Head Gardener - Full or Part time

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Job description

The Merrist Wood College is now part of the Activate Learning group with the purpose of reviving the offering and environment of the campus. We have been through a period of transformation and improvement to bring the college into a world class facility. Joining this team will enable you to shape the future of the college and to ensure that it is viewed and recognised for the value that it adds to the land-based students and industries that it works to support.

The people that work at the site are passionate about their subject matter industry and are working for the betterment of the college, the team offers a positive and welcoming environment where ideas and development are embraced.

We are undergoing some significant investment to deliver this transformation, which includes a multimillion pound contribution from the department of education for future developments, it's an exciting time to join us.

We could offer some flexibility on hours, compressed working week, part time, a working week to cover weekends.

Job role:

You will be responsible for the day-to-day management of all horticultural resources at our Merrist Wood campus, producing and implementing maintenance plans and ordering resources.

Due to increased demand we will be building state of the art facilities that you will be working with and you will have the opportunity to shape and develop the areas within your remit.

Merrist Wood has developed a considerable reputation for horticulture and for its award-winning gardens designed and built at RHS Flower Shows. The College's 400- acre estate offers a diverse range of plants, extensive ornamental grounds, plant nursery, woodlands, wetlands and sports turf areas.

We also have some unique opportunities for you to put your stamp on, the walled garden is an innovation project that will require modernisation, based on the future trends within horticulture. This will be used for curriculum and commercial opportunities. You could consider current issues such as sustainability or cultivation of the insect population to create a valuable resource for now and the future.

You will also line manage the horticultural nursery team, develop our volunteer workforce and work with curriculum teams to ensure current industry practice is used and developed through the work on campus.

What do you need to be successful in this role?

Applicants for this role should have strong horticultural knowledge and a relevant vocational qualification at Level 3 or above. You will have proven delivery of high-quality horticultural maintenance with a minimum of 5 years industry experience. In addition, you will have excellent organisational skills and an ability to work with others on site as well as external contractors.

A full driving licence and tractor driving certification is essential, as is experience in the use of a wide range of specialist equipment and machinery relevant to the role.

What are the benefits of working for Activate Learning Group?

At Activate Learning we are pioneering education with an unwavering focus on providing talent for business and transforming lives through our award-winning Learning Philosophy. Our student experience is the result of our attention to detail in recruiting, developing and retaining the right staff who match and promote the values and behaviours of our brand.

We reward our employees with generous annual leave entitlements, access to training and development, travel subsidies - bus and train, cycle scheme, onsite parking (first come first served), plenty of public transport options for all sites, discounted membership to the Lifestyle Centre (on some campuses) and Employee Assistance Programme.

Applications are reviewed and shortlisted on a rolling basis and we reserve the right to interview, appoint and close adverts early due to the volume of applications we receive.

We therefore encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment as once we have closed a vacancy you will be unable to submit your application form.

Activate Learning is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all its staff to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to undergo a DBS check at the appropriate level.

Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK as we do not sponsor work permits and work permits from other organisations are unacceptable as proof of right to work in the UK.

Applications are encouraged from all candidates meeting or exceeding the minimum criteria for the role regardless of age, disability, gender, orientation, race, religion or ethnicity.

Activate Learning are committed to employing people with disabilities and will ensure our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible. If you require any reasonable adjustments either at application or interview stage please contact the talent team directly.

If an agency submits an unsolicited CV to any partner or employee of our company, you should be aware that they have no authority to enter into an arrangement with you. Should we require recruitment agency involvement, we will contact the agencies on our preferred suppliers list, and we would ask that you respect the relationships we have already built with these suppliers.