Landscaping jobs in Torquay

Site Supervisor (Landscaping & Playbuild)

Reports to: Project Delivery Manager (PDM)
Compensation: £32,000–£36,000 per annum, depending on experience
Location: Devon, Dartington (Regular travel and overnight stays required)

About Earth Wrights

At Earth Wrights, we believe that great things happen when passionate people come together around a shared purpose. For over 30 years, we’ve been designing and building inspiring natural play spaces that bring children closer to nature, spark their imaginations and bring communities together.

Based in our workshop in the woods of Dartington, Devon, we combine skilled craftsmanship, sustainable materials and a genuine love of the outdoors to create places that make a lasting difference.

We’re a caring, supportive and passionate team who take pride in our work and share a commitment to quality, nature and meaningful play. As we continue to develop our ways of working, we’re also beginning to introduce Lean principles and continuous improvement to help us work more safely, efficiently and effectively as a team.

Overview

As Site Supervisor (Landscaping & Playbuild), you’ll combine practical landscaping skills and timber play equipment installation with day-to-day site coordination to help bring our natural play projects to life. Approximately 50% of your time will be spent on site leading installations. In this hands-on role, you will direct groundworks, landscaping, and equipment assembly, supervising the logical sequence of work to deliver projects safely, on schedule, and right first time without costly rework.

The remaining 50% of your time will be based at our Dartington workshop, where you’ll assist with planning and preparing project materials, timber preparation, and developing your carpentry skills to support upcoming installations.

Working closely with our Project Delivery Manager (PDM), you will take ownership of daily site operations—organizing teams, plant, materials, and sequencing, while enforcing Earth Wrights’ quality standards and RoSPA play safety requirements.

This is a varied, hands-on role for someone with practical landscaping and timber construction experience who enjoys working outdoors, taking responsibility on site, learning new skills and helping create inspiring natural play spaces.

Key Responsibilities1. Landscaping, Groundworks & Site Delivery

• Carry out landscaping and groundworks, including digging, soil movement, mounding, grading and shaping the ground to meet project designs and specifications.
• Prepare ground and undertake turfing, tree planting and other planting works to create attractive, natural and functional outdoor spaces.
• Assist with drainage, ground preparation and surfacing works associated with natural play environments, as required.
• Oversee the installation of wooden play equipment, timber structures and other site features where required.
• Direct and sequence daily site operations systematically to ensure efficient trade handover, eliminate abortive work, and prevent rework. .
• Carry out quality checks throughout installation, ensuring all works meet the required standards and RoSPA play safety requirements.
• Ensure tools, machinery, equipment and materials are loaded, used, maintained and stored correctly and safely.

2. Workshop Carpentry & Practical Construction

• Carry out simple carpentry and timber preparation tasks in the workshop, supporting the manufacture and preparation of natural play equipment and structures.
• Develop carpentry skills through practical, hands-on work, including measuring, cutting, assembling and finishing timber components under appropriate guidance.
• Prepare and load tools, materials and equipment for upcoming site installations.
• Assist with loading, unloading and organising materials and equipment for site projects.
• Maintain high standards of workmanship, workshop organisation and safe working practices.
• Contribute to keeping the workshop clean, tidy and well organised, following our developing 5S principles.
• Be willing to learn new techniques and build confidence in both landscaping and carpentry as part of ongoing professional development.

3. Site Supervision, Subcontractor Control & Health and Safety

• Supervise on-site personnel, machine operators, and specialist subcontractors (e.g., surfacing and civil contractors), briefing them on daily sequence plans, site safety rules, and precise quality standards.
• Lead by example, maintaining high standards of workmanship, teamwork and professionalism.
• Follow and promote Health and Safety procedures, including site-specific Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS).
• Ensure safe working practices are followed when undertaking excavation, earthworks, planting, carpentry and operating or working around machinery.
• Keep sites and the workshop clean, tidy and well organised, ensuring tools, equipment and materials are stored safely.
• Keep the PDM informed of progress, photographs, potential issues and delays.

4. Planning, Communication & Continuous Improvement

• Manage site requirements in advance for plant hire (excavators, dumpers) and bulk material deliveries (soil, aggregate, timber kits), ensuring items arrive in step with build phases to eliminate site congestion and machine downtime.
• Maintain accurate site records, including work completed, materials used and any incidents.
• Act as the main on-site contact for clients during installation when required, communicating professionally and helping meet their expectations.
• Contribute to the development of our 5S and continuous improvement practices by identifying practical ways to improve site and workshop organisation, safety, quality and efficiency.

RequirementsEssential

• At least 3 years’ hands-on experience in landscaping, groundworks or a related practical trade.
• Practical experience in setting out, ground preparation, earthworks, surfacing, turfing and planting.
• A willingness to carry out simple carpentry and timber construction tasks and develop these skills further.
• Demonstrated experience in a site supervisory capacity within landscaping, groundworks, or civil construction, with a track record of directing teams, coordinating machinery, and enforcing safety standards.
• Proven ability to organize and sequence complex outdoor construction stages logically, with an active focus on avoiding site bottlenecks, trade conflicts, and rework.
• A good understanding of construction site Health and Safety requirements.
• A commitment to maintaining high standards of workmanship, quality and safety, including applicable RoSPA play safety requirements.
• A practical, organised and proactive approach, with good communication and problem-solving skills.
• Willingness to undertake a varied mix of site-based landscaping and workshop-based tasks.
• A full, clean driving licence and flexibility to travel regularly and stay away overnight when required.

Desirable

• Experience in natural landscaping, tree planting, turfing, drainage or earthworks.
• Basic carpentry, joinery or timber construction skills, or an interest in developing these skills.
• Experience installing natural play equipment or working on outdoor play and community projects.
• Relevant plant operator qualifications, such as telehandler or excavator/dumper tickets.
• Construction-related qualifications, such as SSSTS or SMSTS.
• Experience with 5S, Lean or continuous improvement methods.

Practical experience, a positive attitude and a willingness to learn are valued above formal qualifications. Training and development opportunities, including carpentry skills development, SSSTS and plant operator tickets, can be provided for the right candidate.

Why Join Earth Wrights?

You’ll join a supportive, passionate team where people care about their work and look out for one another. You’ll use your practical skills to shape landscapes and create high-quality natural play spaces that make a real difference to children, families and communities.

This role offers variety, responsibility and the opportunity to develop new skills, combining outdoor landscaping and site supervision with hands-on carpentry and timber construction in our unique Dartington workshop.

Earth Wrights welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds and is committed to an inclusive working environment.

Note: Practical experience and industry knowledge are valued above formal certifications. Training and development opportunities, including carpentry skills development, SSSTS and plant operator tickets, will be provided for the right candidate.

Earth Wrights is committed to diversity and encourages applicants from all backgrounds.

Pay: £34,000.00-£36,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person