Grounds Maintenance Supervisor

Grounds Maintenance Supervisor executes 20 practical tasks that represent the most common duties and outcomes. Entries highlight when to rely on Work order, when to consult peers, and what to record. Each one shows where we found it, and comes with an AI prompt you can copy and use straight away.

20evidenced tasks
20ready prompts
5tools of the trade
37-1012.00O*NET-SOC code
130,760hold this job (US, BLS 2025)
$58,430median pay/yr (US)
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What it pays

Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.

Half of all First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers in the U.S. earn more than $58,430 a year — the middle 80% land between $40,560 and $85,650. About 130,760 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Elementary occupations earn about ₹11,530 a month on average — around ₹1.4 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$58,430typical pay / year
130,760people in this work
$85,650+top 10% earn
₹1.4 lakha year in India (family avg)
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The work, task by task

These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.

Coordinate3

Supervise landscaping and groundskeeping workers

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Walk the site with the crew at 7:00 a.m., assign mowing, edging and bed maintenance by skill and equipment,…
Walk the site with the crew at 7:00 a.m., assign mowing, edging and bed maintenance by skill and equipment, spot-check each worker’s technique, correct any hazardous practices, and confirm completion before lunch so irrigation and pest treatments run on schedule.
The tools that do the workWork orderjob descriptionsO*NET

Establish and enforce work procedures and safety standards

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Draft a one-page safety procedure for hedge trimming and pesticide mixing that lists required PPE, lockout…
Draft a one-page safety procedure for hedge trimming and pesticide mixing that lists required PPE, lockout steps for power tools, and emergency contacts, circulate it to the crew, run a toolbox talk this afternoon, and record acknowledgements from each worker.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET

Schedule work based on priorities, crew, or weather

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Make today’s schedule to prioritize tree hazard work after last night’s storm, assign the two certified…
Make today’s schedule to prioritize tree hazard work after last night’s storm, assign the two certified climbers to high-risk pruning, keep one crew on irrigation checks, and leave flexibility for pollen-related pesticide work if weather clears by noon.
The tools that do the workWork orderjob descriptionsO*NET
Keeping the record1

Maintain required records, such as personnel information or project records.

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Update the personnel and project log with hours, certifications, pesticide applications, and equipment usage…
Update the personnel and project log with hours, certifications, pesticide applications, and equipment usage from last week, attach crew signatures and any incident notes, then file the record so payroll and compliance inspections have a complete trail.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET
Convincing1
START

Negotiate with customers regarding fees and services

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Meet the Maple Apartments manager at 10:00, present our monthly maintenance package, explain the scope…
Meet the Maple Apartments manager at 10:00, present our monthly maintenance package, explain the scope differences and costs for seasonal aeration and pest treatment, offer a reduced rate for a 12-month contract, and get a decision or a follow-up date.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET
Fixing1

Provide landscape and lawn services

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Survey the site and list turf and planting zones needing mowing, edging, fertiliser or pest treatment this…
Survey the site and list turf and planting zones needing mowing, edging, fertiliser or pest treatment this week, estimate crew hours and materials, attach photos of problem areas, and issue the maintenance instruction to the crew lead by this afternoon.
The tools that do the workWork orderESCOjob descriptionsO*NET
The daily work14
SOIL

Prepare sites for planting of grass

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Prepare the central park beds for grass planting: confirm soil tests and pH correction is applied, rototill…
Prepare the central park beds for grass planting: confirm soil tests and pH correction is applied, rototill to 4 inches, remove roots and debris, level and grade for drainage, lay starter fertilizer, and photograph each bed when ready by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workWork orderESCOsee the evidence ↗

Plant species

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Select and schedule the grass species for the north and south lawns: choose drought-tolerant fescue for north…
Select and schedule the grass species for the north and south lawns: choose drought-tolerant fescue for north shade and quick-establish rye for sunny south, order seed and sod, map planting zones, and assign crews with dates to install next Monday.
The tools that do the workWork orderESCOsee the evidence ↗

Inspect grounds and soil conditions during tours

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Walk every tour route this morning, note turf firmness, drainage, compaction, pest or disease signs, and soil…
Walk every tour route this morning, note turf firmness, drainage, compaction, pest or disease signs, and soil moisture at the 0–6 inch depth; flag any areas needing aeration, topdressing, or irrigation adjustment and attach photos.
The tools that do the workWork orderjob descriptionsO*NET

