Grounds, Maintenance, Animal Care & Duty Manager
Location: South East / Co. Waterford
Setting: Residential Accommodation, Wellness & Animal Therapy Environment
Organisation: Emerald Asset Management (and related group companies)
Contract: Full-Time
Hours: Approx. 40 hours per week
Working Pattern
* Monday & Tuesday: 14:15 – 23:15
* Friday & Sunday: 09:00 – 19:30
(Hours may vary slightly in line with operational, seasonal, or service needs.)
Role Overview
Emerald Asset Management is seeking a reliable, capable, and practical Grounds, Maintenance, Animal Care & Duty Manager to support the safe operation, presentation, and upkeep of our residential accommodation, wellness facilities, landscaped grounds, and animal therapy environment.
This is a hands-on, multi-skilled role combining grounds and horticultural work, general maintenance, animal care, and sole on-site Duty Manager responsibility during allocated shifts.
At times, the post holder will be the only staff member on site and must therefore demonstrate excellent judgement, calm decision-making, strong communication skills, and a clear understanding of safeguarding and health & safety responsibilities. Senior management are available remotely at all times and can attend site if escalation or additional support is required.
Key Responsibilities
1. Grounds, Gardening & Horticultural Maintenance (Primary Focus)
* Maintain all external grounds to a high standard of safety and presentation
* Manage and maintain five garden beds, ensuring they are:
* Fully weed-free
* Properly edged and shaped
* Maintained with fresh soil, bark mulch, or stone as required
* Appropriately planted and kept in good condition
* Carry out strimming and cutting in areas inaccessible to robotic lawnmowers
* Maintain grass growth along fencing, railings, boundaries, and edges
* Ensure hedging is:
* Regularly trimmed
* Neatly shaped
* Properly maintained
* Undertake planting of new hedging where required
2. Fencing, Railings & External Structures
* Ensure all fencing, railings, and posts are:
* Properly treated and painted
* Maintained to a good and safe standard, including treatment below ground level
* Identify deterioration, damage, or safety risks
* Take immediate action to mitigate risks and report issues with proposed solutions
3. Surfaces, Paving & Power Washing
* Maintain all external surfaces through:
* Power washing, steam washing, or soft washing as appropriate
* Ensure paving joints are fully and correctly sanded
* Keep all hard landscaping:
* Free from weeds, algae, moss, and green growth
* Treated appropriately to prevent regrowth
* Ensure no growth along stone areas, paving edges, or landscaped boundaries
4. Waste Management & Site Cleanliness
* Ensure daily removal and appropriate disposal of rubbish
* Maintain clean, safe, and presentable external areas
* Manage waste bins by:
* Exchanging full bins
* Storing empty bins correctly
* Presenting bins for scheduled collection
5. Animal Care & Equine Therapy Environment Support
* Provide daily care for animals on site, including horses
* Responsibilities include:
* Feeding and watering
* Basic grooming
* Cleaning and maintaining animal areas
* Monitor animal wellbeing and report concerns promptly
* Maintain stables, paddocks, and animal-related facilities
* Support a calm, safe, and therapeutic environment
(This role does not involve delivering therapy but requires confidence and responsibility when working with animals.)
6. Wellness, Residential & Accommodation Support
* Support the upkeep and safe operation of:
* Wellness facilities
* Outdoor communal areas
* Residential accommodation areas
* Respond appropriately to reasonable resident needs when acting as sole staff member
* Maintain professional boundaries at all times
* Escalate incidents, concerns, safeguarding or health & safety issues immediately
* Accurately document and report incidents
* Extract and securely share CCTV footage with senior management when requested
7. Duty Manager Responsibilities (Sole On-Site Cover)
Safety, Supervision & Safeguarding
* Maintain oversight of the safety and wellbeing of children and families on site
* Be alert to safeguarding concerns including:
* Unsupervised children
* Accidents or injuries
* Boundary or behavioural concerns
* Security risks or suspicious behaviour
* Take immediate action where safety or welfare is at risk
* Follow Child Safeguarding Policies and Procedures at all times
* Report and escalate safeguarding concerns without delay
* Cooperate fully with safeguarding processes and external agencies (including Tusla)
Emergency Response
* Respond to fire alarms (Fire Warden training provided)
* Ensure daily completion of the fire register
* Respond to medical emergencies, including:
* Contacting emergency services
* Assisting residents until help arrives
* Manage incidents calmly and in line with procedures
* Maintain clear verbal and written incident reports
Site & Access Management
* Manage the duty phone
* Control access gates and entry points
* Sign in approved visitors
* Act as on-site contact for external agencies when required
* Maintain overall site security
8. Health & Safety Leadership & Compliance (Lead Responsibility)
The post holder will act as the on-site lead responsible for ensuring that the organisation's Health & Safety Statement is implemented and followed at all times in practice.
This includes responsibility to:
* Ensure all risk assessments and control measures are properly documented, understood, implemented in reality, and reviewed as required
* Monitor daily activities to ensure safe systems of work are consistently applied
* Identify hazards and ensure mitigating measures are implemented without delay
* Act as the primary on-site lead for implementing actions arising from internal or external Health & Safety inspections or audits
* Ensure that any issues identified by external Health & Safety advisors, consultants, or inspectors are remedied as soon as possible, escalating to senior management where required
* Maintain accurate Health & Safety records and communicate actions and concerns to senior management
While overall responsibility for Health & Safety remains with the organisation, the post holder plays a critical operational role in ensuring compliance and continuous improvement on site.
9. Tools, Equipment & Asset Control
* Ensure all tools and equipment are:
* Clearly labelled
* Safely stored
* Properly organised
* Maintain an accurate asset inventory
* Take responsibility for tracking items removed from storage and ensuring their return
Essential Criteria
* Proven experience in groundskeeping, gardening, landscaping, or horticulture
* Practical maintenance and handyman experience (painting, power washing, basic repairs)
* Confidence working with animals, ideally including horses
* Physically fit and capable of outdoor and manual work
* Ability to work independently as sole on-site staff
* Strong judgement, reliability, and calm decision-making
* Competent spoken and written English
* Awareness of child safeguarding responsibilities
* Willingness to complete required training (Fire Warden, Safeguarding)
* Positive attitude, willingness to learn, and commitment to high standards in a residential care environment
Salary & Accommodation
* €18.00 – €21.00 per hour (DOE)
* Subject to availability and overall package, accommodation may be provided under licence only, and only where a BIK exemption applies
What We Offer
* Training (Fire Warden, Safeguarding, Duty Management)
* Senior management support available at all times
* Varied, outdoor-focused role with real responsibility
* Opportunity to work in a residential, wellness, and animal therapy environment
* Supportive management within a growing organisation
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: €18.00-€21.00 per hour
Expected hours: 40 per week
Work Location: In person