FACILITIES, MAINTENANCE & GROUNDS SPECIALIST

Facilities, Maintenance & Grounds Specialist

The Valley Park School District is seeking a dependable, service-minded Facilities, Maintenance & Grounds Specialist to help maintain a safe, clean, attractive, and well-functioning campus. Under the general supervision of the Director of Facilities, this position performs a wide variety of custodial, grounds, athletic-field, event-support, and general maintenance duties throughout the District. This teammate plays an essential role in preserving the safety, appearance, functionality, and accessibility of District facilities and grounds in support of an exceptional educational environment for students, staff, families, and visitors.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following examples are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties.

Facilities and Custodial Support

• Clean and sanitize restrooms, cafeterias, offices, classrooms, hallways, and other assigned areas in accordance with established procedures and standards.
• Maintain adequate supplies of toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags, soap, and other custodial materials.
• Sweep, mop, vacuum, dust, polish, and clean floors, rugs, furniture, fixtures, walls, windows, and other surfaces.
• Vacuum and extract carpets; operate walk-behind floor scrubbers, bathroom pressure washers, and other custodial equipment.
• Empty trash and recycling containers and properly dispose of waste.
• Safely use, maintain, and store cleaning chemicals, supplies, hand tools, and power equipment.
• Conduct routine inspections and preventive maintenance of custodial equipment; report repair needs promptly.
• Set up, take down, move, and arrange furniture, equipment, and materials for meetings, activities, and special events.
• Maintain the security of assigned keys, badges, equipment, and work areas; secure doors and facilities as directed.
• Observe and promptly report suspicious activity, safety hazards, damage, or conditions requiring attention.

General Maintenance and Facilities Support

• Perform routine general maintenance and minor repairs, as assigned and within the employee's training and capability.
• Assist with basic repairs involving furniture, fixtures, doors, hardware, flooring, walls, equipment, plumbing, and other facilities systems.
• Monitor assigned areas for conditions requiring immediate attention, including plumbing issues, loss of heating or air conditioning, safety hazards, or other emergency situations.
• Respond promptly to emergencies and notify the Director of Facilities or designee as soon as possible.
• Assist with deliveries, moving materials and equipment, and maintaining organized storage areas.
• Travel between District buildings and parking areas as needed to complete assignments.

Grounds and Athletic Field Support

• Assist in maintaining attractive, safe, and functional District grounds, including lawns, landscaping, trees, shrubs, play areas, walkways, parking areas, and athletic facilities.
• Mow lawns and athletic fields; edge around walks, fences, driveways, and play areas.
• Assist with weed control, trimming, planting, fertilizing, watering, and caring for lawns, trees, shrubs, hedges, and other plants.
• Safely operate and maintain hand and power equipment, including mowers, edgers, trimmers, blowers, sprayers, rototillers, air compressors, and related grounds-maintenance tools.
• Prepare athletic fields for practices and competitions, including dragging and maintaining baseball and softball fields, painting field lines, and helping prevent weed intrusion.
• Remove snow and ice from building entrances, sidewalks, walkways, parking areas, and other assigned locations before, during, and after school hours.
• Assist with seasonal grounds projects and campus beautification efforts.

General Expectations

• Assist with the setup, breakdown, cleanup, and support of District events as directed.
• Participate in District in-service training and required safety training.
• Follow all District policies, workplace and trade safety laws, regulations, standards, and practices.
• Demonstrate knowledge of and commitment to the District's mission and core values.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by supervisor.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to take personal responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work and achieve results with limited supervision.
• Ability to prioritize assignments, adapt to changing needs, and respond positively to urgent situations.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and build constructive working relationships with staff, students, families, contractors, and visitors.
• Ability to communicate clearly, professionally, and respectfully, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to follow written and verbal directions and safely use cleaning products, tools, equipment, and machinery.
• Ability to maintain composure and use sound judgment in stressful or adverse situations.
• Ability to attend to detail and maintain high standards for cleanliness, safety, and customer service.
• Ability to identify, report, and respond appropriately to safety hazards and facilities concerns.
• Commitment to honesty, professionalism, reliability, and respectful service.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Requires prolonged standing and considerable walking on level and uneven surfaces.
• Requires climbing stairs, ladders, and working at varying heights as needed.
• Requires frequent stooping, bending, kneeling, reaching, pushing, pulling, lifting, and carrying.
• Requires the ability to manually move, lift, carry, pull, or push materials and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Requires the full range of motion of the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, back, torso, knees, and ankles.
• Must be able to work indoors and outdoors throughout the year in varying weather conditions.
• May work in noisy, crowded, dusty, or stressful environments and around cleaning chemicals, solvents, disinfectants, and chemical odors.
• Must follow District dress code and applicable personal protective equipment requirements.
• Regular and reliable attendance is an essential function of this position.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Custodial, facilities, maintenance, grounds, landscaping, athletic-field, and snow-removal experience preferred.
• School district custodial, maintenance, and grounds experience strongly preferred.
• Athletic grounds and field-preparation experience preferred.
• Demonstrated aptitude and competency for assigned responsibilities.
• Demonstrated initiative, cooperation, dependability, and enthusiasm.
• Stable work history required.
• Valid driver's license required.

Valley Park School District