At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to create and maintain stunning gardens that enhance residents' lives.
- Company: Join Bupa, a caring health provider focused on making a positive impact.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, flexible working, healthcare support, and 28 days holiday.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to health and wellbeing.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in a vibrant community while nurturing beautiful outdoor spaces.
- Qualifications: Horticultural experience, team management skills, and a passion for gardening required.
The predicted salary is between 32500 - 32500 £ per year.
Richmond Villages Aston provides luxury retirement living with personalized care that promotes independence and honours individual choice, allowing our residents to live their best lives.
Our Head Gardener plays a vital role in enhancing the quality of life for our residents. This position is responsible for creating, developing, and maintaining beautiful, safe, and accessible outdoor spaces that encourage relaxation, social interaction, and physical activity. Using your horticultural expertise, you will ensure our gardens remain vibrant, attractive, and healthy throughout the year, providing a peaceful and welcoming environment for residents, families, and visitors alike. The outdoor spaces you cultivate can have a significant positive impact on residents' mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
This role is about much more than maintaining gardens. It is an opportunity to create and nurture therapeutic, engaging, and inspiring spaces that enrich the daily lives of everyone within our village community.
You’ll Help Us Make Health Happen By:
- Managing a team of gardeners, overseeing the maintenance of all green areas within the village
- Planning gardening schedules around site and supporting with grass cutting and shrub bed maintenance, weed control, litter-picking, leaf clearance, and watering
- Advising the management team on potential gardening issues and helping to plan areas that require improvement
- Working closely with the Head of Maintenance to liaise with other contractors where appropriate
- Attending monthly meetings with our resident’s gardening committee and working closely with their Chairman
- Supporting our maintenance operatives over the quieter months
Key Skills / Qualifications Needed For This Role:
- Friendly and approachable, you’re passionate about gardening and have some horticultural experience in a similar environment.
- Ideally, you have arborist/tree surgeon experience and 3 - 4 years’ experience in landscaping or grounds maintenance would be an advantage.
- Previous experience managing a team, budgetary control, and financial planning on projects.
- You have some general maintenance skills and you’re happy to support our maintenance operatives over the quieter winter months.
- The ability to adapt quickly to meet expectations.
- You’ll enjoy communication with others, projecting a positive attitude to anyone you meet in the village.
Our benefits are designed to make health happen for our people. Viva is our global wellbeing programme and includes all aspects of our health – from mental and physical, to financial, social, and environmental wellbeing. We support flexible working and have a range of family-friendly benefits.
Joining Bupa in this role you will receive the following benefits and more:
- My Healthcare - Quick, easy access to support, advice, and treatment for a variety of health-related issues, including remote GP, physiotherapy, and mental health support – all available from one phone number 24/7.
- Annual allowance which you can redeem against a menu of Bupa healthcare products, all to the approximate value of £350
- Free meal with every shift.
- 28 days holiday.
- Long Service - For every milestone at Bupa we will reward you with ecards, extra holidays, and money!
- Interest-free annual travel loan to enable the purchase of public transport annual season tickets.
- Wagestream - Have early access up to 40% of your earned wages within minutes.
- Competitive pension plans and parental leave options as well as access to unique products such as our Menopause plan.
- My Bupa Extras - discounts at your favourite retailers, plus a huge range of tools, content, and information to support you with your wellbeing.
- We offer a sick pay scheme to our frontline teams, as an addition to statutory sick pay, to help provide some reassurance and financial support during longer absences.
We’re a health insurer and provider. With no shareholders, our customers are our focus. Our people are all driven by the same purpose – helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world. We make health happen by being brave, caring, and responsible in everything we do.
We encourage all of our people to “Be you at Bupa”, we champion diversity, and we understand the importance of our people representing the communities and customers we serve. That’s why we especially encourage applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Bupa is a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer. This means we aim to offer an interview/assessment to every disabled applicant who meets the minimum criteria for the role. We’ll make sure you are treated fairly and offer reasonable adjustments as part of our recruitment process to anyone that needs them.
Head Gardener in Aston-on-Trent employer: Richmond Villages
Richmond Villages is an exceptional employer that prioritises the well-being of both its residents and staff. With a strong commitment to employee growth, you will find ample opportunities for professional development in a supportive work culture that values compassion and teamwork. Located in Coventry, this role not only offers a competitive benefits package, including healthcare and pension options, but also a welcoming environment where your contributions truly make a difference.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head Gardener in Aston-on-Trent
✨Get Hands-On at Local Events
Hit up local horticulture fairs, plant shows, and farmer’s markets. These gatherings are a goldmine for networking and usually attract employers looking for passionate candidates. Chat with the vendors and fellow enthusiasts; you never know who might know about a full-time opening at a place like Richmond Villages.
✨Join Gardening Clubs and Online Communities
Become part of local gardening clubs or online forums where like-minded folks share tips and job leads. These communities can often clue you in on upcoming vacancies. Remember, people in these groups often work in the industry and can help us get our foot in the door at places like Richmond Villages.
✨Show Off Your Green Thumb
Consider creating a public portfolio showcasing your gardening projects, designs, or any unique plants you've cultivated. A well-documented journey through your horticulture experiences can make you stand out when chasing full-time roles. It’s basically your way of shouting, 'Look at what I can do!' to potential employers.
✨Apply Early and Often!
The horticulture field can be competitive, especially for full-time roles. Keep an eye on seasonal hiring trends and don’t hesitate to apply as soon as positions open up. Check out our website regularly for openings at Richmond Villages; staying ahead of the game can give us the edge we need.
We think you need these skills to ace Head Gardener in Aston-on-Trent
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Green Thumb:In horticulture, it's all about showcasing your hands-on experience. Make sure your CV highlights any relevant gardening, landscaping, or plant care roles you've held. Also, don’t forget to mention any specific skills like plant identification or pest management that make you a great fit for the position at Richmond Villages.
Include Certifications and Training:If you've got any horticulture-related certifications, such as in organic gardening or landscape design, be sure to include them. This will set you apart from other applicants and show that you’re committed to expanding your knowledge in the field, which is crucial for a full-time role like Head Gardener.
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter should reflect not just your passion for plants but also how your experience aligns with what Richmond Villages is looking for. Share specific examples of projects you've worked on or challenges you've overcome in previous horticultural roles to demonstrate your suitability for the full-time position.
Be Ready to Talk Numbers:When applying for a full-time role in horticulture, it's helpful to quantify your achievements. Did you increase crop yields or reduce waste in a previous job? Highlight these metrics in your CV to give hiring managers at Richmond Villages a clear picture of your capabilities!
How to prepare for a job interview at Richmond Villages
✨Get to Know Your Plants
Brush up on your plant knowledge! Be prepared to discuss specific species, their growth requirements, and potential pests. Remember, the role involves practical horticultural skills – so don’t be shy about sharing your hands-on experience with various plants and gardening techniques.
✨Show Off Your Portfolio
If you've worked on garden designs, landscaping projects, or community gardens, bring along a portfolio showcasing your work. Visuals speak a thousand words, and this will help us see your creativity and practical skills in action. Plus, don’t forget to have a few stories about challenges you faced and how you overcame them!
✨Be Ready for a Plant Quiz
Prepare for some technical questions related to horticulture! We may ask you about soil types, plant propagation methods, or pest management strategies. This helps us assess your depth of knowledge and problem-solving skills – so don’t skip the revision!
✨Passion for Sustainability
Horticulture often revolves around sustainability practices, so be ready to discuss any experience you have with eco-friendly gardening methods or sustainable designs. This role at Richmond Villages might have a focus on environmental impact, so showing your commitment could set you apart from other candidates.
