We're looking for an Assistant Head Gardener here at Sheffield Park and Garden, who can inspire confidence in the team, adapt quickly to new ways of working and apply their technical knowledge to a range of different tasks and lead on small projects. If you're up to the challenge, then we want to hear from you!  

Salary: £28,400 per annum.

Contract Type: 37.5 hours per week, Permanent

What its like to work here 

Widely regarded as a horticultural masterpiece, the elegant landscaped gardens at Sheffield Park are alive with colour and wildlife. Four lakes and gorgeous views make this picturesque location to work in. Family-friendly events are a key part of the visitor experience at Sheffield Park, and welcome people with plenty of shared ideas and energy to join us. This is a great opportunity to become part of a supportive and close-knit team in a place you’ll love working.

There is water everywhere - a series of interlinked man-made lakes display mesmerizing reflections of the trees and shrubs around the park. Explore over 100 acres of traditional landscape gardens originally laid out by Capability Brown and Humphry Repton in the 18th Century.

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What you'll be doing 

As a key member of the gardens team your role will involve running the day to day operations of the gardens, working with staff and volunteers to help develop the gardens and the garden team. You'll be responsible for the direct line management of 4 people, but will need to look after the day-to-day leadership of up to 6 members of staff and daily teams of volunteers. You'll make sure the team has all they require to complete their work to a high standard.  You will play a key role in many new and exciting projects, offering ideas and innovation.

As Assistant Head Gardener you'll have organisational and logistical skills to create work plans, ensuring maintenance is kept up and no task is missed. You'll also be responsible for a number of cyclical compliance tasks. You'll introduce new ways of working with confidence and inspire your team to follow your lead whilst working practically in the garden.

Working closely with the Gardens and Outdoors Manager and wider property staff, you'll utilise your technical expertise and organisation to be able to deliver the consistently high standards that Sheffield Park and Garden is known for.  We want someone that is creative and thinks outside the box, and who can help share our story with visitors and supporters of all ages and backgrounds. 

There will be lots of opportunities for your own personal development as you’ll have a supporting role for the implementation of a range of projects and many smaller in-house renovations and tasks. You'll also build a network of contacts, both inside and out of the National Trust, knowing who to work with in order to complete a varied spectrum of tasks effectively

Who we're looking for 

We're looking for someone who has:

• Experience managing teams of gardeners and volunteers, including performance development
• Excellent communication and organisation skills
• RHS Level 3 (or equivalent) as well as practical gardening/horticulture experience
• An excellent understanding of horticultural techniques and plant identification
• Experience of using and maintaining garden machinery
• Experience of working in a landscape garden with good plant knowledge.
• Ability to maintain and demonstrate high horticultural standards.
• Experience of hand and soft landscaping