Head Gardener

EXCEPTIONAL HEAD GARDENER REQUIRED

The Grove of Narberth is a grade II listed 5 Star County House Hotel set in the stunning Pembrokeshire countryside overlooking the pretty market town of Narberth and the Preseli Hills.  The hotel has established itself as one of the leading luxury hotels and restaurants in the UK having won numerous industry awards and accolades over many years. 

Its grounds and gardens spread over 26 acres, are renowned for the beautiful seasonal displays of colour.  So much so, that the quality of the gardens is now a key part of the visitor experience at the hotel and its ongoing success.   The team at the hotel welcome over 30,000 visitors per annum to the hotel making it a busy venue throughout the year. 

The gardens include a 2 acre kitchen garden including a walled garden, polytunnels and production beds, 5 acres of twelve year old native woodland together with extensive flower borders, manicured lawns, wild flower meadows, mature trees, a meandering stream and large ponds.  The hotel manages to support a passionate gardening team of 5 gardeners and a groundmen.

Having achieved so much, we now wish to accelerate the ambition in the gardens to take everything to an exceptional standard in everything we do on site here at the hotel.  For that reason we are looking for a hugely experienced manager and passionate Head Gardener with Estate Management experience to define a new vision for the gardens at every level and have the design and team management skills to implement the vision alongside our wonderful gardening team.       

What we offer:

• Salary up to £40,000 per annum.
• Gratuities are shared evenly through a Tronc system and currently amounts to 2k per annum per employee.
• Enhanced management pension scheme provided through Royal London.
• Employee long service holiday benefit. Individual training and development plan for all staff.
• Annual Employee Profit Share.
• Excellent work environment in the Narberth Hills in the heart of Pembrokeshire with its world famous coastal National Park all around us.  
• Annual staff rewards scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme provided by Hospitality Action.
• Meals provided whilst on duty.
• Generous 30% staff discount off food and beverage at Grove of Narberth and its sister businesses Coast Saundersfoot, Penmaenuchaf Hotel and Beach House Oxwich.
• £75 Employee and £190 Friends and Family room rate at Grove of Narberth Hotel.
• £50 Employee and £150 Friends and Family room rate at Pen Hall Hotel.
• Preferred rates at Pride of Britain Hotels and Welsh Rarebit collection.

The successful candidate will ideally have the following skills and experience:

• Inspiring leader with exceptional team management skills.
• Excellent working and theoretical woodland and horticultural knowledge including propagation and seasonal plant management.
• A natural gardener who is fascinated by both historic and modern garden design and implicitly understands every detail that contributes to delivering a great garden visit experience. 
• Friendly personality and great communicator who loves people.
• Hard working hands on gardener who enjoys being a core part of the team.
• Chainsaw and spraying licenses, certificates and/or supervisory experience.
• Experience working as a Garden and Estate Manager at a similar property is hugely desirable.

The Grove offers an excellent working environment with the successful candidates will joining a business with a strong family philosophy and a highly experienced award-winning team driving for the highest standards in the hotel sector. 

Interested?

If you are interested in this role then please forward Covering Letter and CV's to Oliver, our Group People Manager, at Oliver@serencollection.co.uk

We look forward to hearing from you.