Senior Play Garden Attendant

hireful; Molesey; On-site; GBP 31,000; Full time

Job summary

An independent charity is looking for a Senior Play Garden Attendant to oversee the Magic Garden at Hampton Court Palace. This role involves supervising staff, ensuring safety, and engaging with visitors to provide an enjoyable family experience. Candidates should have strong customer service skills, First Aid qualifications, and relevant experience in children's environments. Benefits include enhanced holiday, pension contributions, and bonus opportunities. The position is full-time, requiring weekend and bank holiday shifts.

Benefits

Enhanced holiday entitlement

Generous Employer Pension Contributions (up to 11%)

Annual Pay reviews & Bonuses

Critical Illness Cover & Life Assurance

Family friendly policies and benefits

Staff discounts and membership to all palaces

Qualifications

• Strong customer service skills to engage with visitors.
• Experience and qualifications in First Aid and gardening.
• Strong understanding of health and safety procedures.

Responsibilities

• Support and supervise seasonal staff and volunteers.
• Ensure cleanliness of water features and perform safety inspections.
• Act as the first point of contact for visitors.

Skills

Customer service skills

Engagement with visitors

Fitness for job requirements

Education

First Aid qualifications

Experience in children's environment

Job description

Senior Play Garden Attendant

Location: Hampton Court Palace
Status: Established/Permanent
Salary: £30,163 per annum pro rata
Hours: Full Time 36hrs per week on a roster, includes regular weekends and bank holidays

About the role

Our client is an independent charity that loves and looks after six of the most wonderful palaces in the world. The palaces are the setting for the stories that shape us all, and they’re bringing them to people in ways that mean more to them. They want everyone to find themselves in the spaces and stories they share.

They have an exciting established opportunity for someone to join their team as a Senior Play Garden Attendant. Their Magic Garden is designed to engage, inspire, excite, and surprise young visitors and their families, providing a fun and stimulating experience that the whole family can explore together. As the Senior Play Garden Attendant you will provide a presence in the Garden to ensure it can be explored safely.

Key responsibilities

• Support, coordinate, and supervise seasonal staff and volunteers
• Ensure the purity and cleanliness of water features by conducting chemical tests and routine maintenance in line with training provided
• Carry out safety inspections of play equipment, facilities, structures, and the general area
• Act as the first point of contact for visitors
• Maintain and check play equipment
• Watch for over‑capacity problems and congestion
• Maintain the garden’s plants, shrubs, and flowers to a good standard
• Prepare the garden for opening each morning (10am) by maintaining sand areas, tidying play equipment and ensuring everything is working as it should
• Communicate the Magic Garden guidelines to visitors
• Communicate with Garden management team
• Support the management of other areas during the closure periods of the Magic Garden
• Work weekends and bank holidays as part of a rota basis (garden open seven days a week)

Qualifications and experience

They are looking for a responsible individual with strong customer service skills, who can confidently engage with all visitors and help them enjoy this unique family play area, and who has a suitable level of fitness to carry out the fundamental requirements of the job profile.

The ideal candidate will have experience and qualifications in First Aid, gardening and working within a relevant children’s environment. A DBS check and some managing experience would also be desirable. Applicants should have a strong understanding of health and safety procedures.

Benefits

• Enhanced holiday entitlement
• Generous Employer Pension Contributions (up to 11%)
• Annual Pay reviews & Bonuses
• Critical Illness Cover & Life Assurance
• Family friendly policies and benefits
• Staff discounts and membership to all palaces

Closing date: 31st January 2026
Interviews: 9th-13th February 2026

REF-225 923