Head Gardener in Chiswick)

Ad Warrior Ltd; Chiswick; On-site; GBP 31,000; Full time

Job description

Head Gardener

Location: Chiswick, London

Salary: circa £30,500 per annum

Over the last nearly 25 years, the company's Green Teams have provided hundreds of unemployed Londoners with their first taste of work in grounds maintenance and horticulture. In an exciting development of this, they are working for Chiswick House & Gardens Trust to help care for their thriving 350-year-old, 65 acre haven in the heart of Hounslow, west London. Teeming with nature, stories, and activities, the gardens are free to visit and open every day, welcoming more than 825,000 to 1 million visits annually.

Their role is to work alongside and support their expert in-house gardening team in caring for this site, and offer local people ways into work, high quality training and work placement opportunities.

The Role

The company has been awarded the grounds maintenance contract to work in partnership with Chiswick House & Gardens Trust in the management, maintenance, operation and enhancement of Chiswick House Gardens, in an innovative, inclusive approach to working with the local community. This role will lead the onsite team in the delivery of all tasks assigned to the team. The role sits within the company's Green Team, and as such plays an important role in their mission to deliver excellent horticultural and landscaping services alongside offering the best opportunity for unemployed Londoners to develop their skills and experience to enter long term roles within the green space sector.

Main Objectives:

1. Delivery of high quality grounds maintenance programme within Chiswick House & Garden Trust's (CHGT) vision:
2. Conserving the historic, built, horticultural and natural heritage for visitors
3. Sustaining and improving biodiversity
4. Supporting the local community's health and well-being.

Key Tasks & Responsibilities:

1. Oversee the delivery of all scheduled, responsive and ad hoc tasks within the contract with CHGT. Ensuring they are completed according to best practice.
2. To lead by example, motivating and guiding the team and maintaining workforce discipline.
3. Provide line management of the team delivering the service, ensuring continuous performance management and development through performance appraisals, regular 1:1s, access to training opportunities, the establishment of personal development plans, and site-based observations of the delivery of accredited training.
4. Ensure total compliance with Health and Safety, including completion of all RAMS for all activities; ensuring they are fully documented; ensure they are read, understood, signed and adhered to by all staff and trainees; supporting the Programme Manager to regularly review safe working practices.
5. Maintain strong and cooperative working relationship with CHGT's team. Working with them to adapt work schedules and plans to meet the needs of CHGT.
6. To ensure the team assist CHGT in community engagement and interaction with all visitors, including gardens' users, local residents, community partners, schools, visitors and volunteers (including their Trustees).
7. To ensure that they collect and provide all performance information required by CHGT, and support the Green Team Programme Manager in annual reporting.
8. To operate and ensure others operate company and hire vehicles, machinery and equipment with care and that daily checks and routine servicing are carried and properly recorded. To ensure planned maintenance is undertaken and any defects and repairs are reported to Green Team Programme Manager for rectification.
9. To ensure the team secure all company equipment and CHGT's sites and premises to which the team have access.
10. To work closely with their employment team to select, manage, train and develop all trainees assigned to the contract.
11. To oversee any volunteers assigned to support the service, providing guidance and training to enhance their development. To support the teams delivering corporate volunteering events.

Skills and Qualifications

1. A relevant horticulture and/or landscaping / management qualification such as a BTEC, NVQ or RHS at Level 3 (minimum requirement)
2. Proven experience as a gardener and the ability to demonstrate a strong track record of success.
3. Experience and competence in using machinery (including tractors & mowers), spraying equipment, and handheld machine garden tools.
4. Ability to manage, motivate and support a team
5. Ability to plan and manage working schedule for the team, prioritising tasks, and providing solutions to fix issues as raised by stakeholders and clients
6. Ability to undertake and supervise horticultural maintenance tasks, adhering to project briefs, specifications and budgets
7. An understanding of, and ability to implement relevant Health & Safety legislation
8. Ability to use MS Office (Word, Excel), Internet and Email.
9. Ability to build and maintain productive working relationships with colleagues and partners.
10. Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills
11. A willingness to be flexible in work patterns and to fulfil occasional evening and weekend duties
12. Full UK driving licence held over 3 years with the ability to be reasonably insured on their policy.

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for this reputable company, please do not hesitate to apply.