Landscape Manager

Background

The Crown Estate Paving Commission (CEPC) is responsible for the management of The Crown Estate ornamental terrace gardens at Regent’s Park and Carlton House Terrace, St James’s.  Although long established, there is significant opportunity to implement appropriate new landscaping projects to improve several of the gardens.

The Landscape Manager will lead and manage a committed team to ensure the CEPC’s gardens are maintained to the highest possible standards.

The successful candidate will have exceptional skills and experience.  They will be required to embed the CEPC’s vision for its gardens and manage an agreed schedule of hard and soft landscaping projects. They will need to be able to effectively advocate the importance of the gardens to both internal and external stakeholders.

Regent’s Park is a major component of the most important town planning exercise ever carried out in London.  It is a heritage asset of international significance.

The Crown Estate Paving Commission is a unique independent rating body set up by statute in 1824.  Today it is responsible for the management of The Crown Estate land, being streets and ornamental terrace gardens, around Regent’s Park along with the latter at Carlton House Terrace. The CEPC is independent of The Crown Estate, The Royal Parks and local authorities.

The Commissioners are traditionally, but not necessarily, resident (including corporate and former) ratepayers and those appointed ex-offico by The Crown Estate, The Royal Parks and HM Treasury.  Commissioners represent all CEPC ratepayers, not specifically those in the terrace or area in which they may live or work. Appointments are made for an initial term of three years, renewable for two further consecutive four year terms and only up to the age of seventy five. Commissioners receive no remuneration and do not claim any expenses arising from their duties.

The CEPC has a team of circa 30 directly employed staff, headed by the Director, Nick Packard MRICS. Further information can be found on our website.

 

CROWN ESTATE PAVING COMMISSION

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job title:                           LANDSCAPE MANAGER

Reporting to:                   Director

Contract:                          Permanent full time contract

Job purpose:                    To manage the presentation of the Crown Estate’s ornamental terrace gardens under the care of the CEPC at Regent’s Park and Carlton HouseTerrace.

Staff:                                 approx. 8 staff

 

Horticulture

• Prepare high quality, well maintained ornamental terrace gardens that are attractive amenities to residents in terms of their design and appearance.
• Design and plan landscaping schemes in accordance with the vision and aesthetic set out in the CEPC policies and guidelines. Ensure good horticultural techniques.  Develop and adopt best practice.
• Manage pest, disease and weed control programmes using approved and safe methods of work.

Advocacy

• Champion the CEPC’s approach to its gardens, their heritage and preservation as key features within Regent’s Park’s landscape. Communicate effectively with residents and stakeholders (both on the estate and in London generally) about the gardens and their maintenance through face to face contact, in writing, and through meetings, briefings, reports, presentations and demonstrations etc. Develop and maintain a knowledge of the historical background of Regent’s Park’s ornamental gardens through research. Use this knowledge in managing the landscape.  
• Report to the Director and Commissioners (through the Garden Committee) on the management of the gardens. 

Garden & staff management

• Lead the gardens team and their activities in a way that ensures high standards and high levels of performance. Negotiate with suppliers/third party contractors to order all garden materials (including plant/machinery/vehicles/tools) within agreed budgets and quality targets. Identify technical and operational problems occurring in the gardens, investigate their causes, make recommendations to resolve them and implement agreed changes.
• Appraise the gardens team in conjunction with the Head Gardener/Director (where relevant) and propose plans to maintain and improve relevant skills/competence to ensure good horticultural practice in all operations.
• Manage meetings to discuss team performance, communicate CEPC policies and information and to receive feedback on work progress and areas of staff concern. Work collaboratively with the Director and senior management team in respect of events held within the gardens.

Health & Safety

• Work in cooperation with the Director and CEPC’s management team to ensure all UK hygiene, health and safety regulations are met in all garden operations.
• Develop, maintain and review documented safe methods of work to ensure all members of the gardens team carry out their duties in a manner that protects their own safety, that of their colleagues, residents and the public.
• Ensure the safe maintenance and operation of all garden plant, equipment and machinery.
• Manage the safe and secure storage of all toxic/hazardous materials to COSHH and all other relevant regulations.

Finance & Reporting

• To assist the Director in the preparation and regular monitoring of annual expenditure budgets. Including maintenance, new planting, machinery, tools, vehicles and training.
• Develop and monitor a staff-time and materials costing system to allocate resources to individual gardens.
• Advise the Director on the appointment of garden contractors including the negotiation of contracts, budgets and service standards.  Monitor and oversee the operations of all external garden contractors to a high standard.

Other duties

• The post holder will be expected to carry out from time to time any other duties that may reasonably be required of the role of Landscape Manager.
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Person Specification – Landscape Manager

E = Essential     D = Desirable

Knowledge and Training

E            Excellent general horticultural & plant knowledge

E            Recognised horticultural qualifications

E            Several years’ experience of managing horticultural maintenance wo

E            Several years’ experience of staff team management

E            Practical application of good Health & Safety best practice

E            Excellent knowledge of plant and tree disorders

E            Full UK driving licence

D            Excellent knowledge garden design principles

D            Knowledge of garden history

D            Spraying certificates PA1 & PA6a

D            Wide horticultural interests

 

Skills and Abilities

E            Effective staff management and motivation skills

E            Excellent hands-on horticultural and plant identification skills

E            Excellent communications and persuasion skills with the ability to handle successful interactions with residents and other stakeholders.

E            Good knowledge of garden equipment and machinery, its safe operation and maintenance

E            Good literacy and numeracy skills

D            Budgeting and financial experience and expertise

D            Good understanding of hard landscaping techniques

D            Competent user of IT including Excel and Customer Relationship Management software

Qualities

E            Effective communicator who enjoys advocacy

E            Self-motivated and a motivational leader

E            Proactive and shows good initiative

E            Committed to producing high standard of work and finish.

E            An approachable team player