Head Groundsperson

The Pig in the Cotswolds; West Midlands Combined Authority; On-site; GBP 28,000; Full time

Job summary

A luxury countryside hotel in the Cotswolds is seeking a Head Groundsperson to oversee and maintain their beautiful grounds. The ideal candidate will have significant horticultural experience, strong leadership skills, and a passion for naturalistic garden design. This role involves managing day-to-day operations, ensuring high standards of maintenance, and interacting with guests. The successful candidate will enjoy a range of staff perks including free stays and discounts.

Benefits

Free B&B staff stays

35% discount on food, beverages & treatments

Meals on duty

Annual holiday increase (up to 33 days)

Take home goods – cost price

Free access to on-demand GP, Physiotherapy, and counselling services

Learning & development courses

Anniversary vouchers – dinner with wine for 2

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a similar grounds or horticultural role, ideally within a hotel or estate environment.
• Strong knowledge of plant care, lawn maintenance, pruning, and machinery use.
• Confident leading a small team and managing day-to-day operations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all grounds maintenance, including lawns, trees, borders, pathways, and general landscape care.
• Plan and implement seasonal garden tasks and schedules.
• Maintain tools, machinery, and irrigation systems, ensuring all are safe and in good working order.

Skills

Plant care

Lawn maintenance

Pruning

Machinery use

Team leadership

Education

PA1 & PA6 certification

Job description

Location: THE PIG - in the Cotswolds, Cirencester, GL7 5EE

Salary: Up to £28,000 per annum depending on experience, OTE £29,780 including tronc.

Hours: 40 hours per week, over 5 days

Are you an experienced and passionate horticulturalist with a natural flair for informal, organic landscapes? We’re looking for a Head Groundsperson to lead the maintenance and development of our stunning gardens and grounds at Barnsley House—a place where nature, hospitality, and creativity come together.

As Head Groundsperson, you'll take ownership of the day-to-day care and presentation of our lawns, trees, and ornamental borders, ensuring the grounds reflect the relaxed and natural feel that Barnsley House is known for.

You’ll lead a small but skilled team, setting the tone for standards, consistency, and creativity across the grounds. This is a hands-on role for someone who thrives outdoors, leads by example, and finds beauty in simplicity.

The Role:

• Oversee all grounds maintenance, including lawns, trees, borders, pathways, and general landscape care
• Plan and implement seasonal garden tasks and schedules
• Maintain tools, machinery, and irrigation systems, ensuring all are safe and in good working order
• Welcome guest interaction and be confident answering questions about the gardens
• Carry out animal husbandry duties (We are looking to increase our livestock!)
• Support with event setups and special garden-based projects

What We’re Looking For:

• Significant experience in a similar grounds or horticultural role, ideally within a hotel or estate environment
• Strong knowledge of plant care, lawn maintenance, pruning, and machinery use
• PA1 & PA6 certification (preferred)
• Confident leading a small team and managing day-to-day operations
• A passion for naturalistic, informal garden design
• Friendly, approachable, and comfortable engaging with guests
• A “hands-in-the-soil” mentality—happy to work in all weather conditions

We are dedicated to making THE PIGs an inspiring, exciting, and fun place to work and in return for your hard work you can expect something a little different:

• Staff stays – free B&B.
• 35% discount on food, beverages & treatments.
• Meals on duty.
• Annual holiday increase (up to 33 days)
• Take home goods – cost price.
• Free access for you and your family to an on-demand GP, Physiotherapy, and counselling services through Help@Hand.
• A range of learning & development courses.
• Anniversary vouchers – dinner with wine for 2.

To view our full range of perks, visit our ‘What we can do for you’ section on our career’s webpage: jobs.thepighotel.com

Home Grown Hotels is committed to encouraging equality, diversity, and inclusion. We are an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against candidates based on any of the protected characteristics set out in the Equalities Act 2010.