Director of Grounds

Job Description

Job Description

Be a part of the most exclusive club in Palm Beach…

The Mar-a-Lago Club  exemplifies elegance and excellence. From the moment our members and guests arrive, our mission is to provide the finest experience anywhere in luxury, dining, entertainment and recreation. This is achieved through the Club’s majestic location, world-class amenities, and the superior service provided by our dedicated team.

If you wish to join an elite team and contribute to our culture of excellence, The Mar-a-Lago Club invites you to apply. 

Successful candidates will demonstrate exceptional communication skills, strong leadership abilities, and the capacity to effectively manage, motivate, and collaborate with members, guests, and associates at all levels.

Applications are now being accepted for the following position:

Director of Grounds

Summary: The Director of Grounds is a key leadership role responsible for maintaining and enhancing the Club's outdoor environment. This is an opportunity to oversee one of the most prestigious and high-profile private club landscapes in the country. The Director of Grounds is responsible for overseeing the maintenance, presentation, and horticultural excellence of The Mar-a-Lago Club’s outdoor environment, with a commitment to ensuring all facilities uphold the highest standards of luxury, safety, and aesthetic appeal befitting the Club and its membership. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities  include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Oversees the daily care, maintenance, and appearance of all outdoor areas, including turf, lawns, flower beds, ornamental plants, shrubs, and trees, using industry Best Management Practices and sustainable landscaping methods.
• Develops and implements seasonal landscaping plans, including plant rotation, replacement, and enhancement projects, to ensure optimal year-round presentation and plant health.
• Regularly inspects all grounds and landscaped areas, identifies deficiencies, and recommends or implements corrective measures and improvements.
• Supervises all mowing, trimming, pruning, planting, fertilizing, irrigating, treating, removing, and replacing of turf, plants, shrubs, and trees.
• Manages and programs irrigation systems, including scheduling, preventative maintenance, repairs, adjustments, and system optimization.
• Interviews, hires, trains, counsels, evaluates, disciplines, schedules, and manages grounds department employees.
• Leads the grounds team by assigning daily responsibilities, providing instruction and assistance, monitoring performance, and ensuring work is completed properly and on schedule.
• Maintains accurate employee timekeeping records and reviews and approves departmental payroll in ADP.
• Oversees the safe operation, preventative maintenance, servicing, and repair of landscaping, construction, and grounds equipment.
• Operates landscaping and grounds equipment when necessary, including mowers, trimmers, blowers, sweepers, rollers, loaders, trenchers, compressors, utility vehicles, and other related equipment.
• Prepares, manages, and monitors the department’s annual operating budget and takes corrective action as necessary to achieve budget goals.
• Tracks departmental expenses, including payroll, supplies, fertilizers, chemicals, equipment, repairs, and contracted services.
• Identifies, recommends, and plans capital improvements and major equipment purchases.
• Maintains appropriate inventory levels of plants, landscaping materials, fertilizers, chemicals, supplies, tools, and equipment, and places orders as needed.
• Coordinates, supervises, and evaluates work performed by outside vendors and contractors.
• Maintains accurate maintenance logs, equipment service schedules, expense records, regulatory documentation, and required departmental reports.
• Prepares, updates, and maintains the Grounds Operations Manual and related departmental procedures.
• Implements and enforces departmental safety programs in compliance with Club policies and all applicable local, state, and federal regulations.
• Ensures chemicals, petroleum products, fertilizers, and other controlled materials are properly used, stored, documented, and disposed of in accordance with applicable regulations, while working to minimize their use whenever practical.
• Attends required staff and management meetings.
• Performs other duties as assigned and adheres to all Club policies, procedures, and safety protocols.

Supervisory Responsibilities:  Directly manages three employees. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Education and/or Experience:  Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from four-year college or university preferably in turf management, Agronomy, or Horticulture; or five to seven years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:  Pesticide Application Certification and   Valid Driver’s License with a clean motor vehicle report (MVR).  

Language Skills:  Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, guests, members and the general public.

Mathematical Skills: - Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Reasoning Ability:  Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Computer Skills:  To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Word Processing software, Spreadsheet software, Project Management software and Inventory software.

Physical Demands:  While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and taste or smell. The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Employee is required to have good vision in order to operate equipment effectively.

Work Environment:  The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; moving mechanical parts; outside weather conditions and extreme heat. The employee is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; risk of electrical shock and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.

We offer a competitive benefits package including:

• Paid Time Off (vacation & sick/personal time)
• Paid Holidays
• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Company Paid Life Insurance
• Company Paid Short & Long Term Disability
• Voluntary Life Insurance
• Accident Coverage
• Critical Illness Coverage
• Hospital Indemnity Coverage
• Legal Plan Insurance
• Identity Theft Protection
• Pet Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
• Employee Discounts at participating Trump Hotels

The Mar-a-Lago Club participates in the federal E-Verify program, an electronic system that verifies employment authorization in the United States by comparing information from an employee’s Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, with government databases. The company uses E-Verify only after an employee has accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9. The company does not use E-Verify to pre-screen job applicants or candidates who have not received a job offer from the company.

EOE/DFWP