Description

JOB TITLE : Albany Rural Cemetery Grounds Foreman

LOCATION : Albany Rural Cemetery

68 Cemetery Avenue

Menands, NY 12204

SUPERVISOR : General Manager

HOURS : Full Time (40 hours a week)

Work Week - Monday - Friday, weekends as necessary .

Pay: Hourly/Non-Exempt. Starting at $24.00 per hour, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

JOB DESCRIPTION :

The cemetery is seeking a motivated individual for a full-time, hourly non-exempt position of Grounds Foreman. Candidates are required to work within multiple areas of the day-to-day Cemetery operation areas contributing to the functioning, upkeep and overall preservation of the Cemetery and its history. The Grounds Foreman's areas of responsibility principally include the upkeep of the cemetery's grounds, and internment preparation and operations.

Under the direction of the Albany Rural Cemetery Grounds Superintendent, this is a technical and administrative staff position which entails the overall responsibility for review and development of all maintenance and preventative programs including maintenance, repair, and service work on all structures and grounds. The Grounds Foreman is expected to provide technical expertise regarding grounds related maintenance. Duties are performed under the General Manager's and Grounds Superintendent's supervision, with leeway allowed for the use of independent judgment in accordance with Cemetery policies and procedures. The Foreman ensures the workforce is scheduled and fully assigned to complete all work scheduled each day. The Foreman is responsible to know what work needs to be done and that the work is prioritized appropriately for the day-to-day flow of work, ensuring that each member of the Grounds Operations team is fully utilized. They must oversee the work being done to be sure it is done properly and safely and that the team is focused on their assignments as expected maintaining the highest standard of customer service for the cemetery, and excellent communication skills in transacting with clients, the public, and all team members of the Cemetery. The Foreman is also responsible to ensure discipline is fairly applied as needed to address performance and attendance issues.

This position requires the oversight and presence of all cemetery operations including, but not limited to the coordination of burials, interments, inurnments, and operations. The Foreman, under the direction of the Grounds Superintendent, will assist in meeting the Cemetery's strategic plan and replacement plans and procurement for Cemetery assets and equipment. The Foreman will also assist in lot boundary discovery with the General Manager and Grounds Superintendent for lot sales within the Cemetery. The Foreman is required to be trained on and be prepared to operate all cemetery equipment including excavating equipment and crematory retorts.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: (Illustrative Only)

• Direct and actively supervises the maintenance and repairs, cleaning and overall upkeep of select facilities and grounds.
• Directs, schedules, and actively supervises assigned staff in the safe and efficient operations maintenance of Cemetery grounds.
• Required to be present for all projects being carried out on cemetery property. Your expertise and oversight are invaluable in ensuring that each project meets our cemetery standards for quality, safety, and aesthetic integrity.
• Performs routine inspections grounds, thus ensuring a safe, efficient, and economical operation.
• Prepares cost estimates for required repair on equipment, and grounds repair projects.
• Offers recommendations to the Grounds Superintendent and General Manager on maintenance, construction, and repair needs.
• Establishes, directs, and supervises the ground repair, maintenance, and operation programs.
• Maintains records of time and material expended, supplies inventory.
• Inspects the work of outside contractors doing work in connection with maintenance and improvement of cemetery grounds and recommends acceptance or rejection.
• Enters and retrieves information in various automated information systems including MS Office, PAYCHEX, SharePoint, and applicable Cemetery Inventory Management Systems.
• Provides general landscape care and maintenance within assigned cemetery sections,

all cemetery lots and their surrounding landscapes, hardscapes, and perimeter in assigned sections according to an established schedule to organizational standards.

• Provides or contracts fencing repair and replacement as needed and where directed.
• Maintains bridges, trails, and all walking paths throughout the Cemetery.
• Prepares and implements snow removal and ice mitigation on paths, entrances, perimeter and other hard surfaces with machines and physical labor to provide safe levels of access as per established organizational standards.
• Prepares and implements snow removal from walkways and applying de-icing agents to maintain safe thoroughfares for Cemetery visitors.
• Maintains surface drainage by clearing catch basins of debris during heavy rainstorms and snow and ice in the winter months.
• Provides or contracts tree/stump removal.
• Provides or contracts pond cleaning.
• Provides or contracts yearly road repair and maintenance.
• Can lift 50lbs. or more.
• Performs related work as required.

BURIALS :

• You are required to be present for each burial, interment, entombment, disinterment, and all similar activities within the cemetery. This is critical in ensuring that all procedures are carried out properly and in compliance with our cemetery's standards and regulations.
• Strategically demarcates graves and foundations.
• Plans, executes, and/or assist in the opening of graves for caskets and cremation
• Positions casket-lowering device on grave, prepares artificial grass carpet, erecting canopies, and arranges folding chairs to prepare site for burial service(s).
• Installation of bronze plaques and grass
• Mix and pour concrete to construct foundations for grave
• Ensure interments are properly dug and dressed, assign crew members to clean and level track marks, place excess dirt on any sinkage, take orders, find locations, mark with small signs, meet funeral directors and escort to site, mark vault jobs for the crew and bring personnel to sites, etc.
• Work with the Superintendent to maintain an inventory of all single graves, lots, crypts/niches for sale; Compile monthly and annual information and generate reports regarding.

CREMATORY :

• Is responsible for the overall function and maintenance of an onsite crematory.
• Performs daily scheduling and activities for the crematory.
• Performs routine maintenance and care of crematory related equipment and operate to manufactures recommendations.
• Ensures the physical crematory area, facility, garage, and preparation room are clean of debris and maintained in a neat, orderly manner.
• Wears and always uses the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the performance of the job duties that require such equipment.
• Complies with the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures as outlined by New York State Division of Cemeteries (NYS DoC) Cremation Association of North America (CANA) (OSHA) and Albany Rural Cemetery (ARC) Policies and Procedures.
• Remains up to date on company learning, policies, and procedures assigned.
• Maintains clean operating area and equipment and comply with all governing rules and regulations regarding sanitation and hazardous waste.
• Performs light housekeeping to keep the facilities and grounds in perfect order. This includes keeping work areas tidy, picking up litter on the grounds and general clean up.
• Monitors grounds and crematory staff members at all times to ensure that they all staff are working efficiently and focused on completing work assignments throughout the day.
• Addresses performance deficiencies, attendance issues, unsafe working habits quickly and escalate trends and issues to the Superintendent and/or other senior management as needed.
• Maintains a strong working knowledge of burial and maintenance techniques and keeps the operations crew fully trained on grounds maintenance equipment as well as providing training and supervision of support staff.
• Actively works with the grounds and crematory staff, ensuring the timely completion of duties performed by the team.

E - FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILLITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

• Thorough knowledge of current practices involves the maintenance of all grounds.
• Working knowledge of the tools, terminology, and practices of the several mechanical and construction trades.
• Ability to establish and maintain efficient working relationships.
• Ability to understand and conduct complex oral and written directions.
• Ability to plan and supervise the work of others.
• Ability to read and interpret mechanical and building plans and specifications.
• Ability to accurately write and correspond with Cemetery staff and board members and outside interests of the Cemetery
• Ability to make or obtain cost estimates for ground equipment, alterations and repairs.
• Dependability.
• Initiative.
• Resourcefulness.
• Proficient knowledge of personal computers and office equipment.
• Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.

F - MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Possession of a bachelor's degree or higher in engineering or a closely related field and four (4) years of experience in the construction, operation and/or maintenance of buildings, including experience in estimating construction and building service costs, directing installation or operation of mechanical equipment such as heating, air conditioning, power and light, etc. and three (3) years of supervisory experience over building operations staff, OR

1. Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma and twelve (12) years of experience in the construction, operation and/or maintenance of buildings including experience as described in A) and three (3) years of supervisory experience as described in A), OR

1. An equivalent combination of training and experience as described by the limits of A) and B) above: OR

1. An equivalent combination of training and experience as described by the limits of A) through C) above.

Note: Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education. If your degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of acceptable companies who provide this service can be found on the Internet at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. You must pay the required evaluation fee.

G - SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:

Possession of a valid NYS driver's license at the time of appointment and duration of employment.

Possession or ability to obtain and maintain valid crematory operator certification as you may work in the Cemetery's crematory assisting the crematory operators.