Senior Gardener - Lewes

If you love your career in Gardening, we can offer you some of the most beautiful outdoor spaces in the UK to work in as well as one of the largest plant collections in Europe.

 With our staff, members, volunteers and supporters, we are the biggest conservation charity in Europe. Everyone can get involved, everyone can make a difference, and so can you…

This role offers a unique and exciting opportunity to lead the gardens of two small but historically significant National Trust properties: Monk’s House and Alfriston Clergy.

Salary: Based on your skills and experience this role has a salary range of £27,300 - £30,000

Monks House is based in Rodmell near Lewes and was Leonard and Virginia Woolf's 16th-century country retreat, whilst Alfriston Clergy House was the National Trusts' very first building purchased in 1896. 

The gardens at both properties form a large part of the visitor experience and we are looking for an experienced, highly organised, and highly-motivated senior gardener to push the boundaries and help us care for these historic gardens.

The role offers much autonomy so you can put your own stamp on these beautiful gardens. If you are a garden visionary that understands how to be sympathetic to a location's needs and historic spirit and can bring this vision to life through your team, this could be the role for you.

You will love working outdoors and understand that our gardens and grounds are as significant as our mansion houses, collections, and our historical places.

You'll not only have fantastic horticulture skills, but you'll also want to share your gardening pride and passion with all our visitors whilst leading and developing our talented and dedicated team of volunteers.

Our visitors tell us how much they enjoy the peace and tranquillity of our well-kept outdoor spaces, which makes your role vital in making sure our visitors have an amazing experience.

 You'll set the direction of how we care for these wonderful gardens, write, and develop both short and longer-term garden management plans and you'll deliver these plans by line managing and leading our skilled and dedicated garden volunteers each day.

You'll not be on your own though, from our local leadership teams through to internal Consultants and other gardening peers, you'll enjoy support every step of the way within an open, collaborative, and inclusive culture which are the cornerstones of our ways of working.

For further information about the role, please view the attached garden explainer for both properties and a role profile (please note, within the generic role profile it suggests you will need chainsaw and tractor experience, this is not required)

To be successful in this role you should be able to demonstrate the following:

• Significant practical experience in horticulture supported by relevant qualifications

• Have supervisory experience from a similar role

• Excellent knowledge of plants

• Competent with the use and maintenance of garden machinery including chainsaws, tractors, hedge trimmers, pedestrian and ride on mowers

• Knowledge of relevant health and safety legislation and practice

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

Wherever you’re from, and whatever your background, we want to hear from you – and it doesn’t matter if you’re jam first, cream first, or even if you don’t like scones at all. Everyone is welcome.

Benefits for working at the National Trust include:

• Flexible working whenever possible

• Free parking at most locations

• Free entry to our properties for you, a guest and your children (under 18)

• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary

Click here to find out more about the benefits we offer to support you.