Community Garden Manager

Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses is a vibrant community garden situated in the middle of Brockwell Park. We are a charity that is committed to enabling local residents,
schools and visitors to increase their knowledge of horticulture and the natural environment, improve their physical and mental wellbeing and help to create greener communities. Our one-acre site is a hub of volunteering activities, workshops, music events and educational programmes.

We are currently looking for a Garden Manager. You will have extensive horticultural knowledge and plenty of experience in organic gardening, food growing and wildlife gardening practices. A proven track record of developing and managing projects is also essential, as well as experience of working with volunteers in a community gardening setting.

This post will report to the Chair of the Trustees and you will work in close collaboration
with the current BPCG staff team.

Responsibilities

You are responsible for:

• Overall horticultural/garden planning and the management of horticulture and plant production on the site and for maintaining our high standards of horticultural practice across the site
• The management of BPCG gardens and overall site maintenance (excluding the Barn) and for the management of public and invited visitors to the gardens on the days that you are working on-site
• Recruiting, inducting and training our gardening volunteers and planning and delivering a wide range of volunteer gardening sessions, workshops and community events to ensure a strong focus on the benefits of therapeutic gardening for the local community
• Working closely with the kitchen team to plan, grow and harvest a range of fruits, vegetables and herbs to be used in the produce made for sale in our shop
• Planning, growing, and propagating a range of ornamental and edible plants to provide a regular supply for sale on our site and to be used for events throughout the year
• Managing the stock control and regular supply of all items sold in the shop
• Providing support to the Education Officer as he/she develops practical horticultural activities for schools and community groups on site
• Ensuring strong links are made and maintained with local community groups and corporate volunteers
• Managing the horticultural and retail budgets and maintaining accounts
• Writing a monthly report for the Board of Trustees, contributing to the weekly BPCG newsletter, and writing any other reports as required
• Maintaining the site, ordering all necessary materials and arranging repairs and maintenance where required and being responsible for the proper use, maintenance and safe storage of all plant, machinery, tools and equipment
• Carrying out your responsibilities as a named First Aider and ensuring all relevant health and safety standards are met in relation to your own safety, that of volunteers, visiting school or groups and members of the public using the Greenhouses site. Conducting and reviewing risk assessments as required
• Abiding by relevant BPCG policies and procedures
• Undertaking such additional duties as are commensurate with the post or as may reasonably be requested

Person specification

Experience – candidates should be able to show experience of most of the following:

• Minimum three years’ horticultural experience with good technical knowledge of plants and horticultural processes and strong plant identification skills
• Recognised Level 2 qualification or above in horticulture or a related subject
• An understanding of how community-based organisations and previous experience of working for, or participating in, a community-based organisation
• Working with and supervising volunteers, including an ability to teach volunteers the principles of good horticultural practice
• Leading educational sessions in horticulture for a range of audiences
• Good administrative skills (Excel and data management)

Skills and attributes

In addition, the candidate should be:

• Excited by the work of the Community Greenhouses and keen to communicate this enthusiasm to as wide an audience as possible
• Enthusiastic about gardening and Plot to Plate activities
• Friendly and approachable and able to work with and inspire people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities and strongly committed to working as part of a team
• Aware of all issues affecting personal safety and the safety of others, including safeguarding
• Reliable and well organised and a confident and effective communicator, both verbally and in writing
• Proactive and self-motivated
• Qualified First Aider or willing to acquire this qualification.

Hours

3.5 days a week

3 days a week on site. Normal working days will be Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, with an additional half a day a week non contact time for planning and administration. Some evening work may be required occasionally.

Salary

The salary for the post is £30,240 p.a. pro rata.