Sports Turf Specialist & Projects Coordinator

Sports Turf & Projects Coordinator

 Don't worry too much about the title - I'm not. I'm more interested in finding the right person and shaping the role around their skills, experience and where they can take it. We can tailor the title to you!

 NQ Turf Specialists is a growing sports turf consultancy, technical and project company, working across golf courses, racecourses, sporting fields and other high-performance turf facilities throughout North Queensland. As the business continues to grow, I'm looking for our first full-time team member to come on this journey with us.

 This is an excellent opportunity to join a niche and flourishing business at ground level. I'm looking for someone who wants more than just a job. I'm looking for someone who wants to develop their skills, take on responsibility and help drive the business forward. If you become a key part of growing NQ Turf Specialists, I want you to personally benefit from what we build.

 What can you expect from NQ Turf Specialists?

 The hourly rate for the role will generally be $30–$45 per hour + super + performance incentives, depending on your existing skills and experience. The lower end of that range would apply to someone coming into the role as an apprentice, or with limited directly relevant experience. Someone bringing strong turf, irrigation, construction or project experience would sit higher in the range. I’m deliberately keeping the range fairly broad because I’m more interested in finding the right person than fitting someone into a predetermined position.

More importantly, I don’t see the top of that range as necessarily being your ceiling. If you develop quickly, take on more responsibility and become increasingly valuable to the business, I’m prepared to reward that accordingly.

 Personally, I've managed teams for around 20 years. I've worked with some great bosses and some absolute crap ones. I'm not perfect, but I do my best to be one of the good ones. One thing I'm pretty proud of is that throughout those 20 years, I've generally had very low staff turnover. I'd like to think that comes from treating people fairly, giving them some flexibility, helping them develop and recognising good people when you have them.

 My commitment to you is to help you grow into the role, give you more autonomy as time moves on and you develop confidence and capability. I'll make sure you are financially rewarded for that growth, and I'd expect your salary to continue to increase as your value and responsibility within the business increases. The opportunity to receive additional incentive payments based on the performance and profitability of the business is also very real.

 Work hours are generally Monday to Friday, with only occasional weekend work required (when absolutely necessary). The hours you work will also have a degree of flexibility. Some days may be longer and, in turn, others will be shorter. It's a bit of give and take. If you get your work done and do it well, I'm far less interested in what the clock says.

 There will be some travel throughout North Queensland. A lot of this will be day trips, however occasional overnight travel will be a requirement of the role. Most of this we can plan ahead of time, but you'll need to be OK with it. It won't be excessive, but if staying away from home occasionally is going to be a problem, this probably won't be the right role for you.

 Right now, a car allowance will form part of the role, with a view to a fully maintained company vehicle as the position develops. You'll need something reliable to get you started.

 What will you actually be doing?

 One of the great things about this role is that it won't be the same job every day. Our work covers a very broad section of the sports turf industry. One week you might be working on a golf course, the next a racecourse or sporting field, and at other times you could be involved in a major construction or irrigation project.

 Depending on your existing skills and how the role develops, the work could include:

·       Sports turf renovation and improvement works

·       Operating machinery and specialist equipment

·       Turf establishment and grow-in works

·       Irrigation installation, repairs and troubleshooting

·       Soil, water and turf testing

·       Field inspections and agronomic assessments

·       Fertiliser and turf treatment applications

·       Sports field and golf course construction projects

·       Project works and coordination of subcontractors

·       Working directly with clients, turf managers, contractors and sporting organisations

·       General hands-on work required to get projects completed properly

 You'll also spend plenty of time working directly alongside me. Over time, I want you to understand not only what we are doing, but why we are doing it. That could mean learning to identify turf issues, understand irrigation systems, interpret soil and water results, assess construction work, troubleshoot problems and eventually make recommendations of your own. There's a lot to learn, and I'm happy to teach the right person.

 Who am I looking for?

 While I would love someone who comes with the full suite of skills, I'm mindful that this is a very niche industry. What I am far more interested in is that you have a great attitude, a bit of get-up-and-go about you, and that you show up every day ready to go. If you are unreliable or can't make it to meetings on time, this definitely won't be the role for you.

