Gardens & Grounds Supervisor
Gardens & Grounds Supervisor required
Employer: Bader College (formerly Bader International Study Centre) – UK campus of Queen’s University (Canada)
Campus: Herstmonceux Castle, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 1RN
Hours: full-time
Contract type: permanent
Salary: £30,000 per annum
Closing date: 27 July 2022 – 17:00 BST
Early applicants may be invited for interview before the closing date. Bader College reserves the right to make the appointment before the formal closing date, so early applications are encouraged.
The role
In your role at the Herstmonceux Castle Estate you will supervise a team of gardeners and estate workers in caring for the historic gardens and the stewardship of many important habitats on the estate where presentation and sustainability are key.
You and a team of likeminded people will maintain and reimagine the estate’s three acres of gardens as well as the surrounding outdoor spaces, developing romantic painterly mixed borders of an arts and crafts style, and drawing on inspiration from the estate’s historic owners with biodiversity never far from your thoughts.
For this role you will need a good understanding of planning and undertaking seasonal horticultural tasks, a creative flair, a keen eye for detail, as well as good plant knowledge.
An important part of the role on the estate will involve you actively undertaking and planning conservation work and landscape stewardship practices. The estate is 600 acres of ancient woodlands, medieval parkland, meadows, and wetlands. Each of these habitats is managed to protect and enhance biodiversity providing a home for wildlife but equally a place where students and visitors are able to connect with and learn from nature. An understanding and experience of undertaking conservation practices, wildlife surveys and land management techniques and equipment will be an important tool to assist in the ongoing work being carried out on the estate.
With a willingness to learn and support the Gardens & Grounds Manager, you will enjoy taking on new challenges with a can-do attitude as well as combining hands-on work with collaborative project planning.
In this role you will see the estate in a way very few people are able to and will watch it come to life before your eyes.
Job description
Main purposes of the job:
Supporting the Gardens & Grounds Manager in overseeing the work being carried out on the Herstmonceux Castle Estate, ensuring it is at a high conservation and horticultural standard.
Assisting in ensuring that the delivery of the overall vision and strategy for the Estate is properly executed. Deputize for the Gardens & Grounds Manager during their absence.
Duties include:
- Carry out seasonal, planned, and reactive horticultural/conservation tasks alongside desk-based administrative work, including the recruitment and induction of volunteers.
- Monitor the condition of equipment and infrastructure, including vehicles, recommending priorities for repair and maintenance.
- Monitor the condition of gardens and grounds throughout the estate, including roads, pathways, planting, lawns, livestock and boundaries, recommending priorities for maintenance and development.
- Lead in planning and scheduling short-term works in the gardens and on the wider estate, assisting the Gardens & Grounds Manager in assembling long-term plans for management of the Estate.
- Requisition and purchase of equipment, plants, livestock and consumables.
- Day-to-day supervision of the Grounds & Gardens team, including work schedules and ensuring Health & Safety compliance for all workers and contractors onsite.
- Work with contractors to undertake any repairs, improvements, or necessary works.
- Assist with the production and delivery of garden and planting plans to promote year-round interest within the gardens.
- Assist with in the production and delivery of landscape and habitat management plans which promote biodiversity.
- Assist the Gardens & Grounds Manager and university personnel in facilitating tours, student activities and research on the site.
Person specification – essential attributes include:
- BTEC Level 3 or RHS Level 2 Certificate/Diploma in Land Management/Conservation
- Proven experience in conservation work or horticulture
- Pesticide use and application (PA1 & PA6)
- Leadership, communication, time management and decision-making skills, professional manner; self-motivated with a high level of attention to detail and quality control
- Strong computer skills (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Ability to read and interpret planting plans, harvesting maps and management plans
- Good knowledge of plants, knowledge and experience in land management practices, knowledge of relevant countryside and wildlife legislation; experience in leading projects.
Who are we?
Bader College, located at historic Herstmonceux Castle, East Sussex, is the overseas campus of Queen’s University, Canada. The campus occupies a 600-acre estate, including a range of academic, residential and recreational facilities. Our dedicated faculty and staff provide exceptional academic programming for undergraduate and postgraduate students from Canada and around the world. We also serve as a venue for international conferences and meetings. Our wholly owned trading subsidiary, Herstmonceux Castle Enterprises Limited, is responsible for running the gardens and grounds, corporate events and other functions, including weddings and themed visitor events.
Bader College is committed to employment equity, inclusion and diversity and supports fair treatment and opportunity for all.
What we can offer you
In addition to salary, pension contribution and holiday pay, we offer benefits, including:
- opportunities for relevant training and development
- free on-site parking
- free campus gymnasium
- seasonal staff discount in Chestnuts tearoom
- access to Bader College lending library: books, DVDs, CDs and more
- some free and discounted leisure opportunities at Herstmonceux Castle and the Observatory Science Centre
- a working environment comprising a 15th century moated castle and beautiful gardens and grounds
- friendly, supportive colleagues in the close-knit Castle community.
How to apply
Please see https://www.queensu.ca/bisc/about-us/employment to obtain full details of the vacancy together with a job description and person specification.
This private advert is being managed directly by the employer. English Country Gardeners are not involved in the hiring process and are therefore unable to share any additional information on this role. If you have any questions regarding this position, the best course of action is to apply for the job which will open a line of communication with the employer.
