Assistant Head Gardener

ASVA; Helensburgh; Remote; GBP 21,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

The National Trust for Scotland is seeking a dedicated gardener to help manage and develop the Hill House Garden in Helensburgh. You will work alongside the property team and volunteers, preparing the garden for the Mackintosh Illuminated project and future restorations to enhance horticultural quality and visitor enjoyment.

Key duties include conservation, plant records, and delivering garden-related events.

Qualifications

• Experience in practical horticulture and conservation to support garden management.
• Ability to coordinate staff and volunteers, ensuring tasks are completed to Trust standards.
• Experience in developing and delivering garden-related events or talks to visitors.

Responsibilities

• Conserve and maintain the garden and related policies through hands-on work or supervision of staff/volunteers.
• Support budgeting, planning and development of garden projects and routine operations.
• Assist with interpreting the garden for visitors, including talks, tours and displays.

Skills

Plantsmanship

Horticulture

People management

Event delivery

Digital media

Job description

Organisation: The National Trust for Scotland

Location: The Hill House, Upper Colquhoun St, Helensburgh, G84 9AJ

JOB PURPOSE

To support the Head Gardener in managing, maintaining and developing the Hill House Garden. A suitably skilled and motivated individual is required to work closely with the property team and volunteers to assist with preparing the garden for the exciting Mackintosh Illuminated project and subsequent restoration of key design elements within the garden and undertake future developments to enhance the garden horticulturally and for the enjoyment of visitors.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. Ensuring 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. including managing trees and shrubs, herbaceous, annuals and bulbs; turf care; pest/disease/weed control; composting and soil improvement; hard-landscaping and path care; glasshouse care and plant propagation; produce sales management); Plantsmanship (e.g. the identification, knowledge and understanding of the plant collection, including recording [using Iris database], and labelling of individual plants); Research and development (e.g. research into historical records to inform proposed activities and projects; support to the planning, design and implementation of restoration and/or development projects); Interpretation (e.g. through the development and delivery of events such as introductory talks, presentations, guided tours or practical demonstrations and workshops, garden trails, digital media and contribution to guidebooks or leaflets), will take an active role in promoting the garden and property through digital media.
2. Ensuring an appropriate management regime of the garden and policies that includes the management of staff and volunteers (e.g. recruitment, induction, direction, development, performance management) such that they are fully equipped, organised and motivated to undertake their duties to the required Trust standards; budgets (e.g. helping set future budgets, phasing, monitoring, pro-active and re-active adjustments to current budgets, managing project finance) such that the gardens’ finances are in line with budget within the context of the wider property and project budgets; health, safety and the environment in line with stated Trust policies and approaches to ensure the health and welfare of staff/volunteers/visitors/contractors; machinery and equipment (e.g. ensuring timely and appropriate repairs, purchases and servicing) and its use (e.g. training, risk assessments and HAVS logs); recognition of the Trust’s Environmental Policy with respect to sustainable gardening activities, including energy, water, peat & pesticide-use; daily, weekly, yearly and longer-term management and operational workplans and reporting in the context of the property’s statements of significance, action plans and heritage garden management plan (and contribution to preparing these plans) to ensure that activities are prioritised and planned to optimise the use of resources; customer service and care from garden staff/volunteers, and in the broader sense of facilities and "visiting experience", to ensure that the properties’ reputation for excellence is maintained and enhanced; administration to enable gardening activities to be undertaken and recorded efficiently.
3. Participating fully in the property’s wider "management team", supporting the Operations manager & Visitor services manager strategically and practically with the operation of the property. May occasionally be required to duty manage the property. Occasional weekend duty may be required following adverse weather, seasonal glasshouse requirements.