 You don't need to know everything. I can teach plenty of the technical side. What I can't teach is attitude, reliability, initiative and a willingness to have a crack. Maybe you already have some turf experience - this would be amazing! But if you don't, maybe you have other skills that closely match what I am looking for. That might be horticulture, landscaping, irrigation, agriculture, project management, machinery operation, construction or another practical trade.

 Maybe you come from a completely different background but have a strong connection to sport and a love of turf and can show me why your skills cross over.

 You also need to be able to talk to people. You don't need to be a salesperson, but you can't be shy. A lot of our work involves dealing directly with clients, contractors, turf managers, sporting clubs and other stakeholders. You don't need to be the loudest person in the room, but you do need to communicate well, be comfortable having a conversation and represent the business professionally.

 For someone without a formal turf qualification, there may also be the opportunity to complete a Sports Turf Management apprenticeship as part of the role. I’m very open to supporting the right person through formal training if that’s the pathway that makes sense.

 Where could this lead?

 For the right person, potentially a long way. In time, I could see you managing your own small team as well as taking responsibility for project works. In reality, I want this role to be my “Right hand person” and for them to be invested in growing the business and reaping the rewards.

 I'd also love for you to have some of your own regular consulting clients and be able to perform field inspections with full autonomy - identifying issues as they arise and, eventually, predicting them before they become bigger problems. I don't expect you to walk through the door able to do all of this, but that is where I'd like the role to head.

 As your capability and responsibility grow, I'd expect your salary to continue to increase, as well as the perks that come with the role. For someone who becomes genuinely valuable to the business, there is also the opportunity for performance and profitability-based incentives. I'm prepared to reward someone handsomely if they bring a lot to the table.

 But it works both ways. I'm looking for someone who wants to improve, wants more responsibility and wants to help build something rather than simply turn up and collect a wage. If you help positively grow NQ Turf Specialists, I'll make sure you are rewarded for it.

 What I need from you

 I'm prepared to put a lot into the right person, but this is a two-way street. I need ambition, reliability and someone who takes ownership of what they do. I want someone who can think for themselves, solve problems and eventually get to the point where I don't have to explain every little thing that needs doing.

 You will make mistakes. I know I do. I don't expect perfection. But what I do expect is honesty, ownership and that you learn from those mistakes. Trust is a big part of this role. We'll often be working independently, dealing directly with clients and representing the business, so I need to know that I can rely on you. 

What you must have

 You must have:

·       A current Australian driver's licence

·       The ability and willingness to travel throughout North Queensland

·       The ability to undertake occasional overnight travel when required

·       Good communication skills

·       The ability to work independently and as part of a very small team

·       A strong work ethic and proven reliability

·       Initiative and the ability to think for yourself

·       A genuine willingness to learn and develop

·       The right to work in Australia on a permanent basis

 Unfortunately, this opportunity is NOT for working holiday makers or anyone on a temporary visa.

I'm looking for someone who wants to build something here over the long term. If you're on a temporary visa or only looking for short-term work, please don't apply.

 Interested?

If this all sounds of interest to you, apply via SEEK.

 An easy-to-read resume is great, but what I am really interested in is a cover letter outlining why you think you would be a good candidate for the role. If you’ve read this in detail and have got to this section, that’s excellent. Tell me a bit about yourself, what you can bring to the business, how your existing skills might cross over into what we do and why this particular opportunity interests you.

 I'm anticipating there will be plenty of interest in the position, and this is your chance to stand out.

 Yeah, you can use AI to write it - but that's usually pretty easy to pick. I'd much rather read something genuine that you've written yourself. It doesn't have to be perfectly polished. I want to get a feel for who you are, how you communicate and whether you genuinely want the opportunity.

 I want this to be a long-term arrangement, and trust is the foundation of any good working relationship. This is your opportunity to get in on the ground floor. If you're ambitious, reliable, keen to learn and want the opportunity to grow with a business rather than simply work for one, I'd genuinely like to hear from you.

 If you have a genuine question about the role, feel free to give me a call for a confidential discussion on 04•• ••• 993.

 Talk soon,

 Tim