Job Title: Assistant Gardener
Location: Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex House and Gardens, Quex Park, Birchington, Kent.
Hours: Full-time 35 hours per week
Salary: £25,500 per annum
Contract: Permanent
About Us
The Powell-Cotton Trust is an independent charitable trust (reg no 1167318) which runs the Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex House and Gardens in Birchington.
For clarification as an organisation, we use the terms ‘The Museum’ or ‘The Powell-Cotton Museum’ to refer to the business activities of The Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex House and Gardens.
The Powell-Cotton Museum has a broad and diverse collection, built up by the Powell-Cotton family and their associates, largely between 1890-1940. Today the collection includes 6,000 mammal specimens, 20,000 ethnographic objects, 8,000 archaeological objects, firearms, fine art and furniture and an extensive library and archive including documents, photographs and film. The Museum also has responsibility for the care of Quex House, the Powell-Cotton family home, a Georgian manor with extensive Edwardian alterations.
The Gardens have a long history and provide a good range of horticultural interest including specimen parkland trees, a woodland walk, herbaceous and rose borders, shrub beds and a sunken pond area with formal bedding. The Gardens are undergoing an ongoing restoration programme and the focus is a large scale refurbishment of a Victorian walled garden with its associated glasshouses and kitchen garden planting.
The Gardens are at the forefront of our work with the ‘Sunshine Project’ where we work with a number of community groups providing volunteer opportunities that are as accessible as possible, regardless of age, ability or skill. All our volunteers work together, the old and the young, forming new friendships, gaining confidence within a positive environment of social and therapeutic horticulture.
You can find more about the Gardens and our Sunshine Project here https://powell-cottonmuseum.org/discover/quex-gardens/
The Assistant Gardener leads on a range of practical horticultural tasks to develop, enhance and conserve the garden and contribute to the long-term garden development plan including design, restoration and promotion. You will assist in making sure that the gardens are maintained to a high standard. Collaborating with colleagues you will lead on the development and delivery of training and volunteer activities in the garden providing a diverse group of people with opportunities to learn new skills and take part in garden activities.
Main Responsibilities
1. Lead and assist with practical and meaningful volunteering activities for community groups, promoting, organising and delivering these to ensure that volunteers are motivated and gain new skills, with a particular focus on the garden environment and horticulture.
2. Deliver high quality volunteer opportunities that increase skills and empower
volunteer groups to organise and deliver future projects themselves with minimal
support.
3. Actively engage in the development and management of relationships with key partners, and community groups acting as liaison, attending and facilitating meetings where appropriate.
4. Be responsible for the maintenance, presentation and development of our gardens by implementing specific work programmes in agreement with the Head Gardener. Including but not limited to: design, landscaping, propagation, glasshouse management, lawn care and maintenance, planting, irrigation, weeding, grass cutting, strimming, pond management, pest control, woodland management and general garden and facilities maintenance.
5. Lead on a range of practical horticultural tasks to develop, enhance and conserve the garden and contribute to the delivery the long-term garden development plan including design, restoration and promotion.
6. Contribute to the long-term restoration work both in the Walled Garden and the surrounding garden areas.
7. Contribute to the overall function of the gardens including but not limited to painting and decoration of garden furniture, cleaning of pathways and other basic DIY tasks.
8. Manage the use and maintenance of all electrical and mechanical equipment and be responsible for timely servicing of equipment as agreed with the Head Gardener.
9. Be responsible for personal Health & Safety always and ensure good practice is followed by Volunteers.
10. To undertake the administrative activities required of the role.
11. Be prepared to work occasional weekends and evenings to support the delivery of your role.
General Responsibilities
12. Ensure the safety and wellbeing of all employees, staff, volunteers and visitors of the Powell-Cotton Museum through supporting the senior management team in delivering the implementation of the Health and Safety policy and its arrangements across the organisation.
13. Take personal responsibility to demonstrate the Powell-Cotton Trust brand of inclusivity, curiosity, and equality. Every employee is an ambassador in the community for the organisation.
14. Ensure compliance with all Powell-Cotton Trust policies.
15. Undertake appropriate training and development as available and determined with your line manager. Take responsibility for keeping your knowledge current and in line with changes in law and best practice, with particular regards to health and safety.
16. Promote equal opportunities in the delivery of your job role as well as employment and procurement practices, ensuring the service reflects and provides for the community.
17. Undertake other duties as requested by the Head Gardener.
A probationary 6 month review period applies for all new staff.
How to apply
Please visit https://powell-cottonmuseum.org/support-us/work-with-us/ for further information and to download the application form.
Closing date: 30th August 2024