Skip to main content

This job has expired

Senior Gardener

Employer
National Trust
Location
RH5 6BD, Dorking
Salary
23,375 pa
Closing date
27 Nov 2018

View more

Contract Type
Permanent
Hours
Full Time
Function
Gardening Jobs

Job Details

If you want a career in Gardening, we can offer you some of the most beautiful outdoor spaces in the UK to work in as well as one of the largest plant collections in Europe.

 

What it's like to work here

It’s an exciting time to work at the celebrated Edwardian retreat of Polesden Lacey. New areas of the property have opened to the public, making this a year-round attraction with lots of opportunities within the team. The property boasts glorious views of the surrounding Surrey Hills, as well as an impressive art collection, manicured gardens and a large National Trust Shop. Colleagues have a great team spirit with close links to the local community. This picturesque property is just four miles outside of Dorking, however you're likely to need your own transport to get here.

Everything in the garden reflects Mrs. Greville's desire to impress her guests with lavish displays, garden tours are available through the day in summer and weekends in the winter.

 

What you'll be doing

You’ll love working outdoors and understand that our gardens and grounds are as significant as our mansion houses, collections and our historical places. Our visitors tell us how much they enjoy the peace and tranquillity of our well-kept outdoor spaces, which makes your role vital in making sure our visitors have an amazing experience.

We don’t just need you to manage our beautiful gardens, although this is an important part of the role; we’d like you to help manage the team too. Alongside the other Senior Gardener in our team, we’d like you to lead by example, with exceptional gardening skills, and also help to manage the workload for this team, and deliver exceptional training to new staff and volunteers.

This new role will help with the restoration of key areas of the formal gardens, and developing our extensive pleasure grounds, as well as helping maintain the existing garden areas, including leading on the management and development of our productive gardens.

Working with our Gardens and Outdoors Manager and Head Gardener you will help recruit additional Volunteer teams, and assist with the research and planning for redeveloping areas of the garden, unlocking the huge potential that Polesden has to offer.

 

Who we're looking for

To be successful in this role you should be able to demonstrate the following:

  • Significant practical experience in horticulture supported by relevant qualifications
  • Have supervisory experience from a similar role
  • Excellent knowledge of plants
  • Competent with the use and maintenance of garden machinery including chainsaws, tractors, hedge trimmers, pedestrian and ride on mowers
  • Knowledge of relevant health and safety legislation and practice

 

The package

Looking after you

  • Health cash plan – from as little as £3.09 per month for you and your dependents
  • Pension contribution match up to 10%
  • EAP and proactive Health and Wellbeing
  • Discounted gym membership at over 100 leisure facilities across the country

Looking after your career

  • Grow your career through professional training courses across the Trust
  • Develop your skills with an internal secondment
  • Pay review linked to values and behaviours, commitment to progression
  • Income protection due to illness

Unique to Us

  • Work in some of the most beautiful, iconic and unique locations in the UK
  • Free entry to NT properties for you, a guest and your children (under 18)
  • 20% off in our Retail and Food & Beverage outlets
  • Discount up to 35% off a National Trust holiday cottage booking

 

 

 

Company

There's no other organisation like the National Trust. No other organisation that brings such an amazing variety of places and spaces to life.

We are a charity founded in 1895 by Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley, three people who saw the importance of our nation’s heritage and open spaces, and wanted to protect them for everyone to enjoy. More than a century after we were founded, our values are still at the heart of everything we do. And we do a lot more than you might think. 

We welcome some 22.5 million visitors, from all ages and backgrounds, every year. We care for historic houses, gardens, mills, forests, castles, miles of coastline, islands, holiday cottages, pubs and inns, whole villages and even a goldmine. We also run a huge retail chain, a multi-million pound food and beverage business and much, much more. And we do all of this so that everyone can enjoy and make the most of the green spaces and beautiful places that England, Wales and Northern Ireland has to offer. 

The National Trust is described by its employee gardeners as “dynamic, supportive, inquisitive and fun”, where its beautiful places “lift your spirits naturally” and “somewhere you can expand new skills”. The organisation is currently recruiting for a number of gardening roles. 

Read more in our latest articles:

What makes the National Trust a special place to work?

Company info
Website

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalised job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert