Foreman - Grounds

Who We Are:

At Challenge Unlimited, our vision is to become a national leader in providing employment services to people with disabilities that empower them to reach their full potential. We intentionally provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities which will assist them to live, work, and participate in the community.

Challenge Unlimited is driven by its core values: community, helpfulness, abilities, leadership, learning, ethics, innovation, growth, and effective outcomes. It is these values that have powered Challenge Unlimited to its success and has helped over 600 disabled individuals find meaningful work across all of our locations.

Position Summary:
Reporting to the Project Manager or Supervisor, the Foreman is responsible for supporting work-related opportunities for people who have different abilities to work with integrated teams and receive work support and development as needed—achieving the highest level of independence possible.
Performs grounds maintenance and landscaping duties at the assigned site. Assists the managers with supervision and training of the Laborers. Plants, cultivates, and prunes shrubs, ornamental plants, flowers, trees, and installs landscape materials like blocks, pavers, and rock. Mows, trims, edges and blows/sweeps grass using mowers, trimmers, edgers, and blowers. Safely operates equipment and helps perform minor maintenance of filing fluids, greasing, cleaning, replacing string or sharpening blades. Drives Company vehicles or small riding mowers, transports, loads and unloads equipment and supplies. Contributes to teamwork by training and helping co-workers, communicating needs to the supervisor, and implementing feedback for improvement. Performs duties with a special focus on safety, quality, and customer service.

Pay Rate: $20.80 per hour

• Schedule: Full-Time, Monday - Friday - 6:00am - 2:30pm
• Pay Rate: $20.80 per hour
• Location: Scott Airforce Base

Key Responsibilities:
1. Supervise assigned contract activities. Ensure work is performed in accordance with the contract’s statement of work and in compliance with Company policies and procedures, applicable laws and regulations, customer requirements, and quality and safety standards. Assist the crew with mowing, trimming, sweeping/blowing grass, raking leaves and other related grounds maintenance work as needed, removal of snow including shoveling, spreading ice melt, ice chipping/scraping, and use of a snow blower or other snow removal equipment. Provide a safe environment for all workers and customers. Follow and enforce OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulations. Complete incident and/or accident reports in accordance with Company policies. Take preventative and corrective action as needed. Conduct safety training, inspections, and ensure workers utilize Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as required.

2. Landscaping: Assist with the planning and perform the installation and maintenance of landscaping operations including preparing and grading the terrain, placing wall blocks or walkway pavers, planting, watering, and fertilizing shrubs, flowers, trees, and other ornamental plants, weeding, pruning, grooming, staking, and deadheading to always maintain a superior landscape appearance

3. Lawn Maintenance: Plant and repair lawns using seed mixtures and fertilizers, lay & water sod and transplant shrubs or trees as needed. Prune and trim shrubs and trees as needed. Spread mulch such as wood chips or peat moss, to control weeds and maintain soil moisture

4. Preventative Maintenance. Operate, clean, and perform preventative maintenance such as greasing, checking, and filling fluids, cleaning filters, and other minor maintenance on all equipment. Drive company vehicles to transport equipment, supplies and workers as needed

5. Effective Leadership:  Provide assigned workers with direction regarding contract requirements and job performance, ensuring work is performed according to the contract’s statement of work, company policies, and procedures. Communicate job expectations; motivate, coach, and counsel employees. Build an effective company culture that embodies our Company values to achieve optimum performance levels and achieve goals and objectives

Position Qualifications:

1. Education: High School diploma or G.E.D.
2. Experience: 1+ years’ work experience in grounds maintenance field. experience, preferably in the ground's maintenance, landscaping, or construction field.
3. Background Checks: Must pass criminal background check, must pass various State and Federal registry checks, must pass DCFS Abuse and Neglect Tracking System check.
4. Driving: Must pass driving history check and Company policy criteria. Must maintain a valid driver’s license and be 21 or older to drive.
   Company travel using a personal insured vehicle is not required

Physical Demands:

• Sitting: Occasionally sitting in the in the normal course of office-sedentary type work.
• Standing: Frequently standing, walking, bending, squatting, reaching, and twisting in the normal course of office-sedentary type work and for training workers.
• Hearing, Speaking: Frequently listens and speaks with managers, clients, and employees to communicate instructions, exchange feedback, conduct meetings and communicate regarding contracts.
• Seeing: Continually visually alert to monitor employee and client actions, work with computer systems, documents, and reports and to drive in the course of work.
• Handling: Frequently using hands in typing, using grounds equipment, and performing grounds maintenance activities.
• Movement: Occasionally bending, reaching, and twisting; occasionally climbing stairs and/or ladders squatting, and kneeling inspect buildings or work with Customer representative. Frequently exposed to pollen, gas, oil, dirt, and high and low temperatures of 0-100 degrees.
• Lifting: Occasionally lifting, carrying, and pushing or pulling up to 50 pounds of soil, rock, pavers, shrubs, or starter trees.

Benefits:

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Life Insurance (Basic & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Holidays)
• Short Term & Long-Term Disability
• Training & Development
• Retirement Plan (401k)
• Employee Assistance Program

EOE Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.