Pika Landscapes has been creating and maintaining beautiful outdoor spaces in Whistler and beyond for more than 20 years.
If you like working outside and getting your hands dirty, have experience building landscapes, operating machines and managing a small crew, we’d like to talk to you.
We’re known for:
- Open book management: everyone learns how the business runs, the numbers behind it and how their efforts impacts it. If we hit the goals we set together, everyone shares in the profit with quarterly pay outs.
- Organic principles (Whistler’s only certified Organic Landscape business)
- Supporting a great work-life balance in a lifestyle-oriented mountain resort town
- Having fun
- Our new vehicles and equipment
- Cultivating a tight-knit, high performing team
- Lots of 3-day weekends during the summer months
- Having systems in place for much of what we do
- Our employee onboarding
- Creating growth opportunities for staff:
- transparent organizational structure
- detailed job descriptions and pay scale for each role
- annual budget allocated to key staff education and training
This is a full-time (40hr/week, Monday to Friday) seasonal role. Depending on weather, it starts early April and concludes in early December. Rarely do we ask for overtime. There are too many fun things to do in Whistler to work all the time.
— staff accommodation may be available —
While based in Whistler, we also work in Squamish and Pemberton.
We’re looking for someone qualified with roots in the Sea to Sky, or looking to plant them, to manage a small team and be a key part of Pika Landscapes’ growth for years to come.
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Job overview
Does the idea of leading a small crew of fellow landscapers to install driveways, patios and pathways; build rock walls, decks, fences and pergolas; and install gardens fire you up?
Pika Landscapes is growing, with minimum annual growth of 10% and a seasonal staff of 30+. We’re always investing in new equipment, are based in the mountain resort town of Whistler and have daily opportunities to create and maintain beautiful outdoor spaces.
The Landscape Foreman / Forewoman reports to the Construction Manager and will be a key part of our landscape construction team.
Specific responsibilities
- You’ll be tasked to run jobs and manage a small crew (usually a crew of 2-3 including you) of fellow landscapers to build hard and softscapes for some of Whistler’s nicest properties:
- Lead demolition, site and soil prep, and grading efforts
- Lead installation of driveways, pathways, patios, rock walls etc
- Lead installation of gardens, trees and plants
- Lead outdoor carpentry projects like fences, decks and pergolas
- Plan your job (task sequencing/schedule) based on a project brief and discussion with sales and operations team
- Anticipate problems and plan ahead for needed materials, equipment and/or assistance
- Interact with suppliers to ensure timely delivery of job materials
- Set daily and weekly goals to ensure your crew meets targets
- Coach, teach and motivate your crew with the aim of improving quality, productivity, safety and morale over time
- Liase with client and/or general contractor on a daily basis as needed
- Look for extras and convert them into change orders when appropriate
- On occasion, assist with project estimating (labour and materials)
- Job paperwork:
- Read through job packages thoroughly before commencing a job
- Manage all time, material and machine tracking and safety inputs through various mobile apps
- Inspect and sign-off on all material deliveries
- Maintain a tidy, safe, and well-organized job site and crew truck
Requirements
- At least 3 years hands on experience building landscapes
- Experience managing landscape projects and people
- Understand all aspects of landscape construction
- Able to operate a laser level, shoot grades and grade sites
- Well-versed in the life cycles and health issues of trees and plants
- Competent using hand tools, power tools like plate tampers and cut-off saws, and earth moving equipment like mini-excavators and front end loaders
- An able body that can handle physical tasks all day long
- Carpentry skills are a bonus
- A class 5 driver’s license in good standing
- A working visa or permanent residency
- Excellent written and oral English skills
- Education: secondary school graduation certificate or equivalent
You’ll be good at this job if
- You’re organized and adaptable: schedules and circumstances often change no matter how well we plan, so you roll with it with a smile
- You’re responsible and dependable, can work with minimal supervision but know when to ask for assistance
- You love being outside rain or shine
- You possess excellent problem solving abilities
- You’re a high energy individual capable of building and maintaining professional relationships with potential clients, suppliers and contractors
- You’re self-aware, can take direct feedback and want to grow personally
- You communicate effectively and proactively
- You’re accountable and have a mature sense of personal responsibility: you say what you think, make commitments and follow through
- You’ve demonstrated leadership capabilities in past work experiences. In other words, you’ve lead people who both respected your style and grew during their time with you.
- You’re inclined to smile and be polite even when you don’t feel like it. We want our customers to love you.
- You like to have fun. Some days are tough due to foul weather, project surprises, challenging personalities, or difficult work but you’re skilled at modeling fun no matter what.
- You sweat the details. We don’t cut corners and quality is critical.
- You want (or think you want) a career in landscaping and not just a summer job
Compensation and benefits
- $32 – $43/hour depending on qualifications and experience
- Instant eligibility for our company profit share program. If we hit or exceed our goals, you’ll share in the outcome.
- Overtime pay: 1.5x time for any hours greater than 40 worked per week. Not industry standard.
- Cell phone bill reimburse
- Get paid weekly
- During high summer months (late June through mid Sept), work 9 hour days and take every second Monday off
- Access to subsidized shared staff accommodation during busy season if available. This could be a short-term landing spot for you while you sort out long-term accommodation.
- Support for ongoing training and education after one full year of employment
- In-season use of a new company truck including insurance and fuel after one full season of employment.
- One paid week off after three full years of employment
- Health spending account you can use on any health related personal expenses: $400 year 1, $600 year 2, $1000 year 3
Apply
If interested, please email your application and resume to jobs@pikalandscapes.com and let us know why you think you’d be a good fit.
Wages: $32 - $43/hr
