Heritage Garden & Nursery Manager

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Location: Furzey Gardens, Minstead

Salary: £31,050 per annum

Are you a passionate horticultural professional with expertise in plant propagation, nursery management and sustainable planting?

Do you want your work to make a meaningful difference to people’s lives?

Furzey Gardens , part of Minstead Trust, are looking for an experienced Heritage Garden & Nursery Manager to lead the horticultural development and nursery operations of our award-winning gardens. This is an exciting opportunity to combine your horticultural expertise with a rewarding social purpose, supporting neuro disabled people to develop confidence, skills, and meaningful experiences through gardening and plant-based activities.

About the role:

Working closely with our Estate Gardener, you will play a key role in protecting Furzey’s horticultural heritage, developing climate-resilient planting schemes, growing our nursery operation., and contributing to the long-term success of the gardens.

Key responsibilities:

Horticultural Leadership

• Develop and deliver long-term horticultural plans that enhance and protect the character and heritage of Furzey Gardens
• Lead the development of climate-resilient and sustainable planting schemes
• Oversee the care and management of historic shrubs, trees and specialist plant collections
• Identify opportunities to improve planting sustainability and future resilience
• Keep abreast of emerging horticultural practices and environmental challenges.

Nursery Management & Income Generation

• Lead and develop the Furzey nursery operation
• Create and implement propagation and plant production plans
• Expand the nursery offer to improve quality, variety and commercial performance
• Explore opportunities to increase plant sales and nursery income
• Reduce reliance on purchased stock through effective propagation programmes
• Manage nursery budgets and identify efficiencies.

People We Support

• Work alongside colleagues to create meaningful horticultural opportunities for neuro disabled people
• Support individuals to develop practical skills in gardening, propagation and nursery activities
• Contribute to vocational and employability-focused horticultural programmes
• Encourage participation through co-produced projects and activities.

Catering Operations

• Oversee food preparation, presentation and service standards
• Manage stock control, minimise waste and maximise profitability
• Maintain a 5-star food hygiene standard and ensure compliance with food safety legislation
• Support the development of seasonal menus and new product offerings.

Partnerships & Community Engagement

• Develop relationships with public gardens, specialist nurseries and horticultural organisations
• Build networks that support heritage planting, sustainability and horticultural excellence
• Support corporate partners, volunteers and external stakeholders
• Foster a positive volunteer experience and help people understand their contribution to Furzey Gardens and Minstead Trust.

About you:

Essential Requirements

• Demonstrable specialist plant knowledge
• Experience in plant propagation and plant production
• Experience managing or supporting a nursery operation
• Strong knowledge of plant health management
• Experience in seasonal horticultural planning
• Understanding of climate-resilient and sustainable planting approaches
• Experience managing budgets
• Strong IT skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a positive, proactive attitude
• Ability to identify and develop horticultural projects and business opportunities
• Experience working collaboratively with volunteers, community groups or similar stakeholders.

Desirable Requirements

• RHS Level 3 qualification (or equivalent) in Horticulture
• Experience within heritage, public or visitor gardens
• Experience developing commercial nursery operations
• Project management experience
• Experience delivering horticultural training
• Experience supporting neuro disabled people
• Experience working within a charity environment.

What benefits can we offer you?

• 33 days’ holiday (Pro Rata), inclusive of Bank Holidays
• A Celebration Day’s Leave for your birthday
• Death in Service Insurance
• Company Pension
• An easy access health and wellbeing scheme
• Cycle to work
• Blue Light Card eligibility
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay
• Company Sick Pay

We are not licenced to sponsor employees for visas; therefore, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role. You need to have, or be able to obtain, right to work in the UK in order to take up this position.

All staff working for, or on behalf of Minstead Trust, understand their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding adults at risk and know who to escal... concerns to within Minstead Trust.

Due to the nature of this employment sector your application is subject to a successful Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS).

No terminology in the advert you have seen is intended to discriminate on the grounds of age, gender, race, colour, religion, disability or sexual orientation, and we will gladly accept applications from all sections of the community.