Head Ecological Gardener

Job Summary:

It is an exciting time to join the team at Westport Estate offering the opportunity to become part of a truly transformational change within the overall vision to reimagine the entire Estate within the 433-acre grounds as a unique visitor experience.

Westport Estate are currently seeking to appoint a Head Ecological Gardener to join the team. The candidate will be responsible for managing and developing the unique eco system restoration for these extensive gardens This is an exciting project which is driven by native plant and habitat restoration and is an exciting opportunity to be part of a transformational change in how we interact with our landscapes in the public realm.

Principle Responsibilities

       Managing and motivating a growing team.

       Managing the continuing development of the historic estate, while working closely with the Estate Manager and the landscape consultants on the design development and implementation of numerous project area with

a strong ecological focus.

       Management of a large plant and vegetable garden..

       Management and recording of Invasive weeds and associated treatments.

       Establishing a baseline and maintaining records of new species restoration.

       Managing the estates horticultural budget, staff resources and future landscape project areas in coherence with the Estate manager.

       Liaising with the onsite native plant nursery staff and developing key plant communities for each area of the estate.

       Train and develop the gardening team to enable them to confidently deal with all aspects of their roles in order to restore ecosystems and correctly manage the maintenance of same.

       Interactively communicating and developing constant ecological awareness for the public, through habitat creation, messaging with and interacting with the public to engage awareness and excitement about the

returning native species and their connections.

      This job description is not intended to be either prescriptive or exhaustive, it is issued as a framework to outline main areas of responsibilities at the time of writing.

Required Skills

The ideal candidate will be creative and innovative and have a sense of excitement for ongoing and future projects with a flexibility to adapt and develop innovative ecologically driven maintenance techniques.

       They will have a broad knowledge of ecology, entomology and passion for native plants and their wider connections and associations in the local food web.

       They will be self-motivated, physically fit and able to work efficiently.

       They will have excellent leadership skills, with a track record and ability to grow and develop the landscape team as the project areas expand.

       Must have a proven track record for the management and development of ecological strategies and resource allocation over a wide variety of projects.

       Must have a strong proficiency in Microsoft office suite and a strong ability to work with record keeping.

       Strong interpersonal, communication, media and public engagement skills.

Preferred Experience & Qualifications

       A recognized level 8 qualification in ecology and / or Horticulture and relevant experience of at least 5 years.

       Familiarity with organic principles and ecosystem restoration.

 Westport Estate is an equal opportunity employer.

We strive to create and maintain a diverse workforce where everyone is respected and included.