Inspect completed work for quality and standards

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Inspect completed beds and lawn sections against the contract standards: check edging, weed control, plant…
Inspect completed beds and lawn sections against the contract standards: check edging, weed control, plant placement, mulch depth, and cleanup; document any defects with photos, list corrective actions, and set a deadline for the crew to fix.
The tools that do the workWork orderjob descriptionsO*NET

Prepare estimates based on labor, material, and machine costs

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Prepare a cost estimate for the proposed contract: itemise crew hours, hourly rates, material quantities and…
Prepare a cost estimate for the proposed contract: itemise crew hours, hourly rates, material quantities and unit costs, and machine hours with fuel and maintenance allowance, then total and add a contingency before sending to procurement.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET

Order supplies and maintain inventory of tools and materials

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Review current stock and open requisitions, order replacement fertilizers, herbicides, seasonal plants and…
Review current stock and open requisitions, order replacement fertilizers, herbicides, seasonal plants and tool parts to meet two weeks of planned work, and update the inventory list with expected delivery dates and bin locations.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelWork orderjob descriptionsO*NET

Perform personnel activities like hiring and evaluating staff

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Schedule interviews for two crew leads, review applicants' certifications and references, run a short skills…
Schedule interviews for two crew leads, review applicants' certifications and references, run a short skills trial on pruning and equipment safety, then document evaluations and recommended hires with start dates and pay rates.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET

Design or supervise installation of sprinkler systems

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Walk the irrigation zones with the installer, confirm head types, pipe routes, water pressure readings and…
Walk the irrigation zones with the installer, confirm head types, pipe routes, water pressure readings and required trenching, mark changes, and produce a materials list and installation sequence with estimated hours for bidding.
The tools that do the workWork orderMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET

Investigate work-related complaints to verify problems and to determine responses.

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Investigate the complaint about brown patches and vole damage at Riverside Park today, inspect the reported 3…
Investigate the complaint about brown patches and vole damage at Riverside Park today, inspect the reported 3 lawn zones, photograph evidence, test soil moisture and pH, log findings, and recommend control actions with costs and timing to Facilities by Friday.
The tools that do the workWork orderO*NET

Confer with other supervisors to coordinate work activities with those of other departments or units.

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Meet with Building Maintenance lead Marta and Athletic Fields supervisor Jamal on Wednesday to align turf…
Meet with Building Maintenance lead Marta and Athletic Fields supervisor Jamal on Wednesday to align turf aeration, irrigation shutdowns, and equipment sharing for next month’s schedule and record agreed start dates and crew needs.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookO*NET

Review contracts for service, machine, and workforce needs

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Review the three upcoming service contracts for mower maintenance, seasonal planting, and irrigation repair,…
Review the three upcoming service contracts for mower maintenance, seasonal planting, and irrigation repair, confirm equipment uptime clauses, verify crew hour estimates against our weekly schedule, and flag any missing insurance or warranty terms.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions

Maintain grounds for parks

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Prepare the weekly maintenance plan for Lakeside Park: schedule mowing cycles, irrigation checks, trash…
Prepare the weekly maintenance plan for Lakeside Park: schedule mowing cycles, irrigation checks, trash pickup, and playground inspections, assign crews and equipment, and note safety briefings for Saturday peak use.
The tools that do the workWork orderESCO

Execute disease and pest control activities

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Map the ash and elm beds showing current disease signs, record treatment history, select appropriate…
Map the ash and elm beds showing current disease signs, record treatment history, select appropriate pesticide or biological control, schedule application window outside pollinator hours, and issue re-entry and disposal instructions to crews.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OfficeESCOsee the evidence ↗

Horticulture principles

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Compile a planting specification for the north campus beds: soil prep, plant species list with sizes, spacing…
Compile a planting specification for the north campus beds: soil prep, plant species list with sizes, spacing and mulch depth, irrigation adjustments, and a two-year maintenance calendar for establishment checks.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelESCOsee the evidence ↗

Says who?

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The logs, files & records this job keeps

Shared with other careers — the same record means something different in each.

Related careers

Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.

The LLOS Work Atlas is the world's largest evidenced task library — a map of human work, with a ready prompt behind every task. 1,774 careers · every task named by the sources that witnessed it — O*NET, ESCO, real job descriptions, Wikipedia — and the deepest tasks by several at once. And it is honest about limits: where AI cannot help, the map says so.

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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses