Puutarhuri

The Saarijärvi parish in Northern Central Finland has an open position for a Gardener starting January 1, 2027. Saarijärvi parish is a vibrant rural parish of 12,000 members, consisting of the Saarijärvi area and the chapel parishes of Kannonkoski, Karstula, Kivijärvi, Kyyjärvi, and Pylkönmäki. The Gardener position is new to our parish, and the duties include, among other things: - Recruitment of seasonal workers for cemeteries (together with personnel administration), work management, and supervision. The gardener makes an annual decision proposal to the financial director regarding approximately 25 seasonal workers and conducts target and performance bonus discussions with them. - Planning summer season operations for cemeteries, including participating in practical work such as green area maintenance. Summer activities include volunteer raking events and walking tours of the cemeteries. - Management of contractors: guiding and supervising contractor work and coordinating between different parties. The gardener is responsible for cooperation between seasonal workers at different sites, and between seasonal workers, other employees, and contractors (approx. 10). - Procurement of machinery and equipment for the field, and planning of repair and maintenance tasks. The gardener is also responsible for ordering repairs and maintenance for the parish's cars. - Maintenance of churchyards, cemeteries, parish yards, and trees, as well as the care and conservation of parish monuments. - Care of parish playgrounds, the yard area of the Mellikka camp center, maintained coastal areas, and implementation of the urban forest plan 2027-2037. - Budget responsibility for cemeteries and seasonal maintenance contracts, procurement, and invoice verification. - Responsibility for the eradication of invasive species on parish-owned land. - Duties as the parish waste manager and planning, implementation, and maintenance of bio-waste composting areas at cemeteries. - Occasional substitution in the customer service of the parish and cemetery office (individual days per year) as part of a larger team during the winter season, as well as other tasks assigned by the employer. We value experience in parish work, planning and supervisory roles, cooperation and teamwork skills, initiative, and good IT skills. Programs used include Katrina, Populus, Status Premium, and Geometrix. Performing the duties requires the use of a private car (at least a category B driver's license). The parish has two cars, of which only the gardener and the property department have access during working hours. We have an encouraging work community, supportive management and decision-makers, and excellent opportunities for professional development and staff training! We promote well-being by offering Epassi under certain conditions. The gardener follows office working hours in one-week periods (36 h 15 min), and the financial director is their supervisor. Remuneration is according to KirVESTES requirement group 502: basic salary is €2,879.38 + possible experience bonuses (from 3-15 years €101.50-378.00). Eligibility for the position requires a suitable vocational qualification; a degree of higher education (eat or amk) or previous college-level education or another suitable degree in the environmental and green sector. Only a confirmed member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church is eligible for the position. Before the appointment is confirmed, the selected candidate must present a clean criminal record extract and an acceptable medical certificate regarding their health. A 6-month probationary period applies. The place of work is the Saarijärvi parish center at Urheilutie 5, Saarijärvi. Applications are submitted electronically via the KirkkoRekry service (www.kirkkorekry.fi). The application period is August 3 to September 27, 2026. Applicants should be prepared for a possible interview at the church council meeting on the evening of October 8, 2026, in Saarijärvi.