Lead Groundskeeper & Equipment Operator

Responsibilities

• Lead the golf course's small maintenance crew: coordinate daily task assignments, quality-check greens and fairway presentation before the pro shop opens, and communicate directly with the head professional and general manager on course conditions
• Execute the course's full equipment maintenance program: the smaller club environment means the lead groundskeeper takes direct responsibility for equipment service schedules, blade and reel grinding, and minor mechanical repairs rather than relying on a dedicated mechanic
• Manage the irrigation system operations: program and monitor the automated system through the highland dry/wet cycle, conduct systematic head inspection, and coordinate any significant irrigation repairs with external contractors
• Develop and execute the turf maintenance calendar with the course superintendent or golf club general manager: aeration schedule, overseeding in cooler months, topdressing frequency, and fungicide/fertilizer rotation
• Coordinate course setup for member events: pin sheet preparation, tee marker placement, course measuring, and any special event preparation requested by the pro shop
• Provide course condition reports to the golf operations team and respond to member feedback on course conditions — in a small club, the lead groundskeeper is the technical voice on agronomic decisions

Requirements

• Golf course maintenance with supervisory experience
• Equipment operation and basic mechanical maintenance
• Irrigation system management
• Leadership and communication skills for a small team environment
• English and Spanish bilingual for the SMA international membership context

Benefits

• IMSS, aguinaldo, paid vacation + premium
• Uniform and PPE
• Fixed monthly salary
• Golf access and informal connection to the SMA expat and Mexican golf community
• Career development toward superintendent-level management in a tight-knit club environment

Work environment

Lead groundskeeper on a boutique golf course in San Miguel de Allende. Multi-function grounds leadership combining crew supervision, equipment management, and agronomy in a small, high-quality highland club environment.

About the role

The SMA lead groundskeeper who manages a crew of four, runs the irrigation program, services the equipment, and communicates directly with the general manager about course conditions — is operating as a de facto assistant superintendent in everything but title. In a small club, the breadth is the reward. The development that takes years to achieve as one of 25 groundskeepers on a large resort happens much faster when you're one of four.