment, identify hazardous or significant conditions, and determine nature and extent of repairs.

Ability to effectively use standard PC applications and email functions (Word, Excel, Internet, Outlook, etc.)

Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.

Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Experience

Five (5) years of experience performing large scale groundwork, gardening, tree surgery, and tree care operation, three (3) years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity.

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey to perform the essential duties of this position.

Appointees will be required to obtain a NJ Certified Pesticide Applicator’s or Operator’s Permit in the required categories.