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Head Gardener

Employer
Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust
Location
Brighton, East Sussex
Salary
£32,910 - £35,745
Closing date
31 Jul 2021

Job Details

Head Gardener
 

Permanent role, 37 hours per week, salary £32,910 - £35,745
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Head Gardener to play a key role in the conservation, preservation and enhancement of all the outdoor spaces belonging to the newly formed Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust (RPMT).  The Royal Pavilion garden is the only surviving Regency era garden in the country, whilst the gardens at Preston Manor are comprised of formal gardens including a listed Walled Garden.

The Royal Pavilion garden is a Grade II Listed, Registered Historic Park and Garden, with an area of 3.3ha, surrounding the iconic Royal Pavilion in the historic heart of Brighton. The garden is the only example of an essentially fully-restored, picturesque, Nash-designed Regency period garden in England. The Garden demonstrates the palette of species available in the years up to 1825, and also the new introductions available to George IV from Kew Gardens, such as tiger lilies. It is known for its extensive and varied collection of trees, especially the collection of elm trees.

The garden is intertwined with the social history of Brighton - while it was originally designed as picturesque pleasure grounds for The Royal Pavilion, the grounds were opened to the public in 1851. During the First World War, the Royal Pavilion estate was used by the military as hospitals, first for soldiers from Indian regiments then by British limbless men who were taught skills to help them get post-war work. Today the garden is used by local residents and visitors to relax and take a break from city life.

RPMT is about to embark on developing an exciting NLHF funded project to
transform the RP garden. The Head Gardener will be a key member of the Project Team and will be responsible for certain aspects of the delivery of the project outcomes.

The postholder will be the strategic lead for planning how to manage a historic garden in a city centre setting.  We are looking for someone who has knowledge and an understanding of historic landscapes, a high level of horticultural experience, leadership and people management skills, good people skills with both internal and external customers and a proven track record of managing budgets and projects.

The postholder will need to be confident in managing Health and Safety to the standards required. They will be responsible for managing the garden team and volunteers daily and must be confident in prioritising workloads across the gardens and outdoor spaces and thinking about the bigger picture and vision of RPMT.

RPMT offer a range of staff benefits including a workplace pension scheme with significant employer contributions.

We offer generous holiday entitlements, starting at 25 days plus bank holidays. Wealso offer a range of family friendly policies including maternity, paternity and shared parental leave.

If you would like to have an informal conversation about this role please contact Chloe Tapping, Director of Collections and Conservation chloe.tapping@rpmt.org.uk

​To apply for this role, please email the following documents
to recruitment@rpmt.org.uk

  • A statement summarising the experience you would bring to the role, and details of some of your most recent successes.
  • Your CV, including at least two referees (references will only be contacted with prior permission and only if an applicant is offered the role)

Company

The Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust (RPMT) is a charitable organisation. RPMT now manages and operates the Royal Pavilion & Museums’ buildings and collections on, including the Royal Pavilion Garden on behalf of Brighton & Hove City Council.

The Royal Pavilion Garden is one of a few fully restored regency gardens in the country. The garden was restored following John Nash’s 1820s plans and conform as closely as possible to the original lists of plants supplied to George IV.

Today, they are maintained under organic guidelines, using natural planting techniques and organic compost, with the use of chemicals prohibited. This approach continues to encourage the return of wildlife to the centre of Brighton, with butterflies, bees and a sizeable bird population.

As an employer, RPMT offer a range of staff benefits including a workplace pension scheme with significant employer contributions. We offer generous holiday entitlements, starting at 25 days plus bank holidays. We also offer a range of family friendly policies including maternity, paternity and shared parental leave.

Company info
Website
Telephone
03000 290 900
Location
4/5 Pavilion Buildings
Brighton
East Sussex
BN1 1EE
United Kingdom

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