About this Grounds Supervisor role at Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University actively promotes a dynamic and welcoming environment that allows students and employees of multiple backgrounds and perspectives to learn, work, and thrive together. Successful candidates will contribute to that environment and exhibit potential for excellence in their areas of expertise.
Essential Functions:
Directly supervises and leads the grounds function, ensuring proper implementation and maintenance of a cohesive university landscaping plan.
Plans landscaping and other grounds projects by preparing rough sketches, schedules and estimates of the staff, materials, equipment and supplies needed to accomplish the project. Utilizes knowledge of turf management, arboriculture and landscape design, and seeks professional advice where necessary.
Guides, trains, and gives technical assistance to team leads and employees engaged in daily tasks, and inspects completed assignments to ensure that satisfactory standards and requirements are met and maintained. Sets, implements and enforces performance standards, including safety rules and practices and quality standards. Issues daily work assignments and tracks progress. Schedules and monitors overtime as needed based on project schedules.
Establishes and maintains personal contact with a wide spectrum of University community members. Collaborates with offices across campus in advance of special campus events, particularly where plans need to be developed to prevent turf disturbance. Responds to questions and concerns about maintenance frequency.
Initiates the purchase of supplies, tools, and equipment in accordance with established purchasing procedures. Evaluates the effectiveness of maintenance versus necessary replacement of equipment and vehicles.
Responsible for managing contractors undertaking grounds services. This includes specifying work and ensuring compliance with health and safety or other statutory requirements.
Supports campus wide activities in the areas of setups, snow and ice removal and any other duties as assigned.
Additional related duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
High school diploma or equivalent GED required.
5 to 7 years of experience in grounds maintenance. Must have practical knowledge of all types of machinery and tools.
Supervisory experience and direct experience implementing safe work practices is required.
Possession and maintenance of a valid Virginia vehicle operator's license and a good driving history.
Valid Pesticide Applicator License.
Willingness to receive additional training as required.
Proficient computer experience required including the ability to use Work Order Management Systems, Microsoft Outlook, Excel and Word software.
As essential personnel, must respond to emergency events and weather conditions.
Commercial Driver's License (CDL) is preferred.
Application Instructions
Review of applications will begin September 14, 2026 and continue until the position is filled. Required materials include:
Cover letter
Resume
Names and contact information for three professional references
Application instructions for internal and external candidates can be found at https://www.wlu.edu/employment-opportunities/jobs-at-w-l.
Compensation:
The expected annual salary for this posting is between $78,000 - $94,000. Offers are based on factors such as qualifications, relevant experience, skills, internal equity, and market and organizational considerations.
Washington and Lee University also offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package designed to support the well-being of employees and their families. To learn more about working at W&L, benefits, and life in the Shenandoah Valley, visit jobs.wlu.edu.
Physical Requirements:
Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with whole hand or arm as in handling.
Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
Repetitive motions: Making substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
Standing: Remaining upright on the feet, particularly for sustained periods of time.
Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling when walking, standing or crouching on narrow, slippery or erratically moving surfaces. This factor is important if the amount and kind of balancing the amount and kind of balancing exceeds that needed for ordinary locomotion and maintenance of body equilibrium.
Climbing: Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized. This factor is important if the amount and kind of climbing required exceeds that required for ordinary locomotion.
Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires full use of the lower extremities and back muscles.
Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
Crawling: Moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet.
Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.
Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, drag, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position to position. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires the substantial use of the upper extremities and back muscles.
Working Conditions:
The worker is subject to extreme cold: Temperatures typically below 32 degrees for periods of more than one hour. Consideration should be given to the effect of other environmental conditions such as wind and humidity.
The worker is subject to noise: There is sufficient noise to cause the worker to shout in order to be heard above the ambient noise level.
The worker is subject to vibration: Exposure to oscillating movements of the extremities or whole body.
The worker is subject to hazards: Includes a variety of physical conditions, such as proximity to moving mechanical parts, moving vehicles, electrical current, working on scaffolding and high places, exposure to high heat or exposure to chemicals.
The worker is subject to oils: There is air and/or skin exposure to oils and other cutting fluids.
Types of Work: Medium work: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
Position Type:
