Lead Gardener

Bath Spa University; Newton St. Loe; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous pension scheme

Hybrid working

On-site nursery

Enhanced maternity scheme

Employee assistance programme

EV/Cycle to Work

Job summary

Bath Spa University invites applications for a Lead Gardener based at Newton Park, Bath. The role focuses on supervising the grounds team, seasonal garden maintenance, and operating a range of horticultural machinery.

Based at the historic Newton Park campus, you will lead planting, ground prep, and routine lawn care, while complying with safety and record-keeping requirements. A hands-on role with outdoor work and driving duties is expected.

Qualifications

• Must hold RHS Level 2, HND, NVQ or BTEC Level 3 or equivalent, or be working towards it.
• Experience in varied gardening roles, preferably in historic gardens.
• Ability to identify and read garden plans.
• Able to work on own initiative and lead when required.
• Experience using horticultural machinery.
• Prepared for manual handling tasks and outdoor work in all weather.
• Hold a full manual UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Assist with supervision of gardeners and placement students, liaise with contractors in routine maintenance.
• Seasonal care of shrub and herbaceous borders, including pruning.
• Ground preparation for planting trees, hedges, and borders.
• Routine mowing, edging, and lawn care including seasonal renovations.
• Maintenance of sports pitches where applicable.
• Undertake supplementary pesticide records and inventories.
• Basic maintenance to machinery and updating records.
• Clean drives and pathways, litter picking, snow clearing with salt.

Skills

Gardening experience

Plan identification

Initiative & teamwork

Machinery operation

Driving licence

Education

RHS Level 2 / HND / NVQ / BTEC Level 3 or equivalent

Job description

Lead Gardener

Application Deadline: 25 October 2026

Department: Estates & Services

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Bath, Somerset - Newton Park

Compensation: Grade 4 - Starting from £27,241 rising to £29,354 per annum

Description

We are currently seeking a Lead Gardener, who will be based at our historic Newton Park campus. Working as part of the grounds team you will be carrying out routine seasonal garden and estate maintenance, including a wide range of machinery use as well as hands on weeding, working in the borders, woodland areas and parkland.

About the Role

• Assist with the supervision of gardeners and placement students, and liaise with contractors in the routine maintenance of the grounds and gardens.
• Seasonal care of the shrub and herbaceous borders throughout the campus sites, including appropriate pruning as required.
• Ground preparation for the planting of trees and hedges and borders.
• Routine mowing, edging, and lawn care including seasonal renovation tasks.
• Where applicable routine maintenance and renovation of the sports pitches.
• Undertake supplementary pesticide application records and inventories.
• Routine checks and basic maintenance to machinery, including updating associated records.
• Cleaning drives and pathways of debris, litter picking, clearing snow - applying salt as required.

About You

• RHS Level 2, HND, NVQ or BTEC level 3 or similar, or be working towards it.
• Demonstrate experience working in a varied gardening role, preferably a historic garden.
• Demonstrate plan identification skills.
• Able to work on your own initiative as well as a flexible team member, taking the lead when required.
• Previous experience of using horticultural machinery
• Be prepared for manual handing tasks, work outside in all weather conditions, work at height when required.
• Hold a full manual UK driving licence

For further information on the essential and desirable skills we’re looking for, please refer to the attached Job Description.

Additional Information

Salary Grade 4 - Starting from £27,241 rising to £29,354 per annum

Salary range shows the potential maximum pay progression in addition to any annual inflationary increase to your pay. Please note that our default position is to appoint into the lower end of the range, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Additional information

• The postholder will be required to work outdoors in all weather conditions.
• This is a hands on role and heavy lifting will be required frequently. You must be physically fit to undertake the role.
• The postholder will be required to use machines, eg hedge cutter, strimmers, lawn mowers, and tractors.
• The postholder will be required to drive estate vehicles on and off campus and must hold a current driving license and pass BSU competence tests if carrying out the full range of duties of this post.

This is an onsite role, with occasional work at our other campus sites

Please note that as of April 2024, there has been a change in the UK’s sponsorship threshold. Regrettably as the salary for this role falls beneath this, you will not be eligible for sponsorship therefore your application will automatically be rejected.

Staff Benefits

• Generous pension scheme (Local Government Pension Scheme/Teacher's Pension Scheme). This is a defined benefit pension scheme which pays members a secure income for life, post-retirement
• Enhanced paid leave - 41 - 46 days depending on the role (Full Time) - more details here: https://apphub.bathspa.ac.uk/StaffBenefits
• Family friendly policies including hybrid working, flexible work environment, on‑site nursery, and a sector-leading enhanced maternity scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme which offers access to on-demand GP appointments, wellbeing support and advice, and access to counselling
• Transport schemes including Electric Vehicle Scheme and Cycle to Work
• Wide range of discounts and financial benefits, accessed through and easy‑to‑use app

For further details about all our staff benefits, have a look at our rewards page: https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/work-at-bath-spa/rewards-and-benefits/

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.