Allotment Co-ordinator/Skilled Gardener
Location: Kensington Gardens
Hourly Rate: £16.24
Contract: Permanent, Full-time
Working Hours: Monday-Friday, 07:00-15:30, 39 hours per week
The Royal Parks is a charity created in March 2017. We manage over 5,000 acres of diverse parkland, rare habitats and historic buildings and monuments in eight Royal Parks across London. These are Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, The Green Park, St James's Park, The Regent's Park and Primrose Hill, Greenwich Park, Richmond Park and Bushy Park.
We also manage other important public spaces including Brompton Cemetery and Victoria Tower Gardens. Our eight Royal Parks and other iconic green spaces are among the most visited attractions in the UK with 77 million visits every year.
We are now seeking an Allotment Co-ordinator/ Skilled Gardener to join our Landscape Maintenance team.
About the Role
As an Allotment Co-ordinator/ Skilled Gardener, your role will be split into two distinct elements. With your time for the most part split equally between the two roles, with some seasonal variations. Due to the split nature of this role the successful applicant will be required to be adaptable and proactive to be effective in this varied role.
For 2.5 days as the Allotment Coordinator, you will lead on the maintenance and direction of the allotment which includes supervising and leading volunteers two days a week. You will also be expected to create growing plans and implement them to a high standard.
For the remaining 2.5 days you will be working with the wider Horticultural resource team, supporting general gardening duties across site, led by the Head Gardener.
This is very practical role, which requires the deployment of strong gardening/ food growing skills whilst also working with and supporting volunteers on the ground. Generally, the role will spend the vast majority of the week in a hands-on gardening setting with some time set aside for administrative duties around volunteers and growing plans. The ideal applicant will be friendly, open, enjoy spending time outdoors, have a strong gardening background and have experience working with and managing volunteers, in a garden, allotment or park setting.
You will champion volunteering best practice, inclusivity and diversity, support with the development of volunteer resources and ensure the appropriate support and training is in place for volunteers.
Additionally, you will:
·Be the main point of contact for the allotment volunteers, where you will independently supervise volunteers, organise sessions and record attendance, whilst maintaining a high standard of communication with them.
·Create and implement the growing plan of the allotment and develop future garden plans
·Be aware of and always follow guidelines for safeguarding of children and adults at risk.
·Working under the lead of the Head Gardener, but under instruction of the Horticulture Charge hand, the role involves work across the wider Kensington Gardens site, in the horticultural areas which represent a range of garden styles, with differing management practices as appropriate to their location and setting.
·General maintenance of horticultural areas, working with the wider horticultural team to undertake duties such as weeding, pruning, irrigating/plant establishment and other horticultural tasks as directed by the Head Gardener.
To join us as an Allotment Co-ordinator/ Skilled Gardener, you will need:
·Horticultural skills and knowledge, with strong food growing knowledge and practical experience.
·Experience supervising or supporting volunteers in an outdoor setting, ideally in a gardening or food growing setting.
·Awareness of equality and diversity, health and safety and safeguarding
·Excellent people skills including team working, negotiating, problem solving and the ability to be calm and decisive in challenging situations
·Commitment to The Royal Parks 'values of being responsible, excellent, inclusive, open and respectful, and a commitment to supporting diverse and inclusive teams.
·A flexible approach to work
·Excellent operational use of Microsoft Office, CRM systems and other IT solutions to support the planning and delivery of the volunteer management.
·A First Aid Certificate would also be favourable.
Benefits
·21 days holiday plus bank holidays.
·Workwear & PPE provided.
·Enhanced maternity and shared parental leave.
·Support for personal and professional challenges.
·Discounts on retail, holidays, gym memberships, and more.
·Secure your future - competitive pension scheme and resources to manage your finances.
·Colleague of the month and annual awards.
·Two days per year to support a cause of your choice.
·Comprehensive resources and support.
About our client
We are Europe's largest provider of grounds maintenance services and landscape creation, in the UK alone we're a community of over 3,000 passionate colleagues shaping the future of the green industry.
We understand what it means to grow. Our history dates back to 1919, and today, with a turnover of £250 million, we're more than just a company - we're a force for positive change. We offer a range of services to create, maintain, and manage landscapes across the UK.
Grow with us, and together we'll create a greener future for all