About the job

Job summary

Kew Gardens holds one of the most diverse collections of living plants in the world. Among the most valuable of these are the glasshouse collections contained within Kew’s conservatories and glasshouses.  These plant collections play an essential part in delivering RBG Kew’s research, conservation and visitor engagement objectives.

The Head of Glasshouse Collections is responsible for overseeing all aspects of management and development of the display and conservation glasshouses. This includes leading a diverse team of botanical horticulturists engaged in caring for the collections, as well as maintaining meticulous standards of plant records and curation. The role also includes planning and monitoring budgets and maintaining standards of health and safety and environmental management.

Kew’s display glasshouses, including the Palm House and Temperate House, are iconic features within the World Heritage Site landscape. Over the next few years, the Palm House will undergo a major renovation. This role will play an essential part in the project by helping to coordinate horticultural with capital works elements.

Job description

Our ideal candidate will have a degree or equivalent in a relevant horticultural discipline together with significant post qualification experience.  They will have extensive experience of managing diverse glasshouse collections for conservation and public display. They will also have a good knowledge of a broad range of glasshouse plants and their cultivation, and an ability to communicate this knowledge through a range of media.

Person specification

The successful candidate will have managed and helped develop teams of horticulturalists and have good interpersonal and organisational skills. They will have an ability to independently plan, prioritise, and delegate work as appropriate. They will also have the confidence to build strong collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Skilled written and verbal communication will be essential in order to explain technical details and promote a culture where exemplary horticulture is seen as a top priority and a shared responsibility.

Interviews are due to tentatively take place on 21st August.

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 through the online portal, by clicking “Apply for this job”.

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.