Sole Garden/Grounds Manager - Live In - EC6367

A rare opportunity has arisen for a multi-skilled and experienced estate maintenance person to join an impressive 300-acre family estate in Hampshire.  This is a sole position, offered with a generous salary and a refurbished three-bedroom gate house.  The role would suit candidates with demonstrable experience in all areas of private estate gardening/horticulture and estate maintenance.

This majestic Georgian home and surrounding estate comprises three separate dwellings, barns and stables, a workshop, swimming pool, bluebell woodland, a tennis court, excellent equestrian facilities including a manege, and a large garden made up of formal and informal areas, all surrounded by expansive lawns, paddocks and mature trees.

The garden areas include a kitchen garden, herbaceous and ornamental borders, a pond, gravel driveways, an orchard and a glasshouse, so applicants for this position must have good plant knowledge including that of propagation, fruit and vegetable production and the growing of indoor plants for the house.  Although the more technical aspects of this role may be horticulturally-focussed, the position will involve hands-on management of the entire estate and as such, applicants must be multi-skilled with demonstrable experience in the management of paddocks, woodland and general estate DIY. 

Applicants must have good plant identification skills, excellent attention to detail and a methodological approach to their work.  Demonstrable experience in the above areas is essential, as is competency in the operation and basic farm and garden machinery; ride-on and pedestrian mowers, hedge cutters, strimmers, blowers, chainsaws etc.  Spraying qualifications (PA1/PA6) and chainsaw certification are required for this position, as is a full UK driving licence.  Applicants must be tidy in their work, presentable, positive in attitude and possess a working understanding of the considerations and sensitivities required of permanent live-in employees on private estates.

Good physical fitness and an ability to undertake heavy lifting when necessary is essential, as is an understanding of country environments, preferably with experience around animals and of horses in particular.

A refurbished three-bedroom cottage is provided with this position - rent, Council Tax and WiFi included).  Payment of bills (electricity, water etc.) will be the responsibility of the occupant.  Due to the nature of the estate, this position is unsuitable for candidates who have dependent children, and those without pets are preferred.

SALARY:       Circa £28,000 DOE + Accommodation

LOCATION:   Hampshire

JOB No:         EC6367

If this Sole Garden/Grounds Manager vacancy is of interest, please apply or contact Mark Read on 01233 733510 or info@englishcountrygardeners.co.uk.

Thank you for the interest you have shown in this Sole Garden/Grounds Manager vacancy.  Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications that we receive, it is not possible to respond to every one.  Therefore, unless you hear from us within the next 14 days, your application for this Sole Garden/Grounds Manager vacancy will have been unsuccessful.