Reporting to the Assistant Director (Leisure Services) 3, the Head of Sports Turf Management Section (H/STMS) is mainly responsible for – (a) overseeing the management and maintenance of the Hong Kong Stadium turf pitch; (b) providing advice on the management and maintenance of the turf pitches designated for Hong Kong’s First Division Football League; (c) devising best practices for the Department on sports turf maintenance practices; (d) drawing up specifications for sports turf-related service contracts; (e) formulating strategies to enhance the professional training and development as well as to facilitate knowledge transfer on turf management and maintenance within the Department; (f) conducting research, technical audits and case studies on sports turf management and maintenance ; and (g) acting as the Department’s spokesperson on sports turf management and maintenance matters where necessary. Persons who are not permanent residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) may apply but would be appointed only when no suitable and qualified candidates who are permanent residents of the HKSAR are available.

The candidate should have – (a) (1) at least a recognized diploma in sports turf management, or a recognized bachelor’s degree in a field with sports turf management and maintenance and/or vegetation-related background such as agriculture, agronomy, biology, botany, forestry, horticulture, landscape management, landscape science, from a recognized university or equivalent, with at least 5 years’ ground management experience at a senior level of a major stadium, preferably with a sand profile turf system in the tropical or sub-tropical region; or (2) at least a recognized master’s degree in a field with sports turf management and maintenance and/or vegetation-related background such as agriculture, agronomy, biology, botany, forestry, horticulture, landscape management, landscape science, from a recognized university or equivalent, with at least 5 years’ practical and/or consultancy experience in connection with sports turf management/construction of turf pitch of a major stadium, preferably with a sand profile turf system in the tropical or sub-tropical region; (b) ample knowledge of and proven operational experience in the common turf grass species used for natural sports turf pitches in the tropical or sub-tropical region (such as Bermuda cultivars, Axonopus compressus and Lolium species); (c) strong leadership, analytical and organizational capabilities; (d) good interpersonal and communication skills; (e) an international perspective with high level strategic thinking ability and strong motivation; and (f) a strong command of English. Proficiency in Chinese and Putonghua would be an advantage.