City of Orangeburg, South Carolina
              Classification Specification

              HORTICULTURIST
              Grade: 11
                                    Starting Pay:$53,494.28

Purpose of Classification:

The purpose of this classification is to plan, implement and maintain City landscapes and to supervise the day-to-day operations and staff involved in the same.

Essential Functions:

The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned.

Supervises, directs, and evaluates assigned staff: develops and oversees employee work schedules to ensure adequate coverage and control; compiles and reviews timesheets; approves/processes employee concerns and problems and counsels or disciplines as appropriate; assists with or completes employee performance appraisals; directs work; acts as a liaison between employees and management; and trains staff in operations, policies, and procedures.

Organizes, prioritizes, and assigns work: prioritizes and schedules work activities in order to meet objectives; ensures that subordinates have the proper resources needed to complete the assigned work; monitors status of work in progress and inspects completed work; consults with assigned staff to assist with complex/problem situations and provide technical expertise; provides progress and activity reports to management; and assists with the revision of procedure manuals as appropriate.

Plans, directs, and monitors the landscape design, development, and maintenance programs of all City-owned parks, right-of-ways, gardens and other areas as assigned: creates landscape designs, including plant selection and special events; determines schedules for mowing, fertilization, soil conditioning, top dressing, pesticide application, irrigation, pruning, and planting; and ensures established quality controls are followed.

Supervises and participates in a variety of landscaping duties: plants flowers, trees, sod, and shrubs; clears leaves, tree limbs, trash and other debris; spreads and hauls ground cover, dirt, or mulch; prunes trees and shrubs; weeds flower beds; applies fertilizer and pesticides; waters plants; installs plants and decorations of special events; and maintains related documentation.

Develops and monitors budget for area of assignment: makes recommendations for budget allocations for staffing, equipment and supplies; monitors expenditures to ensure compliance with approved budget; and maintains related documentation.

Provides guidance, direction and technical expertise to other City departments, neighborhood associations, gardening clubs, and others: assists with the development and review of technical plans and blue prints for public grounds; recommends plant selection and plant maintenance; supervises special event planning and implementation; and conducts related training classes and workshops.

Ensures departmental compliance with all applicable codes, laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures; ensures adherence to established safety procedures; monitors work environment and use of safety equipment to ensure safety of employees and other individual; and initiates any actions necessary to correct deviations or violations.

Processes a variety of documentation associated with department/division operations, within designated timeframes and per established procedures: receives and reviews various documentation; reviews, completes, processes, forwards or retains as appropriate; prepares or completes various forms, reports, correspondence, and other documentation; compiles data for further processing or for use in preparation of department reports; and maintains computerized and/or hardcopy records.

Operates a personal computer to enter, retrieve, review or modify data, utilizing word processing, spreadsheet, database, Internet, e-mail, or other software; and operates general office or other equipment as necessary to complete essential functions.

Operates or uses various equipment, power tools, hand tools, and supplies in order to complete work assignments: operates and maintains mowers, tractors, chemical sprayers and other power or motorized equipment.

Communicates with supervisor, other employees, the public, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review status of work, exchange information, or resolve problems.

Additional Functions:

Performs other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture, Landscape Architecture or a related field required; supplemented by five years of experience in landscape design and maintenance to include lead or supervisory experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

Specific License or Certification Required: Must possess and maintain a valid South Carolina driver’s license. Must possess and maintain the following certifications and licensures: Pesticide Applicator and Certified Arborist.

Specific Knowledge, Skills, or Abilities: Must be able to demonstrate proficiency in performance of the essential functions and learn, comprehend, and apply all City or departmental policies, practices, and procedures necessary to function effectively in the position.

Performance Aptitudes:

Data Utilization: Requires the ability to evaluate, audit, deduce, and/or assess data using established criteria. Includes exercising discretion in determining actual or probable consequences and in referencing such evaluation to identify and select alternatives.

Human Interaction: Requires the ability to act as a first-line supervisor, including instructing, assigning and reviewing work, maintaining standards, coordinating activities, and evaluating employee job performance.

Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, and/or advisory data and information, such as work logs, schedules, purchase orders and invoices, maintenance records, and landscape plans and designs.

Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; the ability to calculate decimals and percentages; the ability to utilize principles of fractions; and the ability to interpret graphs.

Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory, judgmental, or subjective criteria, as opposed to that which is clearly measurable or verifiable.

ADA Compliance:

Physical Ability: Tasks require the ability to exert very moderate physical effort in light work, typically involving some combination of stooping, kneeling, crouching and crawling, and which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of moderate weight (12-20 pounds).

Sensory Requirements: Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate colors or shades of colors, sounds, odor, depth, and visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.

Environmental Factors: Performance of essential functions may require exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, rain, fumes, temperature and noise extremes, hazardous materials, heights, machinery, vibrations, electric currents, traffic hazards, bright/dim lights, toxic agents, animal/wildlife attacks, animal/human bites.

The City of Orangeburg is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.