Head Gardener

Exciting opportunity to make your mark.

Goodwood is looking for a Head Gardener to help create a beautiful garden that builds on the Estate's illustrious heritage and gives visitors an exceptional experience.

The Goodwood garden dates back to the 1720’s and is predominantly a wooded landscape garden, with some existing formal areas and herbaceous borders.  The garden becomes a central focus during the annual headline events: the Festival of Speed, the Goodwood Revival and the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

As the custodian of the garden, your primary responsibility will be to lead, inspire and energise the existing team of gardeners and work alongside other Heads of Department on the estate, in particular the Head of Forestry and the Farm Manager.  Also, the person will play an important role in the new Estate Stewardship Team, helping to implement a Sustainability Programme and Conservation Management Plan for the wider Goodwood estate.

The Duke and Duchess of Richmond have an ambitious vision for the garden to move forward in ways that respect and understand its past, whilst at the same time establishing a new and ambitious standard of horticultural excellence.  You will be responsible for turning that vision into reality by creating a timetabled strategy and plan, taking ownership of it and executing it.  You will lead and inspire the existing team of six gardeners.

What you’ll need:

• Qualified to at least RHS level 3
• Demonstrable garden development experience
• You’ll be a creative thinker with the ability to translate vision into reality
• Experience in engaging and leading a team to understand the vision and strategy through coaching, active listening and feedback
• Experience of kitchen gardening, cut flowers and plant propagation
• A good plantsperson

What you’ll get:

A competitive package which will include:

• Accommodation in a pretty estate cottage
• Training and development opportunities
• A company pension with employer contributions
• Discounted products from across the Estate
• Free Gym and Health Club Membership
• A health cash plan and access to a comprehensive wellbeing package
• Event tickets to our motorsport and horseracing events