County of Alameda

DESCRIPTION

Under general supervision, to supervise the work of a gardening staff engaged in the maintenance, planting, and landscaping the grounds of County facilities; and to do related work as required.


DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

Supervising Gardener is a working supervisor, and is the highest level class in the gardening series. The position reports to a Buildings Manager who is responsible for a variety of building maintenance programs and differs from the lower class of Gardener II which has no supervisory, nor long-range planning responsibilities.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

NOTE: The following are the duties performed by employees in this classification. However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Each individual in the classification does not necessarily perform all duties listed.

1. Plans and schedules the work of a grounds maintenance staff.
2. Supervises, assigns, trains, and evaluates subordinate staff.
3. Plans and supervises, from supervisor's direction or sketches, landscaping and planting projects.
4. Supervises and performs gardening/landscaping tasks; i.e., pruning, spraying, fertilizing, planting shrubs and trees.
5. Supervises the care and maintenance of power and hand tools.
6. Consults with departments concerning gardening/grounds maintenance requirements.
7. Develops work standards and performance criteria for gardening staff.
8. Estimates costs of jobs.
9. Prepares budgets for special projects.
10. Researches new products and equipment.
11. Maintains records of gardening activities.
12. Requisitions supplies.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Either I
Experience:

The equivalent of four years of experience in the class of Gardener II in the Alameda County classified service. (Non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts.)

Or II

The equivalent of five years of experience in skilled gardening work, of which two years shall have been in a supervisory capacity.

(Additional education in gardening at an accredited trade or technical school may be substituted for up to two years of the general experience on a year-for-year basis.)

Or III

Some acceptable combination of education and appropriate experience.

License:

Possession of a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator's license.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

NOTE: The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the "Examples of Duties" section of this specification.

Knowledge of:

• Modern gardening techniques.
• General landscaping and design for low maintenance.
• Soil preparation.
• Plants, shrubs, trees normally grown in Bay Area.
• Insecticides, fungicides and plant disease and insect pests.
• Proper care of gardening tools and equipment.

Abilities:

• Motivating and directing staff.
• Scheduling gardening/grounds maintenance jobs throughout a County region.
• Training staff in the use of gardening equipment, and maintenance and gardening tasks.
• Working from a rough plan effective with operating department personnel.
• Maintaining records.
• Speaking and writing clearly.

CLASS SPEC HISTORY

DDB:gcb
Revised: 7/80
Retyped: 3/85
Old document: 0690h
New document: Jobspecs/7220
ys/9/01
CSC Date: 7/28/80

BENEFITS

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

• Medical – HMO & PPO Plans
• Dental – HMO & PPO Plans
• Vision or Vision Reimbursement
• Share the Savings
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees)
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance 
• County Allowance Credit
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

• 12 paid holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave**
• Catastrophic Sick Leave
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.