About the job

Job summary

We are looking for an experienced governance professional to provide effective governance and assurance at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. This is a unique opportunity to utilise and develop your skills in an organisation with multifaceted governance – charity, public body, company subsidiaries – working in a small friendly team which supports the Director of Kew, senior management team and Kew’s boards and committees. Kew has ambitious plans, and it is an exciting time to join the team. The job is located at our beautiful Kew Gardens site in South West London and is open to hybrid working.

Job description

Our successful candidate will have a strong track record in corporate governance in the public and/or charity sector, experience in audit and assurance activities and in writing and embedding policies.

Person specification

They will be highly organised with excellent written and verbal communication skills, meticulous attention to detail, adept at managing a varied workload and confident working with senior stakeholders.

Interviews are planned for 2 May 2024.

This role is based at Kew with the option of regular home working, subject to operational requirements.

Benefits

Our fantastic benefits package includes opportunities for continuous learning, a generous annual leave entitlement, flexible working to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance, an Employee Assistance Programme and other wellbeing support such as cycle to work scheme and discounted gym membership. We also offer a competitive pension, an employee discount scheme and free entry into a wide range of national museums and galleries, as well as access to our own beautiful gardens at Kew and Wakehurst.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

If you are interested in this position, please submit your application via the Kew Gardens website. 

We are dedicated to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to interview disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.

No agencies please.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.