Posted: 18 February 2025
Link to Apply: https://www.durhamcricket.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Job-pack-Grounds-Person.pdf
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF DURHAM CRICKET
Durham County Cricket Club (DCCC) was established as an amateur Minor County in May 1882 and went onto become cricket’s most successful Minor County and the first to beat a FirstClass County when defeating Yorkshire in 1973. Durham was awarded first class professional status in December 1991 – the only new First-Class County in over 70 years – and played in the professional structure from 1992.
Since 2007 DCCC has had significant success winning the County Championship three times and being runners up once, and also won the Fifty Over Competition twice in Lord’sfinals and appeared twice in T20 Finals Day.
Since becoming a first-class county, DCCC has established English cricket’s most successful academy, regularly producing international stars for England, including Steve Harmison, Paul Collingwood, Mark Wood and Ben Stokes.
Durham CCC created the first new English Test Match stadium in over 100 years securing a long-term stadium naming rights sponsorship with Emirates Airways that ended in 2021. The venue has a 14,000 permanent seating capacity and the Club has staged international cricket every year since 1999, including the successful Ashes Test held in 2013 and three games in the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019. The Club has been awarded a further package of international matches to 2024.
A successful rebrand in 2018 created a new Durham Cricket identity. Durham Cricket is now the umbrella organisation encompassing all elements of cricket provision in the county covering the professional and recreational game and all activities impacting on the wider community of the county and beyond. Four separate organisations sit under the Durham Cricket umbrella and these are briefly described below.
Durham Cricket Community Interest Company (CIC) – Durham Cricket CIC operates the professional cricket side of the business.
Durham Cricket Board – the Durham Cricket Board is the recreational body in Durham responsible for all non-first class cricket related activities in the County. Primarily responsible for driving the growth in participation and ensuring the cricket clubs in the county are organised in a way to provide safe, welcoming environments to allow people to enjoy a lifelong involvement in cricket.
Durham Cricket Events – Durham Cricket Events runs the meetings and events, hospitality and catering operations at the Riverside.
Durham Cricket Foundation – the Foundation is the charitable arm of Durham Cricket and delivers initiatives aimed at providing opportunities and improving the lives of the local community.
VISION, PURPOSE AND VALUES OF DURHAM CRICKET
BUSINESS DIRECTION, VISION AND VALUES
Durham Cricket has an essential role as the strategic delivery arm of the ECB in north east England. Durham Cricket also has the opportunity to mark out a very distinctive position in the world of cricket through the development and communication of an inspiring common purpose and strong individual identity (the Durham Cricket brand).
Our vision aligns the organisation from Changing Room to Boardroom, bringing together cricketing and commercial goals and resonates with our community (customers).
An effective Durham Cricket brand demands focus, ambition and a consistent approach to everything we do. There is an expectation that all our people will follow the vision, live and breathe the values and adhere to a set of consistent of behaviours. These are all set out below.
VISION
The vision of Durham Cricket has two key elements. Firstly, there is an internal vision which is designed to guide how the staff go about delivering on the organisation’s values and objectives. Secondly there is an external vision which shows how Durham Cricket are going to deliver on its cricketing objectives and assist the ECB in meeting their strategies.
Internal Vision:
Durham Cricket will be recognised for having a winning culture both on and off the field achieved by highly engaged people who enjoy working together with pride and passion.
External Vision:
2 £2 million invested into recreational and community programmes
0 No debt
2 Winning two trophies
4 Producing four new England players
PURPOSE
UNLEASHING POTENTIAL THROUGH CRICKET IN THE NORTH
VALUES
PROUDLY NORTHERN
We stand for something. We are family. Genuine, welcoming with a resilient spirit and a sense of fun.
PASSIONATE ABOUT DURHAM
We care about our club, our business and our brand. The passion and emotion unites us and drives us forward to create opportunities for the north on a national and global stage.
PURSUING EXCELLENCE
We strive to be the best we can be. Continuously improving and pushing ourselves to set higher standards.
