Job Description
Role: Gardener - Combined
Maintenance Team
Reports to: Estate Manager
Location: Newhailes, Musselburgh,
EH21 6RY
February 2015
Business Function: Properties & Visitor Services
Pay Band/Starting Salary: Band C / £17,544
Type of Contract: Fixed Term –1 year/ full-time 39
hours per week (usually Mon-Thurs 8am-4pm and
Friday 8-3pm with occasional weekend or evening
working for which time off in lieu will be given).
Terms and conditions
- The post is subject to the standard terms and conditions provided with the
application pack
PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
To support the Estate Manager in the maintenance, improvement and development of
gardens and landscapes across a number of Trust properties within Central Scotland by
supervising staff and volunteers (Combined Maintenance Team) and delivering works to the
highest possible standards.
The properties include the following gardens and designed landscapes:





Newhailes - an early 18th Century designed landscape, which currently lies hidden
beneath the surface and which provides the teams’ main base;
The House of The Binns - a typically Reptonian designed landscape with a historic
collection of landscape trees, a woodland garden and other 19th Century landscape
features;
Alloa Tower – a 14th Century tower which sits within a now much reduced and
simple landscape;
Bannockburn - a significant Scottish battlefield (1314) and visitor centre with
extensive grassland and some woodland;
Preston Mill – an 18th Century water powered grain mill.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
The Key Purposes of the Job will be met by:




Assistance with the management, support and daily supervision of CMT staff and
volunteers such that they fulfil their roles to the standard required by the Estate
Manager, and feel valued and respected;
Input into management plans and agreed work programmes;
Assistance with (to time, budget and agreed standards) work plans for daily
maintenance, cyclical and one-off projects within the context of the Property
Statements and Garden Schedule;
Where suppliers and contractors are used for the delivery of specific services (e.g. for
tree-work, building work, events etc), assistance with ensuring that these are
adequately inducted and supervised;









Assistance with the overall conservation, maintenance and development of the
gardens and historic designed landscapes within the context of the Trust’s policies
and standards.
Infrastructure maintenance: roads and paths, steps, furniture, hedges, shelterbelts,
car parks and courtyards.
Emptying of dog bins and litter picking
Assisting property staff with the preparation and setting up for special events.
Routine and skilled horticultural operations:
 Turf maintenance: weed control, mowing and leaf clearance
 Management of plants, including pruning, tying-in, planting and
transplanting, training and supporting, feeding and mulching, deadheading, plant labelling, composting and general tidying up
 Tree care including minor tree surgery
 Tool and machinery maintenance including basic servicing
 Minor hard landscaping works
 Composting
 Maintenance of garden furniture or ornaments
 Pest, disease and weed control including the use of pesticides and
spraying equipment, hoeing and hand-weeding
Assistance with administration, including the delivery of required reports, response to
correspondence, budgetary management, maintenance of records etc.;
Playing an active role in the property’s security and emergency response procedures;
Ensuring all activities comply with the Trust’s “Safe System of Work” (H&S
policy/procedure) and “Environmental Policy”.
Delegate fully for the Estate Manager when on annual leave or on a day off.
The duties of this job do not require a criminal records (Disclosure Scotland) check to be
carried out.
SCOPE OF ROLE
Technical Knowledge & Qualifications
 A recognised horticultural qualification at least to the level of NVQ/SVQ Level 2 but
preferably National, RHS or Botanic Garden Diploma or equivalent or be able to display
comparable knowledge;
 Current PA1 and PA6 certification;
 Appropriate current chainsaw certification and recent practical experience in a garden
environment, to at least levels CS30, CS31 and CS32 is desirable;
 Driving Licence, valid for driving within the UK including, if age relevant, Category E
entitlement to tow trailers.
People Management
 Will be required to supervise staff and volunteers on a daily basis as delegated by the
Estate Manager;
 Work with others as part of the wider property ‘team’;
 Occasional working with external contractors;
 Regular interaction with members of the visiting public.
Tools/equipment


Will be a frequent user of driven vehicles such as tractors, ride-on mowers, pick-up
truck;
Will be a frequent user of powered tools such as, chainsaws, mowers, strimmers, hedgecutters, etc.
SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE
The above outlines the key skills the job holder will need to possess and exercise. In
addition, either knowledge of or experience in the following is required:
Essential
 Good working knowledge of the management of heritage gardens and designed
landscapes, with recognised expertise as a professional amenity gardener, with an
excellent and wide knowledge of horticultural techniques;
 Experience in basic DIY skills;
 Experience of supervising and motivating a team;
 Self-motivation and ability to work with the minimum of direction to a high standard,
though willing to seek appropriate professional advice when necessary;
 Flexible with working hours to finish a job. Longer working hours will be expected at
certain times of year for which time in lieu will be given;
 Must be able to undertake physically strenuous outdoor work throughout the year;
 Sympathetic eye for detail and finish with a ‘can do’ attitude;
 Ability to think and act quickly if confronted with emergencies;
 Good organizational and time-management skills including the ability to prioritise/reprioritise workload to suit changing demands;
 Belief in the aims and objectives of the National Trust for Scotland;
 Sound practical knowledge of Health and Safety processes and procedures, including
COSHH, Safe System of Work, risk assessment and emergency procedures, to ensure the
security and safety of staff and visitors;
 Competence in basic use of IT (email, internet, word processing).
Desirable
 Experienced in tree inspections (or willingness to train);
 Experienced in working with volunteers;
 An interest in Scottish history and heritage.
The Key Responsibilities, Scope of Job, and Required Qualifications, Skills, Experience &
Knowledge reflect the requirements of the job at the time of issue. The Trust reserves the
right to amend these with appropriate consultation and/or request the post-holder to
undertake any activities that it believes to be reasonable within the broad scope of the job or
his/her general abilities.
Applications
Interested applicants should forward a completed application form to Human Resources
Department (Applications), The National Trust for Scotland, Hermiston Quay, 5 Cultins
Road, Edinburgh EH11 4DF, by mail or by email via workforus@nts.org.uk, by first post (i.e.
10.00am) on 2 March 2015. Interviews are likely to be held at Newhailes on 11 March 2015.