Head Gardener

We're looking for a Head Gardener to lead a team of staff and volunteers and to guide the care and future development of the gardens in the Lake District and Eden Valleys.

What it's like to work here

The Cumbria and Lancashire Cluster Group brings together some of the nations iconic landscapes and heritage properties, you'll be part of a team that is spread across the cluster group providing inspiring and enthusiastic leadership to a team of Gardeners working across the Lake District and Eden area.

The clustered way of working is a new approach so you will be an important part in creating new ways of working, providing strong leadership to your team and developing key relationships with the leadership team.

We are open to supporting flexible working from one of the property offices within the Cluster (Wray, Allan Bank, Acorn Bank) combined with some home working. You'll need to be able to travel between the garden locations and there is some travel required to internal and external conferences and meetings that may require nights away from home.

What you'll be doing

Day to day, you'll be leading a Senior Gardener and a team of Gardeners who look after a network of small but significant gardens. You will be working with our Specialist Delivery Team colleagues (fundraising, gardens, curators etc) to create a new plan to celebrate and share these wonderful places. In your remit will be the iconic garden at Hilltop House where Beatrix Potter wrote many of her famous little books, the childhood home of William Wordsworth in Cockermouth and Allan Bank the former home of Canon Rawnsley a founder member of the National Trust, Acorn Bank in the Eden Valley which is home to a significant reference collection of heritage apples and the largest herb collection in the National Trust, The Wray Estate and Stagshaw Garden close to Ambleside.

You'll be a key member of the Property Groups Leadership Team and will take collective ownership for plans and budgets at group level. As a senior leader, you'll may expected to work some weekends and bank holidays as part of the Duty Manager Rota

Who we're looking for

• Strong communicator and relationship builder, able to work effectively with diverse internal and external teams.
• Flexible, solution focused thinker, confident in negotiating, influencing decisions, and building productive networks.
• Proactive and highly organised, with project management experience, strong attention to detail, and the ability to balance quality, cost and time.
• Inclusive and supportive leader, with experience managing staff and volunteers and contributing to an inclusive working culture.
• Significant horticultural expertise, supported by RHS Level 3 (or equivalent), with experience managing diverse gardens across the seasons and excellent plant knowledge.
• Knowledge of historic landscape conservation, including applying key management documents such as Statements of Significance and Conservation/ Garden Management Plans.
• Experience managing operational, compliance and resource requirements, including risk management, budgeting, work planning, and delivering visitor or community focused garden interventions.

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