Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a talented team to maintain and enhance the stunning gardens at Buckingham Palace.
- Company: Join The Royal Household, a historic institution dedicated to preserving royal heritage and biodiversity.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25-30 days annual leave, a generous pension plan, and complimentary lunch on-site.
- Why this job: Experience a dynamic role with diverse tasks, contributing to high-profile events in beautiful surroundings.
- Qualifications: Expertise in horticulture management and experience in large-scale garden environments are essential.
- Other info: Opportunities for mentorship and training, plus exclusive employee discounts and volunteering days.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Fresh Horticultural Careers are thrilled to be working with The Royal Household in order to source for a Gardens Manager for Buckingham Palace.
Leading a talented team, you’ll oversee the maintenance, presentation, and evolution of all gardens across the London Estate, including the extensive garden at Buckingham Palace.
Although steeped in history and retaining features that reflect their unique settings, the Palace gardens include many contemporary additions, and they continue to evolve with a particular focus on biodiversity and environmental sustainability.
The gardens are also in regular use, hosting thousands of people every year at garden parties, events, and when Buckingham Palace is open to the public each summer. No two days will be the same and this variety brings a busy schedule, but one that is full of rewarding challenge.
Key Responsibilities:
- You’ll lead, manage and motivate the talented gardens team, introducing apprenticeship and training opportunities to grow skills and expertise.
- As an expert horticulturist, you’ll develop and enhance the gardens and grounds, which includes expansive lawns, as well as the care of shrub, herbaceous, and rose borders, ensuring that our gardens remain a breathtaking backdrop for events and visitors.
- With an eye for continuous improvement, you’ll drive forward innovative projects aimed at conserving and enhancing the garden’s rich biodiversity.
- Day-to-day you’ll oversee budgets, resource allocation and external contractors, ensuring compliance with horticultural and health and safety regulations.
- Working as part of the wider Royal Household, you’ll regularly collaborate with internal teams and external partners to support high-profile events, ensuring that every detail is executed to the highest standards.
About you
Essential Criteria:
- You’ll be an expert in horticulture management, backed up with a relevant qualification (such as HND, ND / NVQ 3 or RHS Level 3 or even a Botanic Diploma in Horticulture).
- With experience of managing large scale historic garden environments, amenity horticulture and wildlife, you’ll have an excellent knowledge of lawn maintenance, and of cultivating a range of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants.
- A great people leader with lots of management experience, you’re keen to develop others through mentorship, apprenticeship, and training opportunities.
- Able to manage budgets, contracts and projects, and with high professional standards when it comes to horticulture and Health and Safety regulations.
- With an adaptable communication style and a collaborative approach, you’re used to working with a wide range of stakeholders at all levels.
- Organised and with great time management skills, you’re adept at juggling multiple priorities to coordinate tasks.
- With lots of initiative and a creative eye, you’ll also be keen to contribute new ideas for developing the gardens and grounds.
Benefits
We know that to deliver our best work; we need to feel at our best. That’s why at the Royal Household we offer a generous benefits package designed to support your wellbeing and life priorities.
Enjoy 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days (plus bank holidays) dependent on the length of time you have worked for us.
Our excellent non-contributory pension plan (we’ll contribute 15% and you can contribute more if you wish) is highly valued by our employees, as is complimentary lunch on-site to keep you fuelled throughout the day.
We also offer a range of leave options to support your life priorities, such as parental pay and leave and volunteering days, as well as benefits to support your physical and mental wellbeing.
Other perks include 20% off at our Royal Collection Trust Shops and complimentary admission tickets across all our locations, along with many more exclusive employee discounts.
Gardens Manager - The Royal Household employer: Fresh Horticultural Careers
Contact Detail:
Fresh Horticultural Careers Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Gardens Manager - The Royal Household
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the unique features of the gardens at Buckingham Palace. Understanding their history and current initiatives, especially around biodiversity and sustainability, will help you demonstrate your passion and knowledge during any discussions.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the horticulture field, particularly those who have experience in managing historic gardens. Engaging with industry events or online forums can provide valuable insights and connections that may benefit your application.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills by discussing any previous experiences where you've successfully managed a team or project. Highlighting your ability to mentor and develop others will resonate well with the role's requirements.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss innovative ideas for enhancing garden spaces. Think about how you can contribute creatively to the ongoing evolution of the gardens, as this will demonstrate your initiative and forward-thinking approach.
We think you need these skills to ace Gardens Manager - The Royal Household
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your horticultural management experience and relevant qualifications. Emphasise your leadership skills and any experience you have in managing large-scale historic gardens.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for horticulture and your vision for enhancing the gardens at Buckingham Palace. Mention specific projects or ideas that align with their focus on biodiversity and sustainability.
Showcase Relevant Experience: Detail your previous roles in horticulture management, particularly those involving team leadership and budget management. Use specific examples to demonstrate your ability to oversee diverse gardening projects.
Highlight Communication Skills: Since the role involves collaboration with various stakeholders, emphasise your communication style and experience working with different teams. Provide examples of how you've successfully managed relationships in past roles.
How to prepare for a job interview at Fresh Horticultural Careers
✨Showcase Your Horticultural Expertise
Be prepared to discuss your qualifications and experience in horticulture management. Highlight specific projects you've worked on, especially those involving large-scale historic gardens or biodiversity initiatives.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
As a Gardens Manager, you'll be leading a team. Share examples of how you've successfully managed and motivated teams in the past, and discuss any mentorship or training programmes you've implemented.
✨Emphasise Your Project Management Abilities
Talk about your experience with managing budgets, contracts, and compliance with health and safety regulations. Be ready to provide examples of how you've handled multiple priorities and coordinated tasks effectively.
✨Prepare for Collaborative Scenarios
Since the role involves working with various stakeholders, think of instances where you've collaborated with internal teams or external partners. Discuss how you adapt your communication style to suit different audiences.
