The Gardens Trust
70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ
Phone: (+44/0) 207 608 2409
Email: enquiries@thegardenstrust.org
Assistant Historic Landscape Project Officer Recruitment Pack
Salary: £22,300 pro rata, (potential for performance-related increase)
Hours of Work: 24.5 hours per week
Location: home-based but with travel especially to London
Annual Leave Entitlement: 28 days per annum (including Bank and other public holidays) pro rata
Pension: In keeping with the new government pension legislation, all employees are required to
enrol into a work place pension. Legal & General manage the Garden Trust’s pension contributions.
Period of contract: until 31st March 2017, with an aspiration to continuation depending on funding
being secured
Purpose of the post
The Assistant Historic Landscape Project Officer will support the Historic Landscape Project Officer in
the delivery of the grant-aided Historic Landscape Project in England, which contributes to delivering
The Gardens Trust’s aim to conserve historic designed landscapes through capacity building the
County Gardens Trusts and growing their conservation role.
The post will seek to combine with the Historic Landscape Project Officer to enhance the
professional knowledge and skills of volunteers in the County Garden Trusts and The Gardens Trust
to maximise the conservation opportunities for historic designed landscapes through research
projects, responding to planning applications, raising local awareness, and working with
professional bodies. The HLP team will nurture and develop ways to help CGTs grow their
conservation work and to place it on a sustainable basis.
The Gardens Trust is a Registered Charity No: 1053446 and a Company Limited by Guarantee,
Registered in England and Wales No: 3163187
Assistant Historic Landscape Project Officer Main Duties and Responsibilities
1. Maintain and develop the Historic Landscape Project’s online Resource Hub.
2. Review, develop and monitor the County Gardens Trusts’ email group.
3. Maintain the HLP’s contribution to The Gardens Trust website.
4. Work with the HLPO to organise appropriate training and networking events, including
venue liaison, publicity and bookings, and support on the day.
5. Work with the HLPO to provide appropriate support materials for CGT volunteers.
6. Support the HLPO in preparing reports and updates for both monitoring and publicity
purposes.
7. Review and operate appropriate social media, including Twitter and Facebook.
8. Ensure smooth communications with County Gardens Trusts and other stakeholders, in
liaison with other staff and volunteers within The Gardens Trust.
9. Liaise with CGT, the Conservation Officer, and the HLPO where appropriate to ensure
effective use of the HLP’s training and support offer.
10. Support the HLPO in building networks between CGTs, TGT and other organisations.
11. Represent the HLP at meetings both within TGT and externally, where necessary.
12. Liaise with and work closely with the persons sharing this post, ensuring coordination of
work programmes.
The Gardens Trust is a Registered Charity No: 1053446 and a Company Limited by Guarantee,
Registered in England and Wales No: 3163187
Person specification
DESIRABLE
ESSENTIAL
TRAINING, EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
 Experience of working within the heritage or  Qualification in a related subject
historic environment sector
 Experience of working within small to
medium not-for-profit organisations
 Experience of working with volunteers
 Experience of event management
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
 Broad knowledge of the history of
 Good knowledge of the historic
designed landscape in England, and
environment sector and
conservation issues and priorities
planning policy as they relate to
historic designed landscapes
 Ability to approach problems and
possible solutions in a practical and
 Understanding of the planning system
creative way
and how to achieve the conservation of
historic designed landscapes within this
 Self-motivated, dynamic and organized
system
 Ability to use social media platforms

Proven advocacy skills
 Confident at using and managing online
 Public speaking
resources, including websites
 Excellent IT skills, particularly in
 Presentation tools such as video, and
Powerpoint, Excel and Word
You Tube
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
 Experience of managing the work of
 Experience of working with volunteers
both self and others, including
 Strong customer orientation
experience of working with volunteers
 Ability to work to tight deadlines
 Willingness to work flexibly
 Good oral and written communication
skills, including presentation skills
 Ability to communicate persuasively
with a wide range of people
 Ability to build good relationships with
stakeholders
 Ability to write clear and concise reports
which accurately analyse the issues and
provide firm recommendations.
The Gardens Trust is a Registered Charity No: 1053446 and a Company Limited by Guarantee,
Registered in England and Wales No: 3163187
Management Structure and Reporting
The Assistant Historic Landscape Project Officer will be issued with a contract of employment by The
Gardens Trust. Tax and National Insurance will be deducted from salary at source.
The Assistant HLPO will be accountable to the Historic Landscape Project Officer as their immediate
line manager, and then to the Vice-Chair of The Gardens Trust’s Conservation Committee, who
reports to the The Gardens Trust’s Board.
The HLP is a project from The Gardens Trust, jointly funded by Historic England, and submits regular
monitoring reports to Historic England.
The Historic Landscape Project team work in close collaboration with the Conservation Officer and
Conservation Casework Manager, as well as administrative staff and The Gardens Trust committee
members.
The Gardens Trust Board has overall oversight of the delivery of strategic policies.
Background to the role
The Historic Landscape Project supports and builds capacity within County Gardens Trusts in working
proactively to help conserve England’s historic designed landscapes. It is a well-established project
from The Gardens Trust, with funding from Historic England. It has been consistently funded since its
pilot stage in 2010 and is currently developing a strategy to ensure increased funding on a secure
basis.
The Gardens Trust (The GT) was created in July 2015 following the merger of The Garden History
Society and the Association of Gardens Trusts. It acts as a link between the independent County
Gardens Trusts, and their combined membership is around 8000. The Gardens Trust is the statutory
consultee for designed landscapes so comments on planning applications that may affect historic
parks and gardens, working closely with volunteers in the County Gardens Trusts (CGTs).
CGTs are locally-based charities across England caring for designed landscapes, operating
independently but linked through The Gardens Trust. In the 21st century, volunteers from the CGTs
have a vital role to play in the research, recording, history and conservation of our heritage.
Increasingly, CGTs are an important and respected voice offering authoritative advice on historic
designed landscapes in the modern world, and the Historic Landscape Project is crucial to achieving
this success.
The Gardens Trust is a Registered Charity No: 1053446 and a Company Limited by Guarantee,
Registered in England and Wales No: 3163187
Approved Aims of the Historic Landscape Project 2016-17
 To develop the capacity of CGTs and individual GT members to enable them to engage
more effectively in proactive conservation management

Review and embed Forums in the annual calendar of CGT and The GT events.

To enhance the skills of CGTs and individual The GT members in responding appropriately
to planning applications and hence enhance the capacity of the Gardens Trust to respond
to such consultations and requests for advice relating to historic designed landscapes,
including the development of appropriate guidance to support this.

To continue to improve and promote partnership working and exchange of information
and advice on historic designed landscapes with others involved in landscape
conservation, in particular HE, NE, the National Amenity Societies and local authorities.

To contribute to the raised profile and greater understanding of the role of CGTs in
conservation leading to greater opportunities for volunteer involvement and training –
with the result that a majority of CGTs from across the regions will be actively engaged in
conservation work and engaging in a ‘national heritage discussion’.

To review, develop and embed an accessible online facility (‘Resource Hub’) for the
sharing of information and ideas between the stakeholders.
The Gardens Trust is a Registered Charity No: 1053446 and a Company Limited by Guarantee,
Registered in England and Wales No: 3163187