Summary

A World Heritage Garden, a world class opportunity.

The eighteenth-century designed landscape of Studley Royal including the ruins of Fountains Abbey, is a place of enduring beauty representing over 800 years of human ambition, design, and achievement.

The Head Gardener role is part of this continued story - it is a key leadership role and the driving force behind long-term horticultural delivery.

You’ll be responsible for managing a team of skilled and experienced individuals, providing the vision and leadership needed to continue the development & presentation of our gardens.

Salary expectation circa £40,000 - relocation assistance is available for internal & external candidates.

Interviews at Fountains on the 16th February 2022.

What it's like to work here

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal is one of 1154 sites globally recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Surrounded by the beautiful countryside of Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and close to the city of Ripon, the estate is iconic in the North of England & beyond. Studley Royal is one of the few great eighteenth century gardens to survive substantially in its original form and is one of the most spectacular gardens in the UK, it demonstrates the evolving garden tastes of the eighteenth century in one landscape.

Alongside its cultural significance, Fountains play a significant role in the National Trust - it is one of the top 5 most visited properties in the Trust and has a commercial operation to match that status. Fountains sits in a portfolio with Brimham Rocks, and both places together play a huge role in the cultural & economic life of the region. With our £2.6m Skell Valley project we are working at landscape scale with our partners to address the environmental & economic impact of climate change on our cultural heritage, working with our community to address this. In short, we are at the heart of delivering the National Trust’s strategic priorities.

Most importantly working at Fountains is about working as one team to look after this special place and to give our visitors a brilliant experience. We have a large team across the portfolio and as well as leading & developing the gardens team, the Head Gardener will work closely with colleagues across the estate.

Click here for more information about Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/fountains-abbey-and-studley-royal-water-garden

What you'll be doing

Reporting directly to the General Manager, the Head Gardener is a key role in the Property Leadership Team. This role combines strategy and planning, practical work and team leadership. You will lead for horticultural excellence and be responsible for managing a team of skilled and passionate individuals, providing the vision and leadership needed to continue the conservation and development of the whole garden. Collaboration and working across departments are vital, and you will work particularly closely with the World Heritage Site Coordinator and the Visitor Experience and Operations Manager as well as the wider regional team.

The short brochure gives more details of the role of Head Gardener and the part it plays in the leadership and development of the is amazing place. Our latest World Heritage update shows the breadth of what we do at Fountains – from landscape scale partnership, to contemporary arts commissioning, to cutting edge work on climate change. fountains-abbey-whs-management-plan-update-2021.pdf

Who we're looking for

You will already have experience as a Head Gardener or Assistant Head Gardener or equivalent role. Drawn out of a passion for horticulture and arboriculture, you will be able to call on a broad knowledge of plants and curatorship of significant horticultural spaces; you will understand how the garden functions as a work of art and have a thorough understanding of garden husbandry, plus relevant horticultural qualifications.

Able to showcase your technical expertise, you’ll be confident managing a complex garden including several large bodies of water throughout the seasons and will fully appreciate the importance of forward planning, access, interpretation and presentation. Gardens are brought to life by the people who tend to them and the people who enjoy them, so you’ll be passionate about engaging with our communities.

With a keen eye for design, you’ll be able to oversee work on different scales ranging from woodlands, lakes & vistas to fine detailed planting and have a track record of delivering garden related projects. We want this role to inspire everyone around you, from colleagues and volunteers to visitors and peers so you’ll be used to managing a team and inspiring confidence.

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