Highdown Gardens Plant Heritage Officer

Post title

Highdown Gardens Plant Heritage Officer (3 Year Temporary Contract)

Salary	Starting from £29,636 to £33,799 per annum
Grade	Grade 6
Hours	37 hours per week
Place of work	Highdown Gardens, Goring by Sea, BN12 6FB

Closing date	Wednesday 21st August 2019
Interviews	Thursday 29th August 2019

Duties of the post:

Highdown Gardens is a Grade II* listed garden of global importance set on the chalk downs near Worthing in West Sussex.  Originally laid out by Sir Frederick Stern from Edwardian plant hunter-collected specimens, the gardens were bequeathed to Worthing Borough Council in 1968.  In 1989, the gardens were recognised by the NCCPG (now Plant Heritage), and were awarded the status of housing a National Plant Collection of plants collected by Sir Frederick Stern.

Worthing Borough Council has recently been successful in its application for National Lottery Heritage Funding, and protecting the National Collection through a propagation programme is core to the project.

Therefore, a rare opportunity has arisen to manage and care for the National Collection plants at Highdown Gardens.  This position is a 3 year post funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

To find out more about Highdown Gardens, please visit http://www.highdowngardens.co.uk/

Applicants must have extensive horticultural knowledge, and be passionate and skilled in plant identification and propagation.  A self-starter, the successful candidate will identify and validate plants in the National Collection, create a propagation programme and develop relationships with other collection holders or gardens where propagated material will be shared. 

In addition, the successful applicant will be responsible for developing a propagation facility where visitors can view, take part in and learn about propagation techniques used within the gardens. 

The position has no direct line management responsibilities, but the post holder will be required to develop and train volunteers and staff on propagation techniques. 

Equal Opportunities
Adur and Worthing councils have a commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Adur District and Worthing Borough Councils are equal opportunities employers and encourages applications from people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, people of any religion or belief or sexual orientation and job sharers. Childcare subsidy is payable in appropriate cases. Work base location is indicated, however you may be asked to work at any such place within the Adur District and Worthing Borough Council Service’s area as required.


Additional Information
As part of Adur & Worthing Council’s ongoing commitment to redeployment, please note that this vacancy may be withdrawn at any stage of the recruitment process, without prior notice if a suitable redeployee (internal employee at risk of redundancy) is identified.

In order to apply for this vacancy please use the Apply Online link below. No CVs or agency applications accepted.