Turf Specialist, Park Operations

Turf Maintenance Supervisor

Oversees maintenance and improvement of all county-owned turf areas, including athletic fields and public spaces. Manages natural and synthetic turf health, irrigation systems, pest control, equipment upkeep, and staff supervision. Ensures budget compliance and safety standards.

Develops and executes comprehensive maintenance plans for sports fields and grounds. Applies best practices in turfgrass nutrition, pest management, irrigation, and synthetic turf care. Establishes standards for sports surfaces and coordinates contractors and vendors on turf-related projects.

Supervises, directs, and evaluates assigned staff, processes employee concerns and problems, directing work, counseling, disciplining, and completing employee performance appraisals; conducts interviews and makes hiring recommendations.

Coordinates daily work activities; organizes, prioritizes, and assigns work; monitors status of work in progress and inspects completed work; conducts staff meetings; confers with assigned staff, assists with complex/problem situations, and provides technical expertise. Monitors and enforces the County's dress code and standards set by department's executive team.

Oversees staff compliance with all applicable codes, laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures; ensures adherence to established safety procedures; monitors work environment and use of safety equipment to ensure safety of employees and other individuals; initiates any actions necessary to correct deviations or violations.

Responsible for training staff from the Park Operations Division and Athletic Division regarding the use and maintenance of athletic fields. Evaluates and maintains an inventory of all athletic fields, within the County's park system. Assists in transporting equipment from various park locations throughout the county for completion of daily tasks and projects.

Directs, supervises and assists in best practices for use and maintenance of county sports facilities and grounds.

Develop and implement turf management programs to insure healthy, high-quality turf conditions. Oversee mowing, fertilization, aeration, irrigation, pest and weed control, and soil testing. Implement sustainable landscaping practices to minimize environmental impact.

Works alongside Park Supervisors and other staff in field construction / repairs, irrigation management, and preventative maintenance. Makes recommendations to the Parks Operations Manager and Athletic Manager on future needs and budgetary items.

Plans, organizes, schedules, and oversees maintenance/repair projects for parks and recreation facilities; receives/prioritizes work orders and assigns repair projects to appropriate staff; evaluates job sites prior to commencement of projects; reviews monthly event charts and plans work activities around game/event schedules; ensures preparation/maintenance of athletic fields in appropriate condition for use for individual games, leagues, or tournaments. Prepares and monitors GIS work orders for staff daily, monthly, and annually.

Evaluates efficiency and effectiveness of division operations, equipment, materials, practices, and procedures; recommends or implements improvements as needed.

Inspects and monitors athletic fields, and park amenities to identify problems, needed repairs, or other situations requiring attention, such as vandalism, inoperative lighting, or broken sprinkler heads; reports problem situations to appropriate personnel. Coordinates daily, monthly and annual GIS inspections on department athletic fields and other amenities.

Performs administrative tasks; prepares daily and weekend work schedules to ensure adequate coverage; provides budgetary input and assists in monitoring expenditures; reviews employee timecards and submits for payment.

Maintains inventory of division equipment, tools, chemicals, supplies, and other materials; monitors inventory levels and ensures availability of adequate materials to conduct projects and work activities; initiates orders for new or replacement materials; picks up supplies or materials as needed.

Supervises and assists staff in maintaining park grounds, athletic fields, and related facilities; mows and edges park grounds, baseball/softball fields, and football/soccer fields; drags and grooms baseball/softball fields; measures, marks, lays out, and paints playing fields; paints foul lines and foul poles; repairs pitching rubbers, home plates, and bases; maintains infield areas by removing rocks, shifting/adding dirt, or filling in low areas; applies infield conditioner; maintains/top dresses turf; inspects and rakes sand around playground areas; aerates, seeds, fertilizes, and waters grounds; installs sod; applies herbicides and pesticides; rakes ground surfaces; disposes of litter and removes debris from grounds; repairs nets of tennis courts and basketball courts; installs or repairs fences; replaces, and repairs sprinkler systems and sprinkler heads; lays rock and concrete block around landscaped areas; cuts down trees/shrubs; digs holes/trenches and shovels/spreads materials.

Assists, and trains staff in proper synthetic turf management and practices. Grooms, drags and cleans synthetic turf. Oversees annual professional inspections and deep brushing / cleaning to prevent compaction. Responsible for concussion testing, repair and replacement, resealing or patching. Monitors drainage systems, infill material, wear and tear on high use areas. Conducts daily, monthly, and yearly inspections on synthetic turf.

Assists with setup of special events and other park / recreational activities.

Oversees and assists with operation of a variety of machinery, equipment, and tools associated with projects and work activities, which may include a utility truck, tractor, bobcat, aerator, sod cutter, tiller, field drag, mower, field rake, weed eater, edger, seed spreader, leaf blower, hedge trimmer, vacuum cleaner, paint machine, pressure washer, tile saw, chain saw, circular saw, grinder, drill, welder, shovel, rake, post hole digger, janitorial tools, gardening tools, mechanic tools, hand tools, ladder, or two-way radio.

Oversees general/preventive maintenance work necessary to keep vehicles, equipment and tools in operable condition, which may include inspecting/testing equipment, refueling vehicles, checking fluid levels, replacing fluids, greasing equipment, replacing parts, repairing tires, sharpening blades, washing/cleaning equipment, or cleaning shop/work areas; monitors equipment operations to maintain efficiency and safety; reports faulty equipment.

Transports, lifts, loads and unloads various equipment and materials used in projects.

Prepares or completes various forms, reports, correspondence, logs, budget documents, equipment maintenance records, purchase requisitions, inspection forms, performance appraisals, or other documents.

Receives various forms, reports, correspondence, logs, budget reports, expenditure records, purchase records, timecards, event schedules, work orders, invoices, receipts, maintenance records, field diagrams, electrical diagrams, material safety data sheets, operational manuals, procedures, or other documentation; reviews, completes, processes, forwards or retains as appropriate.

Communicates with supervisor, employees, community service workers, inmate workers, other departments, law enforcement personnel, athletic leagues/organizations, vendors, the public, outside agencies, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review status of work, exchange information, resolve problems, or give/receive advice/direction.

Maintains a comprehensive, current knowledge of applicable regulations, policies, and procedures; maintains an awareness of new trends and advances in the profession; reads professional literature; attends workshops and training sessions as appropriate.

This classification is designated as a safety sensitive position which is subject to random drug and alcohol testing and any other drug testing methods as stated in policies adopted by Forsyth County concerning drug and alcohol.

Provides assistance to other employees or departments as needed.

Performs other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in turfgrass management or closely related field; supplemented by three (3) years previous experience and/or training that includes landscape management, turf management, field restoration, irrigation system operations, equipment operation, and basic supervision; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job. Must possess and maintain a valid Georgia driver's license. Possession of Commercial Pesticide Applicator's license or obtain license within the first 6 months.