Job Title: Senior Landscape Director / Operations Manager
Location: Kent, UK (Site & Field-Based covering Kent & South East sites)
Salary: From £50,000 per annum (depending upon experience)+ Company Van & Fuel Card
Job Type: Full-time, Permanent
About Us
We are a premier commercial soft landscaping contractor delivering soft landscape schemes across Kent and the South East. We specialize in high-volume, soft landscaping for major housebuilders—such as Persimmon, Bellway, Abbey Developments, and Taylor Wimpey—and major regional educational/public sector developments working alongside Tier-1 contractors like Morgan Sindall and Kier.
Our expertise covers everything from front-of-house plot handovers, street scenes, and turfing to large-scale soft Public Open Space (POS) schemes, school grounds, planting schemes, and S106 biodiversity/BNG compliance. Due to sustained growth across our Kent region, we are looking for an experienced Senior Landscape Director / Operations Manager to oversee our field operations, manage site delivery, and lead client relationships.
The Role
Taking operational responsibility for soft landscape delivery across housing sites and commercial educational schemes, you will serve as the senior field lead. You will coordinate contracts managers, supervisors, direct teams, and sub-contractors to ensure plot handovers are completed to show-home standards, POS areas hit completion targets, and Tier-1 educational projects are delivered strictly on program, within budget, and safely.
Key Responsibilities
- Tier-1 Contractor & Developer Liaison: Act as the main operational contact for developer Contracts Managers, Site Managers, and Tier-1 Main Contractors (Kier, Morgan Sindall, etc.), attending progress meetings and securing operational sign-offs.
- Soft Landscape Project Delivery: Oversee all soft landscaping operations across housing plots, POS developments, and educational sites—including soil prep, turfing, shrub/tree planting, seed spraying/seeding, and soft POS/S106 establishment.
- Adoption & Handover Sign-Offs: Drive the formal handover process with site managers, local authorities, and management companies—minimising snagging lists and ensuring swift adoption sign-offs.
- Team & Sub-Contractor Leadership: Lead, schedule, and support field teams, site supervisors, direct labor crews, and specialist sub-contractors across multiple simultaneous schemes in Kent.
- Resource & Plant Procurement: Manage logistics for nursery stock, topsoil, mulch, turf, and specialist soft landscaping machinery/plant to align with fast-moving developer delivery schedules.
- Commercial Support: Track variations, monitor site labor and material costs, protect job margins, and work with estimators on site valuations and additional works pricing.
- H&S & Quality Assurance: Ensure full compliance with site health and safety (CDM 2015), RAMS, CSCS guidelines, and environmental standards across all live operational sites.
What We Are Looking For
- Soft Landscaping Expertise: Extensive experience managing commercial soft landscaping schemes (strictly soft landscape focus; hard landscaping is handled separately).
- Housebuilder & Tier-1 Delivery: Proven track record delivering schemes for national housebuilders (e.g., Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey, Bellway) and/or major Tier-1 contractors on school/public sector sites.
- Operational Leadership: Demonstrable experience managing multiple live construction/landscaping sites, field teams, and sub-contractor networks concurrently.
- Local Geographic Knowledge: Strong operational familiarity with Kent and surrounding transport corridors.
- Qualifications & Driving: Valid UK Driving License (essential). CSCS Gold/Black Card, SSSTS/SMSTS, and ROLO Manager qualifications preferred.
Benefits
- Starting Salary: £50,000 per year (DOE)
- Company Van + Commercial Fuel Card (Personal Use Included)
- Annual Performance / Discretionary Profit Bonus
- 25 Days Annual Leave + Bank Holidays
- Company Pension Scheme
- Laptop, Smartphone, and Field Tech Package
- Ongoing Career Advancement and Professional Development Opportunities
How to Apply
If you are an experienced Soft Landscape Operations Manager located in or around Kent with strong housebuilder and Tier-1 contractor experience, click Apply Now with your updated CV.
Pay: From £50,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company car
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
