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- Tasks: Lead a team to maintain and enhance the stunning gardens of Buckingham Palace.
- Company: Join the Royal Household, a prestigious institution with a rich history.
- Benefits: Enjoy a generous pension plan, complimentary lunch, and exclusive employee discounts.
- Why this job: Make your mark in a world-famous garden while developing your horticultural and leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Passion for horticulture with relevant qualifications and experience in high-quality landscape maintenance.
- Other info: Opportunity to contribute creative ideas for garden development in a collaborative environment.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 42000 £ per year.
About the role
It’s tending to gardens that thousands will admire
It’s taking every opportunity to make your mark. And it’s the pride in joining a team at the heart of a world famous institution. This is what makes working for the Royal Household exceptional.
Our dedicated Gardens team maintains and showcases the 39 acres of Buckingham Palace Garden to the highest standard.
Key responsibilities
- From day one, you’ll take ownership of delivering the annual plan of maintenance and work across the garden.
- Leading a small team, you’ll organise and allocate daily tasks, as well carrying out work yourself, from all important lawn maintenance, to caring for shrub, herbaceous and rose borders.
- Helping to shape the future of the gardens, you\’ll have creative input into planting new shrubberies, bulbs and seasonal flower displays.
- You’ll also grow your management skills, monitoring Health & Safety and training records, as well as guiding the performance and development of the team and contractors.
And overall you\’ll take great pride in your work, delivering beautiful results in all you do.
Essential Criteria
- With a passion for horticulture, backed up with a relevant qualification (such as HND, ND / NVQ 3 or RHS Level 3 or even a Botanic Diploma in Horticulture), you’re exactly who we’re looking for.
- A full UK driving license.
- You’ll have previous experience carrying out cyclical maintenance for a high quality landscape garden, ideally within a historic environment. This means you have excellent knowledge of lawn maintenance, and cultivating a broad range of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants.
- Able to demonstrate a range of horticultural craft skills, you’ll be well equipped to use the wide range of garden machinery we have here, including rotary machines and large mowers.
- It’s a busy environment, so your excellent time management and organisation will be an asset to the team.
- Working closely with colleagues will be important to you, and you\’ll have an adaptable communication style and a collaborative approach to work. You’ll also have some supervisory experience and will be keen to develop your skills to effectively lead a small team.
- With lots of initiative and a creative eye, you\’ll also be keen to contribute new ideas for developing the gardens and grounds.
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.
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.
Senior Gardener employer: The Royal Household
Contact Detail:
The Royal Household Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Gardener
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific horticultural practices and standards expected at historic sites like Buckingham Palace. Research their gardening techniques and plant choices to demonstrate your knowledge during any discussions.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the horticulture field, especially those who have experience in historic gardens. Attend industry events or join relevant online forums to connect with others who can provide insights or even referrals.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to showcase your leadership skills by thinking of examples where you've successfully managed a team or project. Be ready to discuss how you can contribute to the development of the Gardens team and enhance their operations.
✨Tip Number 4
Stay updated on current trends in sustainable gardening and landscape management. Being knowledgeable about eco-friendly practices can set you apart and show your commitment to innovative gardening solutions.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Gardener
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Relevant Qualifications: Make sure to emphasise your horticultural qualifications, such as HND, ND/NVQ 3, or RHS Level 3. Clearly state how these qualifications relate to the role of Senior Gardener.
Showcase Experience: Detail your previous experience in maintaining high-quality landscape gardens, especially in historic environments. Use specific examples to demonstrate your knowledge of lawn maintenance and plant cultivation.
Demonstrate Leadership Skills: Since the role involves leading a small team, highlight any supervisory experience you have. Discuss how you've successfully managed tasks and developed team members in past roles.
Express Creativity and Initiative: Share examples of how you've contributed new ideas for garden development in previous positions. This will show your potential to shape the future of the gardens at the Royal Household.
How to prepare for a job interview at The Royal Household
✨Show Your Passion for Horticulture
Make sure to express your enthusiasm for gardening and horticulture during the interview. Share specific examples of your previous work, particularly in maintaining high-quality landscapes, and how your passion drives your creativity in garden design.
✨Demonstrate Your Management Skills
Since this role involves leading a small team, be prepared to discuss your supervisory experience. Highlight instances where you've successfully managed tasks, trained team members, or improved team performance, showcasing your leadership style.
✨Be Ready to Discuss Technical Skills
Familiarise yourself with the various garden machinery mentioned in the job description. Be ready to talk about your experience using these tools and any specific horticultural craft skills you possess that would benefit the team.
✨Prepare Creative Ideas for the Gardens
Think about innovative ideas you could bring to the Royal Household's gardens. Prepare to share your thoughts on new planting schemes or seasonal displays, demonstrating your initiative and creative eye for enhancing the beauty of the grounds.
