About this role
Job summary The External Environment Lead will be responsible for the on-site supervision of directly employed staff and contractors, ensuring the effective delivery of high-quality horticultural, arboriculture and environmental services across Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust sites. The successful candidate will lead the maintenance and development of landscaped areas, trees, amenity grounds and external environments while ensuring compliance with health and safety legislation, Trust policies and environmental standards.
Main duties of the job What you will bring to the role Supervise directly employed staff, students, agency workers and contractors. Assist with recruitment, induction, training and work allocation. Monitor standards of work and productivity and report performance or disciplinary issues to the Estates Officer. Lead the maintenance of the Trust's external environment including horticultural, arboriculture and landscaping activities. Undertake tree maintenance operations including the safe use of chainsaws where qualified. Oversee pest recognition, treatment and record keeping in accordance with current legislation. Install and maintain irrigation systems in accordance with Legionella control requirements. Interpret plans, drawings and specifications and oversee their implementation. Utilise Estates management systems to record, update and audit maintenance activities. Support adverse weather operations including gritting, snow clearance and acting as secondary contact for on-call teams. Promote good housekeeping standards and ensure external areas remain clean, safe and welcoming. Ensure compliance with Health & Safety, COSHH, Infection Prevention and Trust policies. Please see the attached job description for further information about this vacancy.
About us The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is committed to delivering the highest quality and safest treatment and care to every patient, every time.
Our vision is to provide the highest quality specialist and integrated care.
We will do this through delivery of our multi-year goals and strategic priorities, which you can read about on this page.
Central to it all is The Leeds Way our values and behaviours that are at the heart of everything we do.
Job description Job responsibilities For questions about this job, contact:
Benedict Williams Estates Officer [email protected] 07787373816 Shortlisting Date: 04/09/2026 Interview Date: 18/09/2026
Job Summary The External Environment Lead will be responsible for the on-site supervision of directly employed staff and contractors, ensuring the effective delivery of high-quality horticultural, arboriculture and environmental services across Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust sites. The successful candidate will lead the maintenance and development of landscaped areas, trees, amenity grounds and external environments while ensuring compliance with health and safety legislation, Trust policies and environmental standards.
Why you should join our Team Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust's, Operational Maintenance Department, manages one of the largest healthcare estates in the UK and recognises the importance of providing a safe, attractive and welcoming external environment for patients, visitors and staff.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced horticultural professional with supervisory experience who is passionate about maintaining and improving external environments within a complex healthcare setting. Whether we're cleaning wards, maintaining buildings, monitoring environmental impact, providing staff childcare, delivering hot meals to patients, or patrolling our sites, we support the delivery of patient care. We are committed to creating the best place to work and being the employer of choice for estates and facilities in the region.
What you will bring to the role Supervise directly employed staff, students, agency workers and contractors. Assist with recruitment, induction, training and work allocation. Monitor standards of work and productivity and report performance or disciplinary issues to the Estates Officer. Lead the maintenance of the Trust's external environment including horticultural, arboriculture and landscaping activities. Undertake tree maintenance operations including the safe use of chainsaws where qualified. Oversee pest recognition, treatment and record keeping in accordance with current legislation. Install and maintain irrigation systems in accordance with Legionella control requirements. Interpret plans, drawings and specifications and oversee their implementation. Utilise Estates management systems to record, update and audit maintenance activities. Support adverse weather operations including gritting, snow clearance and acting as secondary contact for on-call teams. Promote good housekeeping standards and ensure external areas remain clean, safe and welcoming. Ensure compliance with Health & Safety, COSHH, Infection Prevention and Trust policies. Please see the attached job description for further information about this vacancy.
About Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust Our Trust values
The Leeds Way is working together to support each other and deliver the best possible care to patients.
We are….
Responsible Open and Honest One Team Kind
Our Trust priorities
Our purpose: Excellent, safe and sustainable care for every patient every time
Our priorities:
People Improvement and Innovation Partnerships Outcomes
Sponsorship Eligibility To comply with UK Government regulations on Skilled Worker sponsorship, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust is unable to provide sponsorship to applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria or the salary threshold concessions set out under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please take this into consideration before submitting your application. Full guidance on these concessions, including details of who may qualify, can be found here.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high number of suitable applications.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
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Desirable
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Experience Essential
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Desirable
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Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details Employer name Leeds Teaching Hospitals
Address St James’s University Hospital
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS9 7TF
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)