Head Gardener
An excellent and rare opportunity has arisen for an experienced and knowledgeable Head Gardener to manage the main garden of a 16th Century Grade 1 Listed house situated in the South Downs National Park. The grounds of Wiston House are comprised of formal herbaceous borders, lawns, park land, an Italian herb garden, orchards, a walled vegetable garden and greenhouses.
Wiston House is leased to Wilton Park, an executive agency of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Leading figures in politics, diplomacy, business and academia are invited to gather together to discuss issues affecting the world today. As such, successful candidates will play a vital role in cultivating an environment that is conducive to open, constructive dialogue.
The ideal candidate will possess suitable academic and industrial horticultural qualifications as well as extensive hands-on garden management experience on private estates. The Head Gardener will be responsible for the day to day running of the gardens and compiling monthly reports, to ensure excellent standards of horticultural husbandry and plantsmanship are employed year-round. The successful applicant will be responsible for supervising 2 full time staff, contractors and volunteers. Applicants must have a genuine passion for horticulture at a high level, excellent time and staff management skills, a keen eye for detail, a good level of physical fitness, happy to work in all weather conditions and the willingness to lead by example. A good understanding of H & S legislation’s is important ensuring the team comply. Applicants must be competent with the operation and basic maintenance of a wide range of garden machinery, with spray certificates (PA1/PA6) desirable.
Due to the close nature of the relationship with the FCO the following are required:
a) You are a British/EU citizen
and
b) You have been resident in the UK for at least two of the previous five years, at least one year of which must have been a consecutive twelve months period. Furthermore, to enable the appropriate security checks to be carried out, you must have resided for at least three consecutive years in one country.
Interviews will be held in January 2020.
