Landscape Operative

West Suffolk County Council

Application closing date

22/02/2026

Salary

Starting salary £29,540 – £32,597 per annum plus excellent employee benefits package

About the role:

Due to new adoptions of amenity land within the Bury St Edmunds area, our Landscape service now requires two new members of staff. This role will assist our team in providing an effective, efficient and quality Landscape and Cemeteries service for the benefit of all of our residents and customers.

We have three operational depots throughout the District including the West Suffolk Operational Hub (WSOH) at Fornham St Martin on the outskirts of Bury St Edmunds covering the central area. We also have excellent area depots at Mildenhall covering the former Forrest Heath area and Haverhill covering the southern part of the district. This vacancy will be primarily based at the West Suffolk Operational Hub however flexibility is essential as you may reasonably be required to work from any of our premises or locations within West Suffolk.

Dependent on your current skills, the main duties are likely to include general horticultural maintenance activities including, the planting and upkeep of bedding areas, shrub and hedge maintenance, grass cutting, autumn leaf clearance and litter collection using appropriate plant and equipment, together with a whole range of other horticultural operations as specified in the job description.  You may be required to assist with Cemetery duties from time to time, which will include the preparation, digging and backfilling of graves, installation of shoring equipment and the burial process.

What you will need:

You will be able to demonstrate a positive approach to health and safety and be prepared to take on additional training as required, ensuring work is carried out to the standards required and meets the deadlines expected. You will be customer focused and be able to demonstrate a desire to deliver high standards of service.

You will hold a current Class B+E licence and have your own means of transport. Operational experience of ride on cylinder and rotary mowers is desirable, but not essential.

Ideally, you will hold a 0065‐704 City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma in Work‐based Horticulture (Parks, Gardens and Green Space) and/or a 0216 – NPTC Level 2 Award in Safe Use of Pesticides (formerly PA1/PA6A). However, these qualifications are not essential as we will provide training in the horticultural and cemetery skills required for the post.

Please refer to the job description and person specification for full details of this exciting opportunity.

Why work for us? 

Our benefits include:

• Holiday entitlement of 25 days, increasing to 29 days after 5 years (pro rata if part time) plus bank holidays (with an option to buy up to 10 extra days each year subject to approval)
• Generous pension scheme – contribute between 5.5% and 6.8% (depending on your salary) and the council will contribute 26%
• Life assurance – a payment of three times your annual salary
• access to a unique employee benefits package which includes discounts and cashback on supermarkets, high street shops, holidays, mobile phones, electrical goods, savings and loan schemes and many other products and services
• Salary sacrifice benefits including Cycle to Work scheme, Tusker Leased Car Scheme and SmartTech (buy the latest tech products interest free and repay through your monthly salary)
• Rail and bus staff discounts
• A range of Health and Wellbeing initiatives including an employee assistance programme
• Discounted membership at Abbeycroft Leisure centres
• A culture of learning inspiring staff to focus on continuous learning

For more information:

For an informal discussion about this role please contact either Jason Baldwin, Landscape Supervisor on 01284 757454 or John Van Rheede Toas, Landscape Manager on 01284 757683.