_{16th May, 2025}

Join a supportive and friendly team working together to make a real difference not only for the people we care for, but also each other

Southern Cross Care QLD have an opportunity for a Head Gardener to lead or gardening/maintenance team at our beautiful Stretton Gardens Retirement Village in Drewvale. This is permanent full-time role.

What can Southern Cross Care Queensland offer you?

• Competitive renumeration with the benefit of Not-for-Profit salary sacrifice options to take home more
• Permanent role with regular weekday working hours offering stability within a supportive organization
• Opportunity to join a purpose driven organization with great staff culture
• Ongoing individualised training
• Employee Assistance Program for employees and their families and support programs like Thrive (access 50% of your earned wages early)

About the role

Working in the role of the Head Gardener at our Stretton Gardens Retirement Village your focus will be on overseeing the estate's gardens and grounds to ensure exceptional presentation and experience to all who enter the village.

Key Responsibilities of the role will include:

• Conducting regular inspections of the estate to identify and address any maintenance needs.
• Set daily and weekly goals for the gardening/maintenance team to complete allocated work tasks within their working hours.
• Managment and organisation of resources to ensure all tools and resources are efficiently managed and effectively utilised during practices.
• Maintaining up to date electronic inventory of all equipment.
• In consultation with the Estate Manager developing the preventative maintenance and regular servicing program for all machinery/equipment 
• Building and maintaining effective relationships with local contractors
• Assessing and prioritizing daily work order requests and managing the completion of each order.
• Carrying out work in accordance with Health and Safety requirements
• Creating a schedule for seasonal planting and lawn care, reporting on this quarterly a season ahead to your Estate Manager
• Seasonal and ongoing care for and maintenance of lawns and plants within the grounds involving mowing, aerating, edging, pruning, fertilizing and weed management 
• Mentoring of new or casual team members and contractors

What will you bring to the role?

• Experience as a gardener, landscaper, groundskeeping, or similar occupation is advantageous, however a passion for gardening is most important.
• Willingness to complete a variety of mundane and difficult tasks with a positive attitude.
• Strong understanding of lawn care principles
• High attention to detail 
• Trim and Cut Felled Trees Experience (or willing to obtain).
• Previous experience managing contractor relationships 
• Demonstrated ability to work from manuals and drawings
• Current QLD Driver’s License
• Exceptional people and interpersonal skills and ability to mentor staff
• Well-developed written and verbal communication skills
• Strong decision-making and time management skills
• Ability to work as part of a team but also be capable of working autonomously

Who is Southern Cross Care Queensland?

Southern Cross Care Queensland (SCCQ) is a Catholic not-for-profit organisation established by the Knights of the Southern Cross, more than 40 years ago. They saw a need to provide compassionate care and inclusive service to some of the most vulnerable, the ageing population, in the community.

Since then, SCCQ has grown to employ over 1700 staff caring for and supporting more than 2000 people across 13 residential aged care homes, 5 retirement villages, 28 social houses, the National Disability and Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and home care services in metropolitan and rural Queensland.
We are passionate about growing communities where best lives are lived, and serving the needs of our residents and clients with compassion and care is, as always, at the heart of what we do.

At SCCQ, we are just as focused on creating a culture where every person matters. Our culture program Known & Loved is unique to Southern Cross Care Queensland, enabling staff to build genuine community connections with each other and those we serve.
  
How can you apply? 

If you are ready to make a difference and help us grow communities where best lives are lived, then we'd love to hear from you. Apply today!

If you have any queries around Southern Cross Care QLD ‘s recruitment process or about the role, please contact us at employment@sccqld.com.au
  
Southern Cross Care Queensland is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate the diversity across our entire team and welcome candidates from all backgrounds to apply.  Please note that all employment offers will be conditional upon a satisfactory NDIS workers screen, the right to work in Australia and maintaining an up-to-date flu vaccinations status.

Our Mission: Inspired by Catholic moral and social teachings which value and respect human life and the dignity of the individual, we will provide a quality of care and accommodation to meet the needs of all who place their trust in us.

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