Head Gardener

City of London; Aberdeen City; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 49,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

Learning and development opportunities

Employee volunteering scheme

Employee assistance and wellbeing

Job summary

City of London Corporation is seeking a dynamic Head Gardener for Queen's Park in North London. You will lead the Gardening Team, balance horticultural operations with park management, and drive seasonal planting schemes while engaging with the community and visitors.

You will oversee apprentices and volunteers, manage projects, and work with contractors to maintain high Green Flag standards and welcoming public spaces.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 3 in Horticulture or equivalent.
• Strong practical horticultural knowledge and experience.
• Experience in parks, gardens, or open spaces.
• Experience supervising staff, volunteers or contractors.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Experience operating horticultural machinery and equipment.
• Full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Lead Gardening Team including staff, apprentices and volunteers.
• Deliver seasonal planting schemes and landscape improvements.
• Plan and deliver horticultural projects.
• Assist with day-to-day park operations and management.
• Support events, community engagement and contractor liaison.

Skills

Horticultural knowledge

Leadership

Staff supervision

Communication

Machinery operation

Driving licence

Customer service

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Horticulture

Tools

Horticultural machinery

Job description

Salary: £44,150 - £48,979 Inclusive of all allowances

Contractual Hours: 37 hours per week

Hours of Work/Work Pattern: Early Shift 7am-15.30pm Late shifts Seasonal 13:30pm- 22:00pm with weekend shifts in rota, with 30 minutes unpaid lunch break

Basis:Full -Time, Permanent

Workplace category:Workplace based

Workplace role categoriesdescribe our approach to workplace attendance

Attachments:Job Description and Person Specification

Summary of Terms and Conditions of Employment

We reserve the right to close the advert earlier should we receive a high number of applications. We therefore encourage you to apply early.

Lead. Inspire. Create. Protect.

Are you an experienced horticultural professional looking for a role where you can combine horticultural excellence with leadership, park management and community engagement?

The City of London Corporation is seeking an enthusiastic and ambitious Head Gardener to join the team at Queen's Park, one of North London's most loved and historic parks. This is a unique opportunity to take a leading role in the stewardship of a vibrant public green space, helping shape its future while maintaining the high standards that visitors enjoy every day.

This is not a traditional Head Gardener position. It is a dynamic and varied leadership role where you will balance horticultural operations with wider park responsibilities, team management, visitor engagement, project delivery and site management.

Whether you're leading seasonal planting schemes, developing apprentices, supporting community events, overseeing landscape improvements, or helping ensure the park remains safe and welcoming for visitors, you'll play a key role in the success of Queen's Park.

About Us

The City of London Corporation manages some of the country's most iconic and cherished green spaces, including Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood, West Ham Park and Queen's Park.

Together, these award-winning landscapes provide vital opportunities for recreation, wellbeing, conservation and community engagement across London.

Queen's Park has been at the heart of its community since 1887 and welcomes visitors throughout the year to enjoy its ornamental gardens, woodland walks, sports facilities, children's play areas, café and a wide range of visitor facilities.

It is a busy, thriving park that hosts a range of community events and activities, making it one of London's most valued public spaces.

The Role

As Head Gardener, you will lead and manage the Gardening Team, including the gardener, apprentices and volunteers, ensuring Queen's Park continues to be maintained and presented to the highest possible standards.

Working closely with the Senior Ranger, you'll balance your time between:

• Leading horticultural maintenance and development across the park.
• Delivering seasonal planting schemes and landscape improvements.
• Managing and developing staff, apprentices and volunteers.
• Planning and delivering horticultural projects.
• Assisting with the day-to-day operation and management of the park.
• Supporting events, activities and community engagement.
• Working with contractors, user groups and stakeholders.
• Maintaining Green Flag Award standards and contributing to future improvements.
• Ensuring the park remains welcoming, safe and enjoyable for all visitors.

No two days are the same. One day you may be planning new planting displays and supervising practical works, while the next you could be supporting an outdoor event, liaising with community groups, overseeing contractors or helping deliver conservation objectives across the site.

The Ideal Candidate

You’ll be a motivated horticultural professional who enjoys working outdoors, leading people and making a visible difference to a valued public space.

You will have:

• NVQ Level 3 in Horticulture or equivalent experience.
• Strong practical horticultural knowledge and experience.
• Experience working within parks, gardens, open spaces or similar environments.
• Experience supervising staff, volunteers or contractors.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Experience operating horticultural machinery and equipment.
• A full UK driving licence.
• A positive, adaptable and solutions-focused approach.
• A commitment to delivering high standards and excellent visitor experiences.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to leave your mark on one of London's most historic and well-loved parks.

You’ll have the chance to:

• Lead a skilled and dedicated team.
• Deliver meaningful horticultural and landscape projects.
• Develop your leadership and management experience.
• Work in a role that combines horticulture, public engagement and park operations.
• Help shape the future of a nationally recognised public green space.
• Be part of an organisation responsible for some of the UK's most prestigious open spaces.

Benefits Include

Salary of £44,150 - £48,979 per annum inclusive of allowances.

24 days annual leave plus public holidays, increasing with service.

Local Government Pension Scheme.

Learning and development opportunities.

Employee volunteering scheme.

Employee assistance and wellbeing support.

Access to a broad range of City of London employee benefits.

Join Us

If you're ready to combine your horticultural expertise with leadership, creativity and public service in one of London's most unique park environments, we'd love to hear from you.

Join Queen's Park and help create beautiful spaces, inspire your team and make a lasting impact on the millions of people who enjoy London's green spaces every year.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and as part of the selection process the successful applicant will be required to obtain a Basic Disclosure & Barring Service check.

The City of London Corporation is currently undergoing a programme to ensure that our pay and reward practices are competitive and equitable across the whole organisation, to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive in the work that we do.

The City of London Corporation is committed to Equal Opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

Because our roles are so varied, we don't have a 'one size fits all' policy for workplace attendance. How many days a week you'll be required to attend your workplace will depend on the requirements of your role. It's important that you understand the requirements before applying to ensure you are able to meet them. We are committed to considering requests to work flexibly and job share. Requests will be considered by the recruiting manager in line with our policies and business needs.

For more information on our categories for workplace attendance, please view our guide here.

We'll be reviewing this policy and approach at regular intervals to ensure we're meeting our attendance needs.

Closing date: 23:59pm on 16 November 2026

Interviews will be held on 27 November 2026