• Great opportunity to join Youth Justice Custodial Services in an ongoing role 

• Make a positive difference in keeping our community safe 

• VPS Grade 3: $76,817 - $93,275 

An exciting ongoing opportunity exist for a Landscape and Grounds Maintenance Officer in the Youth Justice Custodial Services, Infrastructure Projects and Security Unit. 

About us  

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is responsible for the statutory supervision of young people in the criminal justice system.  

The two Youth Justice Custodial Precincts in Victoria are managed by the department. The Landscape and Grounds Maintenance Officer will maintain all amenity areas of the Parkville Youth Justice Precinct, which include; mowing, pruning, spraying, and propagation, maintenance of ponds, orchard, vegetable gardens and nursery. You will develop new gardens and upgrade existing gardens. You'll be competent in identifying problems and accordingly providing a solution. You will have knowledge and skills in pest and disease control, pruning techniques and irrigation systems. 

The Landscape and Grounds Maintenance Officer will report to the Horticulture Supervisor. They will assist the Ground Maintenance team in maintaining the 9.5 hectare property in Parkville.While this position is based at Parkville Youth Justice Precinct travel to other Youth Justice Precincts may be required. 

What does the Landscape and Grounds Maintenance Officer do? 

• Operate as part of team to provide high level services aimed at maintaining grounds at the precinct by organising, delivering and sustaining various periodic and general grounds maintenance works. 

• Maintain grounds at the Precinct by delivering tasks like, mowing, slashing, pruning, mulching, weeding, spraying, watering, planting etc. 

• Safely operate vehicles or powered equipment, such as ride-on mowers, tractors, twin-axle vehicles, chainsaws, electric clippers, sod cutters, pruning saws, forklifts and elevated work platforms (EWP) as per procedures and checklists  

To learn more about this role, please read the attached position description.  

As our ideal candidate, you will have: 

• Proven experience in landscape and grounds maintenance with the ability to perform varied horticulture periodic, general and reactive maintenance tasks. 

• Experience in operation of machinery, tools and equipment used for grounds maintenance. 

• Experience with Forklift and EWP (Elevated Work Platforms) or willingness to obtain relevant forklift and boom type elevated platform licencesis desirable. 

What's in it for you? 

You will be working for the Department of Justice and Community Safety, which is one arm of the Victorian State Government, a recognised top employer of choice nationally. All our staff work to the vision of a safe, just, innovative and thriving Victoria. 

There are many advantages in working for the department, including: 

• Job stability – position as a member of the Victorian Public Service (VPS). 

• A fair salary– enjoy great work conditions and salary sacrificing options. 

• Transparent performance framework– approach your work with confidence in how you're tracking, working to professional development plans agreed on by you and your manager. 

• Generous leave entitlements– provisions for many forms of leave; including personal, parental, carers, study, cultural, compassionate, and sick leave. 

• Employee Assistance Program support – you are encouraged to use this short-term, confidential counselling service if you're experiencing emotional stress, relationship problems, conflict with others or personal issues. It is also available for financial counselling and retirement planning. 

If you have any queries, please contact Rick Madigan on 0437249911or Rick.madigan@justice.vic.gov.au.   

Applicants are welcome to utilise support from the Aboriginal Workforce Unit throughout the recruitment process. Aboriginal candidates are encouraged to contact Aboriginalworkforce@justice.vic.gov.au if they would like cultural support and guidance through the application process.' 

We want to make sure all Victorians feel represented by the department's work. One of the ways we do this is by recruiting a diverse workforce – we welcome people of any gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability and cultural background. We are also committed to the Victorian Government's promise to increase the number of veterans working in the public sector. 

We're proud of our individual differences. We're proud of the many languages we speak and the stories we can share with each other. We hope you will share your story too. 

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply. 

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is continually working towards increasing our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) workforce. The Aboriginal Employment Team aims to attract, recruit and retain Aboriginal staff across all our roles. This support includes a culturally appropriate attraction and recruitment process. To learn more, email aboriginal.employment@justice.vic.gov.au 

If this sounds like a compelling job that you believe your skills would be a great match for, please APPLY NOW. Applications close 11:59pm, Sunday 26 January 2025. 

How to apply 

Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats. 

The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include national police checks and misconduct screening. 

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad. 

FOR INTERNAL VPS EMPLOYEES: 

In accordance with the Jobs and Skills Exchange Recruitment Policy, only Victorian Public Service employees are eligible to apply for this position. People on labour hire contracts, such as agency staff and external contractors, are not eligible to apply. 

For all VPS employees, due to the new Jobs Skills Exchange (JSE) policy, please apply through the JSE to be eligible to be considered for this position in the first round. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: 

CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT: 

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.