Garden Supervisor - Formal And Woodland

National Trust; Devon and Torbay; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Substantial pension scheme (up to 10%)

Free entry to National Trust places

Rental deposit loan scheme

Season ticket loan

EV car lease scheme

Perks at work discounts

Holiday allowance up to 32 days + buy/

Flexible working whenever possible

Employee assistance programme

Free parking at most Trust places

Job summary

Knightshayes, part of the National Trust, is seeking an experienced horticulturist to lead the Formal and Woodland Garden and a conservatory. You’ll coach staff, train volunteers and oversee budgets while driving conservation and visitor engagement.

You’ll collaborate across teams to maintain garden integrity, support events, and help visitors connect with the garden’s history and ongoing development.

Qualifications

• Practical horticultural experience and relevant qualification.
• Experience in managing large gardens with varied areas.
• Knowledge of conservatory maintenance and plant knowledge.
• Experience leading staff and volunteers; strong health and safety focus.

Responsibilities

• Lead care, conservation and development of the Formal and Woodland Garden and a conservatory.
• Support care for the Walled Kitchen Garden and wider outdoor areas with coaching and leadership.
• Manage budgets, resources and small projects; liaise with contractors when needed.
• Create engaging visitor experiences and interpret garden features for the public.

Skills

Horticultural experience

Team leadership

Health & safety knowledge

Project planning

Communication skills

Education

Level 3/4 horticultural qualification

Job description

Summary

At Knightshayes, the Formal and Woodland Gardens tell the story of over 150 years of horticultural ambition, creativity and plant collecting. From the elegant terraces and garden compartments designed by Edward Kemp in the Victorian era to the enchanting woodland garden developed by Sir John and Lady Heathcoat-Amory after the Second World War, these gardens are among the most distinctive and historically important in the South West.

Are you an experienced horticulturist looking for an opportunity to lead, develop people and help a special garden thrive? If you're passionate about plants, conservation and creating welcoming spaces for everyone to enjoy, we'd love to hear from you.

What it's like to work here

You’ll be part of a collaborative property team, working alongside colleagues from across the organisation and external partners. The role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to conservation, visitor engagement and garden development, while helping to ensure the garden remains relevant and inspiring for a wide range of visitors.

For more information about our property please visit

What you'll be doing

You'll lead the care, conservation and development of the Formal and Woodland Garden and a conservatory. You will also work closely with and give support to the care for our Walled Kitchen Garden and wider outdoor areas. Working closely with your team, you'll support staff, trainees and volunteers through coaching, training and practical leadership.

You'll take responsibility for managing risks, maintaining safe working practices and ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and National Trust policies. You'll also support the management of budgets and resources, oversee small projects, work with contractors where required and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and innovation.

An important part of the role is helping to create engaging visitor experiences. Whether interpreting garden features, supporting events, speaking with visitors or working with local communities, you'll help people connect with the garden and the work that happens behind the scenes.

You can view the full role profile in the attached document. You don't need to meet every requirement listed; the profile is intended to provide a complete picture of the role and its potential scope

Who we're looking for

You’ll bring a broad range of the following knowledge, skills and experience, shaped by different roles, sectors or career paths. Please use your application to demonstrate how you meet the criteria below.;

• Practical horticultural experience, supported by a Level 3/4 horticultural qualification or equivalent experience
• Experience or knowledge of maintaining a large garden with different area characters
• Experience or knowledge of unheated display glasshouse (conservatory)
• Strong plant knowledge and an understanding of garden management and conservation
• Experience of leading, supporting or developing staff and/or volunteers
• Strong understanding of health and safety, compliance and risk management
• Experience of delivering training, coaching or sharing horticultural knowledge
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Experience of planning projects, managing resources and working collaboratively with others.

The package

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.

• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary
• Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)
• Rental deposit loan scheme
• Season ticket loan
• EV car lease scheme (for roles that meet the salary criteria)
• Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts
• Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.
• Flexible working whenever possible
• Employee assistance programme
• Free parking at most Trust places