Summary

We're looking for an Assistant Head Gardener at Woolbeding Gardens who can inspire the team, adapt quickly to new ways of working and apply their technical knowledge to a range of different tasks and lead on small projects with the support of the Gardens and Outdoors Manager. If you're up to the challenge, then we want to hear from you! 

Salary: £28,400 per annum.

Contract Type: 37.5 hours per week on a fixed term contract for 24 months

What it's like to work here

Woolbeding Gardens is a beautiful 21st Century Garden with artistic colour themed borders set within garden rooms and a collection of follies which merge into the surrounding landscape. The Pleasure Garden created by the Bannerman’s in the early 2000's adds a romantic atmosphere with the Lake, Waterfall, Chinese Bridge and River God. The team of dedicated gardeners strive for horticultural excellence and high presentation standards, throughout.

As a key member of the gardens team your role will involve running the day to day operations of the formal gardens, working with staff and volunteers to help develop the gardens and the garden team. You'll be responsible for the direct line management of 3 people, but will need to look after the day-to-day leadership of up to 6 members of staff and daily teams of volunteers. You'll make sure the team has all they require to complete their work to a high standard.

What you'll be doing

As Assistant Head Gardener you'll have organisational and logistical skills to create work plans, ensuring maintenance is kept up and no task is missed. You'll also be responsible for a number of cyclical compliance tasks. You'll introduce new ways of working with confidence and inspire your team to follow your lead whilst working practically in the garden.

Working closely with the Gardens and Outdoors Manager you'll utilise your technical expertise and organisation to be able to deliver the consistently high standards that Woolbeding is known for. Woolbeding Gardens is a garden of change and innovation and high horticultural practices in the National Trust. So we want someone that is creative and thinks outside the box, and who can help share our magical story with visitors and supporters of all ages and backgrounds.

There will be lots of opportunities for your own personal development as you’ll have a supporting role for the implementation of a range of projects and many smaller in-house renovations. You'll also build a network of contacts, both inside and out of the National Trust, knowing who to work with in order to complete a varied spectrum of tasks effectively

Please also read the full role profile attached to this advert.

Who we're looking for

We're looking for someone who has:

• Experience managing teams of gardeners and volunteers, including performance development
• Excellent communication and organisation skills
• RHS Level 3 (or equivalent) as well as practical gardening/horticulture experience
• An excellent understanding of horticultural techniques and plant identification
• Experience of using and maintaining garden machinery
• Experience of working in a landscape garden with good plant knowledge.
• Ability to maintain and demonstrate high horticultural standards.
• Experience of hand and soft landscaping

The package

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

Wherever you’re from, and whatever your background, we want to hear from you – and it doesn’t matter if you’re jam first, cream first, or even if you don’t like scones at all. Everyone is welcome.

Benefits for working at the National Trust include:

• Flexible working whenever possible

• Free parking at most locations

• Free entry to our properties for you, a guest and your children (under 18)

• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary