Campus Gardens & Preserve Manager

Brandywine; Pennsylvania; Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art in Chadds Ford, PA, seeks a Campus Gardens & Preserve Manager to lead stewardship and management of a diverse landscape of native gardens, meadows, woodlands, and trails. The role expands the campus from 15 to 325 acres, coordinating horticulture, land management, educational programming, and visitor experience in alignment with Brandywine’s conservation mission.

You will supervise staff and volunteers, develop a long‑term plan, manage seed programs, and

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in horticulture, ecological gardening, land stewardship, or related fields.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in horticulture, ecology, botany, natural resource management, or related field.
• Knowledge of Mid-Atlantic Piedmont native plants; seed experience preferred.
• Ability to plan long-term stewardship of complex landscapes balancing conservation and access.
• Strong supervisory and organizational skills with budget management.
• Ability to work independently in the field with minimal supervision.
• Experience operating hand/power tools and equipment (mowers, tractors, chainsaws).
• Experience designing interpretive programming or public engagement initiatives.
• Bird habitat stewardship knowledge a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; diplomacy.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office 365.
• Physical ability to lift 50 lbs; weekends/evenings may be required.
• Valid driver’s license and transportation.

Responsibilities

• Oversee additions, revisions, and maintenance of the Campus Gardens & Preserve across current and expanding acreages.
• Recruit, onboard, supervise staff, interns, and volunteers dedicated to stewardship and maintenance.
• Develop and implement a holistic land management plan for the expanding campus (native gardens, meadows, woodlands, trails).
• Oversee routine maintenance, seasonal operations, and long-term stewardship balancing ecological health with public access.
• Serve as subject matter expert on native Mid-Atlantic Piedmont plants and ecological horticulture.
• Oversee native plant seed program and annual seed catalogue and sales, including inventory and education materials.
• Supervise nursery operations producing plants for sale and campus needs.
• Plan ecological restoration and maintenance projects; manage contractors.
• Maintain property boundary awareness and address encroachments and neighbor relations.
• Design and lead interpretive and educational programming; guided walks and workshops.
• Coordinate with leadership on construction, events, and campus planning.
• Contribute articles for Brandywine publications and social media.
• Prepare and manage budgets and invoicing for gardens, preserve, and trails.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Horticulture

Ecological gardening

Land stewardship

Preserve management

Ecological landscape management

Strategic thinking

Supervisory experience

Budgets

Independent field work

Public engagement

Bird habitat stewardship

Microsoft Office 365

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in horticulture, ecology, botany, natural resource management

Tools

Microsoft Office 365

Job description

BASIC FUNCTION:The Campus Gardens & Preserve Manager leads stewardship and management of Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art's Chadds Ford, PA campus, which is comprised of a diverse landscape of cultivated native gardens, meadows, woodlands, and multi-use trail systems. Central to this role is activating and expanding the campus from 15 to 325 acres, broadening community access, and establishing a living laboratory for model conservation practices and learning. The position integrates horticultural and natural resource management, facilities coordination, educational programming, and visitor experience in alignment with Brandywine's conservation mission and public access goals.

POSITION RELATIONSHIPS: Manages the horticulturists, garden volunteers, seasonal garden interns, and future land stewards. Collaborates closely with Facilities staff, the Education and Engagement team, Museum, and Conservancy staff, as well as peer organizations in the region. Coordinates with outside contractors. Serves as ambassador to visitors of the museum and the campus gardens & preserve.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Oversee all additions, revisions, and maintenance of the Campus Gardens & Preserve, encompassing approximately 10–15 acres of ecological native gardens surrounding the museum and administrative buildings and approximately 63 acres of adjacent meadows, with the planned goal of expanding to 325 acres.
• Recruit, onboard, supervise, and support a team of staff, seasonal employees, interns, and volunteers of varying backgrounds, educational levels, ages, and abilities dedicated to the stewardship and maintenance of the Campus Gardens & Preserve.
• Develop and implement a holistic land management plan for the 325-acre campus encompassing cultivated gardens, meadows, woodlands, riparian areas, trails, and ecologically sensitive zones — making the full campus a model for native gardens, natural resource management and ecological restoration.
• Oversee routine maintenance, seasonal operations, and long-term stewardship activities across all acreage, balancing ecological health with public access and visitor safety.
• Serve as subject matter expert on native plants of the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont region, the plant communities they form, and their essential ecological roles. Apply ecological horticulture techniques to achieve impactful public garden displays with strong ecological function, and broaden departmental knowledge through research-based findings.
• Oversee all aspects of Brandywine's native plant seed program, including plant species identification, seed collection, drying, cleaning, storing, packaging, testing, selling, and inventory management. Supervise development of the annual native plant seed catalogue and all aspects of the annual fundraising native plant and seed sale, including materials procurement, educational copy, signage, pricing, sales area layout, volunteer coordination, and customer engagement.
• Supervise nursery operations, primarily reliant on seed propagation, to produce plants for the annual native plant sale, the Chadds Ford campus, and seed order sales to external entities.
• Plan and coordinate ecological restoration and maintenance projects, including invasive species management, habitat enhancement, tree removals and tree maintenance, native plantings, and erosion control. Manage relationships with outside contractors and consultants performing land management, restoration, or maintenance work.
• Maintain awareness of property boundaries and proactively address encroachments, access issues, and neighbor relations.
• In partnership with Education staff, design, lead, and support interpretive and educational programming in ecological gardening and land stewardship for visitors, schools, volunteers, members, and community partners. Develop and deliver guided walks, workshops, lectures, and hands‑on stewardship programs, and support public engagement infrastructure — including signage, self‑guided trail materials, and digital interpretation tools — that enhance visitor understanding and experience.
• Coordinate with Executive Leadership, Facilities, Security, and Communications & Marketing teams on construction projects, special events, and campus planning initiatives.
• Contribute articles and material for Brandywine publications and social media.
• Prepare and manage operational and capital budgets and invoicing for gardens, preserve, and trail infrastructure, including expenses, contracted services, and staffing.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated five plus year experience in horticulture, ecological gardening, land stewardship, preserve management, or ecological landscape management.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in horticulture, ecology, botany, natural resource management or a related field, or an equivalent combination of skills, education and experience.
• Possesses specific knowledge of plant species native to the Mid-Atlantic piedmont region, preferably having practical experience in working with the seeds of these species.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and plan for the long-term stewardship of complex landscapes, balancing conservation goals, public access, operational needs, and organizational priorities.
• Strong supervisory and organizational skills with attention to detail. Must have experience managing staff and budgets and be able to handle multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize workflow.
• Ability to work independently in the field with minimal supervision.
• Experience operating and maintaining hand tools, power tools, and equipment (e.g., mowers, tractors, chainsaws).
• Proven experience designing or managing interpretive programming, nature education, or public engagement initiatives.
• Experience managing bird habitat stewardship and developing related educational programming across expanding acreage, with demonstrated knowledge of bird habitat restoration and conservation best practices a plus.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills are required as well as a keen sense of diplomacy, optimizing effective interaction with a broad range of individuals, both within the organization as well as with outside professionals.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365.
• A passion for conservation, native plant horticulture and model nature resource management, as well as a dedication to the mission of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.
• Ability to lift and carry a minimum of 50 pounds and meet the physical demands of the position which include standing, walking, bending, stooping, kneeling, digging.
• Ability to work occasional weekends and evenings.
• Valid driver’s license and access to reliable transportation.

We are an equal opportunity employer and consider all qualified applicants equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law. The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art is committed to building a culturally diverse staff.