Parks And Open Spaces Manager

In Coventry we cherish and value our award-winning Parks and green spaces ranging from playing fields to allotments, churchyards, and riverbanks.  We strive to protect them and make sure they are there for the people of the city to enjoy for many years to come.

We know that green spaces contribute significantly to the health, wellbeing, and quality of life of people and are vital to help protect our environment and wildlife.

The Parks and Open Spaces Team are a passionate, hardworking team responsible for the provision and development of safe and accessible Parks and Open Spaces and the management, planning and maintenance of the Councils trees and urban forest, ensuring a welcoming place for all our residents and visitors alike.
Our ValuesIn line with our One Coventry Values we strive to have a workforce that reflects our local communities and welcome applicants from all sections of the community. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic backgrounds, applicants who have a disability and applicants who are from the LGBTQ+ community to apply for our senior leadership roles. 

Our Values are:

Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

What is the job role?Reporting to the Strategic Lead for Environmental Services the successful applicant will have an exceptional opportunity to make their mark, influence and continue the development of this key high-profile service area.

This is a new role where you will be working with partners across the city to attract our residents and their families, encouraging diverse and inclusive social and recreational environments.

You will lead a team of technical and operational staff, taking a “One Coventry” approach to working with internal and external stakeholders and partners to develop, manage and deliver strategies and programmes which maximise the use and benefits of the service and support the Councils wider objectives.
Who are we looking for?We are looking for a suitably experienced and driven manager who can provide strong leadership and direction.

Your demonstrable experience should evidence a clear aptitude for this post, and you will be able to provide a proven track record of the management of Parks and Open Spaces or similar, including operational management, people management, service planning and effective partnership working.

You will have a solid understanding of and be an advocate for the principles of diversity and inclusion in relation to workplace culture and service delivery.

Our workforce data shows that people from minority and ethnic backgrounds are under-represented management level and encourage applicants from these backgrounds to apply.

We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability.

If you need help or support to complete your application, please visit our accessibility page to see how we can assist you.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme - As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the below criteria:

Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
Are currently in care or have previously been in care
If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'. If there is any evidence of a candidate using AI to complete their application, then the application will be rejected unless the candidate can provide a justification which the Council considers to be reasonable.

Interview Dates: 17th and 18th July 2024
About CoventryCoventry has a proud, innovative and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change.

We are cutting-edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant and diverse.

At Coventry we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 5100 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together and find better ways of doing things.

To deliver the best services to our residents, we need the best people working for us to make a difference to our communities.

If you join us, we will provide a fantastic rewards and benefits package - to find out more please visit https://www.coventry.gov.uk/council-vacancies