York Museums Trust

Job description

Job title:	Gardens Team Member
Department:	Gardens Team	Contract:	Permanent
Reporting To:	Garden Manager	Hours per week:	26.25

1. Job purpose

To ensure that visitors to the garden have a high quality, safe, informative, memorable and enjoyable Visitor Experience. To carry out key holder responsibilities for opening and closing the Gardens.

Undertake all horticultural tasks as required on a seasonal basis as directed by the Garden Manager and Garden Duty Managers. Renovating and developing the Garden and ancillary sites.

Maintain the Garden to a high standard of presentation utilising a range of garden tools and machinery to accomplish daily tasks and scheduled project work.

To carry out daily monitoring of the Gardens ensuring security of the grounds and managing difficult situations, intervening in and/or requesting support / reporting to the appropriate bodies (e.g. CYC, police or Street Rangers). Handle instances of anti-social behaviour diplomatically and in accordance with YMT policy.

2. Dimensions

The Gardens receive circa 1.3 million visitors per annum and are a Scheduled Ancient monument site and registered historic Garden. The Garden is also the showcase setting for the Yorkshire Museum and Hospitium wedding and conferencing venue and connected to York Art Gallery,

Museum Gardens consists of 12.5 acres of ornamental green space, a number of historic buildings, archaeological remains and over 250 trees. The plant collection is diverse and includes rarities and some regional Champion Trees.

To work closely with internal departments across the Trust, external bodies such as YBAC, Eboracum Security, PCSO’s and the Police to maintain the safety of the Gardens and visitors.

To work outdoors as required in all weather in the Garden and ancillary sites.

3. Principal accountabilities

To undertake a wide range of horticultural tasks as set by the Garden Duty Managers and with overall direction from the Garden Manager. The team member to accommodate and plan their workload on a weekly basis around other competing site priorities (such as events) and factoring in weather conditions.

To undertake regular seasonal horticultural maintenance tasks to care for and enhance our botanical collection and to achieve a high standard of presentation of the Garden, including our outdoor archaeological collection and the presentation of our historic buildings in the Garden setting, as part of our garden visitor experience strategy.

To undertake renovative and development work of borders and other garden areas under the direction of the Garden Manager aligned to Garden strategy.

Landscaping work to include grass maintenance and collaborating with the Estates team on hard landscaping projects such as perimeter maintenance, paving, retaining walls, fencing and garden furniture.

To utilise a full range of garden tools, machinery and vehicles including tractor and trailer to maximise the efficient and effective completion of tasks. To use these items in an appropriate manner in a garden open to the public and in close proximity to visitors, aligned with YMT Health & Safety policies. Responsibie for minor maintenance checks and repairs of tools and machinery outside of external servicing programme (e.g. oil levels, blade replacement, filter

replacement etc.) Responsible and proficient in safe assembly of tractor front loader, leaf collector with PTO shaft, trailer, spiker and counterweights.

Undertake the delivery of regular Garden Tours covering the history of the site, the development of the Garden, and elements of our botanical collection and horticultural initiatives.

Responsibility for taking cash donations and card payments for Tours and Plant Sales. Keyholder duties for opening and closing the Gardens on a daily basis. Responsibility for opening

and closing the site in the absence of the Garden Manager and Garden Duty Managers. Responsibility for daily waste management in the Garden.

Responsibility for the decision as to whether the Garden can remain open to visitors in the absence of the Garden Manager and Garden Duty Managers in the event of dangerous weather conditions in line with YMT policy. In these instances, Garden Team members are responsible

for notifying the Senior Leadership Team and for liaising with the Yorkshire Museum management team to agree a safe visitor evacuation plan. To maintain a strong, visible presence in the Garden and act confidently, reassuringly and tactfully, whilst ensuring Garden and site visitor rules are being adhered to. To act as a deterrent

and manage difficult situations in an appropriate manner using initiative and diplomacy to address such issues as anti-social behaviour, vandalism, alcohol and drug use. To request external security and emergency services support as necessary. In cases of emergency to stay on site after hours until issue resolution.

To work alongside volunteers, work experience students and community groups and VE team members ensuring they have a safe, enjoyable and educational experience on site. In the absence of the Garden Supervisor, to supervise them undertaking garden maintenance tasks as agreed with and under the direction of the Garden Manager.

To support and work alongside internal departments and external organisations as required to ensure events and initiatives in the Garden are carried out effectively, to help achieve YMT commercial and organisational objectives.

York Museums Trust

To hold First Aid certificates and provide initial first aid in the Gardens and have knowledge of how and where to obtain further treatment following training. To carry out regular checks of 1st Aid supplies.

Other duties

Undertake any other duties from time to time that may be required by the Garden Manager and Garden Duty Managers, which are consistent with the grading of this post.

4. Key performance measures.

Annual Performance Development Reviews

• Annual Objectives

Garden presentation

Completion of tasks to a high standard

Completion of tasks in a timely and effective manner

Willingness to work alongside colleagues, volunteers, work experience students and community groups.

Behaviours (proactive, positive, flexible & diplomatic)

Effective liaison with other YMT teams and external bodies

• Observation of YMT policies including Health and Safety guidelines

5. Knowledge, skills, experience and behaviours

Knowledge

• RHS Level 2 qualification or equivalent practical experience or commitment to learn.

Horticultural understanding of the nature of bulbs, annuals, biennials, perennials, shrubs and trees.

Knowledge of wide range of seasonal horticultural tasks and can describe how to accomplish them.

Knowledge of safe use of tools and garden machinery e.g. strimmer, hedge cutter and blower.

Knowledge of how to safely connect tractor assemblages such as trailer, leaf collector with PTO shaft, spiker and front loader.

Skills

• Competent communicator comfortable speaking to a wide range of audiences.

• Diplomatic in dealings with the general public and colleagues.

Horticultural maintenance abilities (weeding, planting, leaf collection, watering, use of manual lawn mower etc..) including use of tools and garden machinery.

• IT literate - PC skills including data entry, email and ability to access information online.

Practical aptitude and ability to carry out simple repairs, maintenance and safety awareness of tools and machinery.

Chainsaw and / or spraying license desirable.

Experience

Gardening experience or training e.g horticultural college qualification

• Experience of using garden machinery including tractor driving or a willingness to learn

• Demonstrable face to face experience with the general public

Experience of managing difficult situations

Experience of enforcing rules

• Experience of working with volunteers and or community groups

Behaviours

• Positive and proactive, can demonstrates examples of taking the initiative

Team player

• Flexible approach to work

Commitment to and advocacy of equality, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and understanding how these apply to the role

6. Key relationships

Garden Manager

Gardener Duty Manager

Members of the public

Garden Volunteers & Work Experience students

Estates Team

Venues Team

Yorkshire Museum and Art Gallery VE Teams

Onsite Concessions

External bodies ( e.g. Eboracum Security, PCSO’s, Police)