UNIQUELY CRICKET
Cricket is at our heart and heritage. It makes us unique and its principles guide everything we do.
BEHAVIOURS
The following are a series of behaviours that we expect all of our people to adhere to:
• We are ambitious in the goals we set
• We actively seek and encourage feedback in pursuit of excellence
• We focus on continuous improvement
• We are accountable for our actions
• We catch people doing things right
• We are adaptable and flexible
• We are equitable and inclusive in the way we operate
• We care for our staff and look out for them at all times
• We stay true to our vision
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: Grounds Person
REPORTS TO: Head Grounds Person
DEPARTMENT: Operations
DATE: December 2024
1. MAIN PURPOSE OF JOB
• To assist in ensuring all grounds at the Riverside are maintained to an excellent standard at all times
2. WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
• The position reports to the Head Groundsman with whom this person will work closely.
• The successful candidate will work with all members of the grounds team to maintain all the areas of the Riverside including the main venue, net areas and Nursery Ground
• The role will require the forging of strong relationships with a number of stakeholders of the Club such as coaches and players
• Durham Cricket events and operations staff
3. JOB SPECIFIC TASKS
• Assisting with the preparation and maintenance of the playing surfaces and outfield, and practice and nets areas
• Assisting and taking direction from the Head Groundsman in placing and removing covering and surface water from the playing area for all matches
• Operating and maintaining grounds equipment in accordance with standard operating and safety procedures
• Assisting in the marking out and setting up of playing surfaces
• Ensuring that all equipment is maintained on a day to day basis in accordance with routine operating requirements
• To provide a helpful and professional service to all users of the facilities including players and coaches
• Maintain equipment such as nets, posts and protective covers
4. ESSENTIAL & DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS
Essential
• Possess a passion for cricket pitches and sports turf maintenance
• Understand the seasonal nature of the role and the need for flexibility with regards to working hours
• A flexible and can-do attitude
Desirable
• NVQ Level 2 in Sports Turf Management or an equivalent qualification
• Experience of working in cricket or sport
OTHER CONDITIONS
The post holder will be based at Seat Unique Riverside as part of the Operations department. Due to the nature of the work the post holder will carry out his/her duties as such times/days which are most effective to perform the tasks required. This will involve
some out of hours work – evenings, weekends, Bank Holidays, as necessary.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES IN EMPLOYMENT POLICY STATEMENT
It is the policy of Durham Cricket to treat all employees and job applicants fairly and equally regardless of age, disability, gender, reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity,race,religion or belief,sex orsexual orientation. Furthermore, Durham Cricket will ensure that no requirement or condition will be imposed without justification which could disadvantage individuals purely on any of the above situations.
We recognize and value the difference and individual contribution that people make to the organisation. We strive to ensure that diversity as well as equality is embedded in all our policies, procedures and practices, responding to employees’ needs and encouraging employee development to increase their contribution to effective service delivery.
SAFER RECRUITMENT POLICY
Durham Cricket is committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and young people that we work with. As such, all posts are subject to a safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks. We ensure that we have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practice across our services.
HOURS
FULL TIME – 40 HOURS PER WEEK
Permanent employment or seasonal employment (April – September) will be considered
SALARY
Negotiable depending on age and experience – around £25500
HOLIDAYS
28 days per annum (pro rata) which includes the 8 statutory Bank Holidays in England &
Wales.
PENSION SCHEME
Automatic Enrolment into the Royal London Group Personal Pension Plan. Matched
employee contributions up to a maximum contribution of 5% of Basic Salary.
WORKPLACE
Durham Cricket, Seat Unique Riverside, Chester-le-Street, DH3 3QR
TO APPLY
To apply for the role please send a covering letter detailing your suitability for the role and a current CV to [email protected]
Closing date for applications – 28th February 2025
If you would like an informal discussion on the role please contact Vic Demain, Head Groundsman on 07488 388958
