Job Description January 2018

Role: First Gardener – Inverewe / Business Function: North West Built Heritage Region
Reports to: Head Gardener, Inverewe / Pay Band/Starting Salary: Band D: £22,631
Location: Inverewe Garden, Poolewe. IV22 2LG / Type of Contract: Permanent, full-time
Terms and conditions
The post is subject to the standard terms and conditions provided with the application pack and the following special terms also apply: hours of work = 39 per week on 5 days out of 7 days and at times to suit the needs of the job (this will include regular weekend duties on a rota basis); accommodation may be available to rent should this be required.

KEY PURPOSE

The role of First Gardener is to support the Head Gardener in ensuring that the garden and policies of Inverewe Garden are managed, maintained and enhanced contributing to the property’s overall conservation and development, and its enjoyment by visitors and supporters. We are seeking to appoint a highly skilled and motivated individual to join our team.

PROPERTY CONTEXT

Inverewe Garden is of international importance. Created by Osgood Mackenzie in the late 19th century and in NTS ownership since 1952, exotic plants flourish in a challenging northern landscape of spectacular mountain and coast.

Within its essential tree shelterbelt, Inverewe’s planting has always been developed to ‘push the boundaries’. It is renowned for its variety of designed elements and an extensive plant collection of national significance, including notable collections of rhododendrons and Australasian plants.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Key Purposes of the job will be met by:

  1. Supporting the Head Gardener to ensure the conservation and practical maintenance of the garden and policies – whether through delegation to other staff/volunteers, or personal participation - in terms of:

- practical horticulture (e.g. managing trees and shrubs, herbaceousplants, half-hardies, annuals and bulbs);

-turf care; pest/disease/weed control; composting and soil improvement; hard-landscaping; path care, glasshouse care and plant propagation; plant sales management and biosecurity;

-plantsmanship including the identification, knowledge and understanding of the plant collection, recording [using the Demeter database] andplant labelling;

-research and development, including research into historical precedents and practical contemporary solutions to inform proposed activities and projects; support to the design and implementation of restoration and/or development projects;

-day-to-day management and oversight of path, drain and garden infrastructure maintenance and development;

- Interpretationand education through the development and delivery of events such as introductory talks, guided tours or practical demonstrations, contribution to the guide-book and leaflets;

-promoting the Garden and the Trust through both printed and digital media and contributing on occasion to community events.

  1. Supporting the Head Gardener in the management of the garden and staff including

-assisting withthe recruitment, induction, direction, development andperformance management of both staff and volunteers to help them to be fully equipped, organised and motivated to undertake their duties to the required Trust standards;

-undertaking personally, or supervising the induction and training of the garden team members, particularly with respect to the use of machinery and equipment;

-ensuring the implementation of health and, safety in line with stated Trust policies and approaches to ensure the health and welfare of staff, volunteers and visitors;

-implementation of the Trust’s Environmental Policy with respect to sustainable gardening activities, including energy, water, peat and pesticide-use;

-input into daily, weekly, yearly and longer-term operational workplans and reporting in the context of the properties’ statements of significance and action plans (and contribution to these action plans) to ensure that activities are prioritised and planned to optimise the use of resources;

-enhancing customer service and care from all in the garden team, including students and volunteers, and in the broader sense of facilities and “visiting experience”, to ensure that the properties’ reputation for excellence is maintained and enhanced;

-cascading information effectively to keep garden staff well informed;

-administration to enable gardening activities to be undertaken and recorded efficiently.

  1. In liaison with others as necessary, taking responsibility for implementing the Shelterbelt Management Plan and other tree work as detailed in the Heritage Garden Management Plan.
  1. Participating fully in the property’s wider ‘management team’, deputising for the Head Gardener as and when required.

Your role is one for which the duties/responsibilities/accountabilities of the role require you to become a member of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme, which replaces the ‘Enhanced Disclosure’ check and is administered by Disclosure Scotland.

SCOPE OF JOB

People Management

  • Is not a Line Manager but will be responsible for day to day supervision of the garden team, volunteers (including NTS work parties), student placements and the apprentice
  • Will work closely with other property colleagues, and will have some interaction with other technical/specialist advisory colleagues based in other locations and departments
  • Will have regular (daily) interaction with members of the public of all ages and abilities
  • Will have frequent interaction with suppliers and contractors, including supervision duties.

Finance Management

  • Is not a budget-holder but may well have responsibility for the effective management of specific elements of the Garden or project budgets
  • From time to time may be required to use the computerised finance system for the raising of Purchase Orders for the supply of goods and service; input into producing finance reports, input into monitoring and setting of revenue budgets and managing capital project work relating to garden activities.

Tools/equipment

  • Will be a frequent user of driven vehicles such as tractors, ride-on mowers
  • Will be a frequent user of powered tools such as stump-grinders, winches, chainsaws, mowers, strimmers, brushcutters, hedge-cutters
  • Will be a frequent user of hand-tools such as spades, forks, trowels, rakes, hoes, shears, and secateurs
  • Will be a frequent user of IT equipment.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

The above outlines the key skills the post-holder will need to possess and exercise. In addition, either knowledge of or experience in the following is required:

Essential

  • An HND/HNC level qualificationin amenity horticulture or related subjects (equivalent to NVQ/SVQ

Level 3), supported by qualifications and with at least three years relevant practical experience, including working in a similar large garden/nursery with specialist collections

  • Considerable relevant practical experience in general amenity and heritage gardening
  • Strong demonstrable plant knowledge and identification skills
  • Experience in plant propagation, care and conservation
  • Skills in arboricultural techniques -as a minimum,basic chain-saw certificates CS30 and CS31
  • PA1 and PA6a spraying certificatesand PA9 (fogging machines) - or willingness to be trained to use such equipment in order to supervise others in the team
  • Sound knowledge of basic tool and machinery use and maintenance
  • Competence and experience in the use of a wide range of machinery with the ability to oversee and train others in the use of such
  • Tractor Driving training and certification (or willingness to train and use)
  • Sound practical knowledge of Health and Safety processes and procedures and the ability to work effectively within these processes, including the writing of risk assessments
  • Demonstrable experience of managing staff, students and/or volunteers
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; confident in interacting and dealing with a wide range of people; and able to represent the Trust both in and beyond the Garden
  • Experience of leading guided walks, giving talks and horticultural demonstrations, writing articles for printed and digital media?
  • Strong organisational and time-management skills – including the ability to prioritise work for self and others
  • Competency and self-sufficiencyin use of IT (email, internet, word-processing, spreadsheets, databases)
  • Driving Licence, valid for driving within the UK
  • Ability to live and work in a relatively remote rural environment with little public transport.

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a large garden open to the public
  • Ability to plan, design and execute replanting and infrastructure projects
  • Experience of tree inspections and advanced CS units
  • An appreciation of Scottish garden history
  • Current First Aid certification (or willingness to train and use).

The Key Responsibilities, Scope of Job, and Required Qualifications, Skills, Experience and Knowledge reflect the requirements of the job at the time of issue. The Trust reserves the right to amend these with appropriate consultation and/or request the post-holder to undertake any activities that it believes to be reasonable within the broad scope of the job or his/her general abilities.

Applications

Interested applicants should forward a completed application form to People Services Department (Applications), the National Trust for Scotland, Hermiston Quay, 5Cultins Road, Edinburgh, EH11 4DF, by mail or by email via , to reach us no later than 10:00am on the 9th of February 2016.

Interviews are likely to take place at Inverewe during February.