Nursery Supervisor

National-Trust; Conwy; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme up to 10%

Free NT places entry for you and guest

Season ticket loan

EV car lease scheme

Perks at work discounts

Holiday allowance up to 32 days

Flexible working when possible

Employee assistance programme

Free parking

Job summary

The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty invites applications for a Nursery Supervisor at Bodnant Garden. The role leads a valued nursery team, manages plant propagation and maintains detailed plant records to support the garden’s collection.

Based at Bodnant, the post includes 37.5 hours weekly within an annualised hours contract, with occasional weekends and duty shifts. Salary is £30,966 per annum with comprehensive benefits and a strong commitment to inclusion.

Qualifications

• Significant nursery/botanical garden experience with horticultural qualification or equivalent.
• Strong plant knowledge and husbandry skills.
• Experience with plant pests, diseases and IPM.
• Experience leading staff and volunteers; ability to motivate and develop teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small team of staff and volunteers in propagating and producing plants for the garden.
• Oversee plant records, surveys and documentation to maintain a comprehensive inventory.
• Ensure plants are correctly labelled and information is accurate for visitors and partners.
• Collaborate with garden teams and volunteers to support Bodnant’s botanical heritage.

Skills

Nursery experience

Plant knowledge

Pest management

Staff leadership

Communication

Education

Level 3/4 horticultural qualification

Job description

Summary

The National Trust's commitment is "For everyone, for ever." Bringing that promise to life starts with the people that work here. It means building teams with a diverse range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. It means creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. Our roles are open to all. However, we particularly welcome applications from people from ethnically diverse communities because they are underrepresented at the Trust. We're looking for a Nursery Supervisor to join the team at Bodnant Garden, one of the flagship gardens in the care of National Trust Cymru, welcoming more than 290,000 visitors each year. This is a rare opportunity to play a leading role in the care and curation of the National Trust's most significant living collection, and help secure Bodnant’s future as a garden of international importance. Salary: £30,966 per annum Contract Duration: Permanent Working Pattern: You’ll work 1,950 hours per year. This role is based on annualised hours, meaning the number of hours you work each month may vary, but your salary will be paid in 12 equal monthly instalments throughout the year. This equates to 37.5 hours of pay per week. Typical working hours are 08:00 to 16:00 during the winter and 07:45 to 16:30 during the summer. The role also includes working some weekends, Bank Holidays and Duty Management shifts on a rota basis. For more information, please read the details below and the attached Additional Information document, or contact [e-mail]. Mae cyfieithiad Cymraeg yr hysbyseb hon ar gael yn y atodiadau.

What it's like to work here

It's an exciting time to join the team at Bodnant Garden. In 2024, we celebrated 150 years since the garden's creation and 75 years since its donation to the National Trust. Over the past decade, areas previously closed to visitors have been opened and significant investment has been made in the future of the garden, including a specialist conservation nursery, growth of the garden team and the creation of this dedicated Nursery Supervisor role. With training provided, opportunities to learn and develop new skills and the support of a knowledgeable team, Bodnant is an excellent place to build your career.

You’ll be contributing to the wider work of the National Trust while helping care for a garden of international importance. The garden’s success is built on collaboration, with staff and volunteers from a range of disciplines working together to deliver an exceptional experience for visitors. United by a shared passion for conservation and this special place, our team has a strong sense of purpose and pride in the work they do. Once you join us, we look forward to helping you to flourish, and hope you’ll never want to leave!

What you'll be doing

This role is key to Bodnant’s ambition to lead the National Trust in Living Collections Management. You'll help identify species, assess their significance and support the propagation of plants under threat, helping to safeguard Bodnant’s botanical heritage for generations to come. Based within our modern on-site nursery facility, you’ll lead a small team of staff and volunteers responsible for propagating and producing a wide variety of plants for use throughout the garden. Supported by specialist colleagues, you’ll oversee plant records, surveying and documentation activities, helping to build and maintain a comprehensive inventory of the thousands of plants within the collection. You’ll also work closely with garden teams and volunteers to ensure plants are correctly labelled and that accurate information is available to visitors and partner organisations. You can view the full role profile for this role in the document attached. You don’t need to have all the knowledge, skills and experience listed in the role profile; this is just to provide a full picture of what’s possible in this role.

Who we’re looking for

• Significant experience working in a nursery, botanical garden or similar horticultural environment, with a Level 3 or 4 horticultural qualification or equivalent practical expertise
• Strong plant knowledge and plant husbandry skills
• Knowledge of plant pests, diseases and integrated pest management
• Experience of managing nursery operations and maintaining accurate plant collection records
• Experience of leading, motivating and developing staff, volunteers or trainees
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to share knowledge effectively
• Ability to manage health, safety and compliance requirements effectively

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

National Trust place

Bodnant, Tal-y-Cafn, Conwy, LL28 5RE

Documents

• Goruchwyliwr y Feithrinfa - G7.pdf
• IRC180909 - Goruchwyliwr y Feithrinfa.docx
• Additional Information - Nursery Supervisor.pdf
• Nursery Supervisor - Grade 7.pdf

Requirements

Compliance. Eligibility to Work in the UK

Additional information

Closing Date: 22 November 2026

Provisional Interview Date: Tuesday 01 December

Equal Opportunities Statement

The National Trust celebrates diversity and is committed to creating a fair and equal society, free from discrimination. You can read more about our commitment to inclusion and diversity here .

Safeguarding Statement

The National Trust is committed to a safe recruitment processes to help the organisation attract and appoint the right staff/volunteer for the role and responsibilities as set out in the vacancy advert. We will not accept applicants who are not suitable to work with children, young people or adults at risk. If you have any questions around your suitability for this vacancy, please contact the people service centre.