What are the responsibilities and job description for the Landscape Supervisor position at The University of Kansas?
Position Overview
The Landscape Supervisor position is responsible for the direction of crews (one to twelve persons) or individuals performing horticultural and landscape maintenance on Campus. Duties include planning, organizing, training, maintaining records, and evaluating the work of subordinates. This position also performs work such as supervising horticultural site preparation, planting/transplanting, plant watering, mowing, trash removal and tool maintenance.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 6:30am - 3pm
Facilities Services within KU Operations plays a vital role in maintaining an inviting and safe campus environment that supports teaching, learning and research. KU Operations supports KU’s mission of learning, scholarship, and creative endeavor by providing the visible and behind-the-scenes services that make possible the university’s academic and research missions.
KU offers great benefits to employees with up to 176 hours of paid vacation per year, 96 hours of sick leave earned per year, nine paid holidays plus one discretionary day, a retirement program, medical & dental insurance, life and disability insurance, other benefit plan options, and State of Kansas discounts offered by various vendors. KU also offers employees educational and professional development opportunities.
Tuition assistance offers up to 12 credit hours per year for employees and Employee Dependent Tuition Assistance Scholarship (EDTAS) award opportunities! Details available at: https://humanresources.ku.edu/tuition-assistance
KU’s excellence is a result of the rich tapestry of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of our faculty, staff, students, and colleagues from across our nation and the globe. At KU, we invest in continuous learning and growth by creating a climate where people engage in respectful dialogue and debate and support each other’s success. We foster a culture of care where each person is seen, heard, and valued. When people feel a true sense of belonging, we believe they are better able to reach their full potential and achieve remarkable things.
The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of the appointment.
Job Description
80% - Supervisory:
Plans, organizes and directly supervises the work of crews which range in size from one to twelve persons depending on the nature of work being performed. Interviews and recommends potential employees for hire. Instructs, trains, motivates, counsels, advocates for, disciplines and otherwise interacts in a positive fashion with persons supervised. While leading persons supervised in the performance of their work, this position will perform the work as well as supervising. Work includes mowing, planting and/or transplanting. Lawn seeding and sodding. Land grading involving the use of heavy equipment. Chemical treatment for horticultural maintenance. Trash removal. Snow removal. Tool and equipment maintenance.
15% - Managerial:
Implements and maintains records pertaining to vehicle maintenance, pesticide application, work-hour needs, personnel matters (evaluations and payroll work time accounting). In conference with other supervisory staff, evaluates work-hour needs, equipment needs and otherwise pre-plans work to be accomplished. Provides training for Landscape Unit employees.
5% - Related:
Maintains knowledge, skills and abilities in Horticultural and Landscape work. Reads current technical journals, attends academic and/or vocational classes and other training, maintaining a high degree of technical competency. Acts as Landscape consultant to other Department work units (underground electrical service installation) with regards to moving plantings, etc. Performs other related work as assigned by supervisor.
Position Requirements
Required Qualifications
A complete application includes the following;
Application review begins Friday, August 8th and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants is identified.
Contact Information to Applicants
Joe Fearn
joe.fearn@ku.edu
Advertised Salary Range
Starting at $50,000
Application Review Begins
Friday August 8, 2025
Anticipated Start Date
Monday September 1, 2025
The Landscape Supervisor position is responsible for the direction of crews (one to twelve persons) or individuals performing horticultural and landscape maintenance on Campus. Duties include planning, organizing, training, maintaining records, and evaluating the work of subordinates. This position also performs work such as supervising horticultural site preparation, planting/transplanting, plant watering, mowing, trash removal and tool maintenance.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 6:30am - 3pm
Facilities Services within KU Operations plays a vital role in maintaining an inviting and safe campus environment that supports teaching, learning and research. KU Operations supports KU’s mission of learning, scholarship, and creative endeavor by providing the visible and behind-the-scenes services that make possible the university’s academic and research missions.
KU offers great benefits to employees with up to 176 hours of paid vacation per year, 96 hours of sick leave earned per year, nine paid holidays plus one discretionary day, a retirement program, medical & dental insurance, life and disability insurance, other benefit plan options, and State of Kansas discounts offered by various vendors. KU also offers employees educational and professional development opportunities.
Tuition assistance offers up to 12 credit hours per year for employees and Employee Dependent Tuition Assistance Scholarship (EDTAS) award opportunities! Details available at: https://humanresources.ku.edu/tuition-assistance
KU’s excellence is a result of the rich tapestry of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of our faculty, staff, students, and colleagues from across our nation and the globe. At KU, we invest in continuous learning and growth by creating a climate where people engage in respectful dialogue and debate and support each other’s success. We foster a culture of care where each person is seen, heard, and valued. When people feel a true sense of belonging, we believe they are better able to reach their full potential and achieve remarkable things.
The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of the appointment.
Job Description
80% - Supervisory:
Plans, organizes and directly supervises the work of crews which range in size from one to twelve persons depending on the nature of work being performed. Interviews and recommends potential employees for hire. Instructs, trains, motivates, counsels, advocates for, disciplines and otherwise interacts in a positive fashion with persons supervised. While leading persons supervised in the performance of their work, this position will perform the work as well as supervising. Work includes mowing, planting and/or transplanting. Lawn seeding and sodding. Land grading involving the use of heavy equipment. Chemical treatment for horticultural maintenance. Trash removal. Snow removal. Tool and equipment maintenance.
15% - Managerial:
Implements and maintains records pertaining to vehicle maintenance, pesticide application, work-hour needs, personnel matters (evaluations and payroll work time accounting). In conference with other supervisory staff, evaluates work-hour needs, equipment needs and otherwise pre-plans work to be accomplished. Provides training for Landscape Unit employees.
5% - Related:
Maintains knowledge, skills and abilities in Horticultural and Landscape work. Reads current technical journals, attends academic and/or vocational classes and other training, maintaining a high degree of technical competency. Acts as Landscape consultant to other Department work units (underground electrical service installation) with regards to moving plantings, etc. Performs other related work as assigned by supervisor.
Position Requirements
- Willingness and ability to work overtime as needed.
- Willingness and ability to respond to after-hours emergencies as needed.
- Willingness and ability to report to work during officially declared periods of inclement weather.
- Ability to work in extreme weather conditions, both heat and cold.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds
- Ability to stand and walk for long periods of time
- Ability to bend, twist, kneel, lift/place heavy objects, grasp and reach
- Ability to perform basic mathematical computations.
Required Qualifications
- High School diploma or GED equivalency.
- Five (5) years of experience in horticulture or landscape maintenance, landscape design and/or landscape architecture
- Two (2) years of experience as a supervisor or lead worker.
- Must have Commercial Pesticide Application and Arborist Certification or able to obtain within 6 months of hire date.
- Must have a Class B commercial driver’s license (CDL) or able to obtain within 6 months of hire date.
- Must have a valid drivers license by the time of hire and maintained throughout employment.
- Knowledge of agricultural-chemical usage as evidenced by application materials.
- Knowledge of the application of pesticides as evidenced by application materials.
- Knowledge of the use/repair of mechanized equipment as evidenced by application materials.
- Experience working in a college or university setting.
A complete application includes the following;
- Resume
- Cover letter addressing how the required and preferred qualifications are met.
- List of 3 professional references
Application review begins Friday, August 8th and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants is identified.
Contact Information to Applicants
Joe Fearn
joe.fearn@ku.edu
Advertised Salary Range
Starting at $50,000
Application Review Begins
Friday August 8, 2025
Anticipated Start Date
Monday September 1, 2025
Salary : $50,000
