Job description
Job title:
Gardens Duty Manager
Department:
Gardens Team
Contract:
Permanent
Reporting To:
Garden Manager
Hours per week:
37
1. Job purpose
Following instruction from the Gardens Manager, to line manage, supervise and work alongside
the Garden Team members and volunteers on the horticultural elements of the role. Assist the
Garden Manager in ensuring that visitors have a high quality, safe, informative, memorable and
enjoyable Visitor Experience. To carry out key holder responsibilities for opening and closing the
Gardens at the end of each day.
To work cooperatively and equitably with the other Garden Duty Manager to line manage, lead
and supervise Garden operations in line with the Garden strategy, horticultural routines and
seasonal activities as set by the Garden Manager. Day-to-day overseeing and involvement in
horticultural, garden maintenance and presentation tasks and projects, leading and working
alongside the Team.
To carry out day to day monitoring of the Gardens ensuring security of the grounds and support
the team by managing difficult situations, intervening in and/or reporting to the relevant
services any instances of anti-social behaviour as appropriate and in accordance with YMT
policy.
2. Dimensions
To work outdoors in all weathers leading and supervising garden operations 37 hrs a week on
a fixed working day pattern but providing flexibility when the role requires to fit with the needs
of the Garden Manager and the Trust.
The Gardens receive circa 1.5 million visitors per annum and are the showcase setting for the
Yorkshire Museum and Hospitium wedding and conferencing venue.
Museum Gardens is 12.5 acres of green space with a plant collection in excess of 2500
species and including 6 County Champion trees.
To work closely with internal department key contacts helping to coordinate and/ or support
their initiatives in the Garden.
To work closely with external bodies such as YBAC, Eboracum Security, PCSO’s and the Police
to maintain the safety of the Gardens.
3. Principal accountabilities
Key point of contact between the Garden Manager and Garden Team, responsible for line
managing Garden team members and have responsibility for ensuring the day-to-day tasks are
being carried out in accordance with the Garden Manager’s instructions.
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Work flexibly with other Garden Duty Manager and the Garden Manager to ensure that all
gardens responsibilities are covered and meet the needs of the business and the visitor
experience, (including grass maintenance, polytunnel, and general garden maintenance)
To be the key point of contact for the Gardens Team in the absence of the Garden Manager and
assume responsibility for delivery of horticultural tasks.
To lead, monitor and motivate the Garden Team 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 and protocols around the management of anti-social behaviour and
emergencies within the Garden.
Coordinate the opening of the Gardens in the morning and actively assuming responsibility for
Museum Gardens site after the end of normal office hours, clearing and locking the garden
securely at the end of each day.
In cases of emergency – to stay on site until issue resolution.
Responsible for overseeing all horticultural tasks are addressed to maintain a high standard of
presentation in the Garden and to lead by example and clearly set the standard quality of work
required by the team, supporting, training, coaching and disciplining where required.
To be accountable for all aspects of the annual grass maintenance programme including grass
repair and the allocation of associated tasks (mowing, strimming, edging etc..) within the team
to deliver a high standard of presentation.
Responsible for carrying out regular basic maintenance of all tools and machinery, and takes
responsibility in ensuring team members understand the associated Health & Safety
considerations for all handling of equipment by the team.
Responsibility for ensuring regular Garden visitor counts and Incident Reports are undertaken
by the team.
Responsibility for the coordination of Garden Tours, Plant Sales Bench and Pop Up Plant Sales,
and reporting income generated. Plan for a series of plants to be grown in the polytunnel so
there is always seasonal plants for sale available to visitors and to fulfil the Garden planting
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requirements. Work closely with Retail Manager and site Duty Managers to implement
operational processes.
Liaison with the Marketing & Comms team to ensure Garden Team events and collaborations
are promoted. Feed in online content and highlight changes to be made.
Lead Garden Tours for Community Groups along with the Garden Manager as requested by
Community Participation Manager and opportunities presented through external requests with
the opportunity to generate donations to YMT.
Coordinate ad hoc Citizen Science activities as directed by the Garden Manager.
Manage the staff rota to ensure minimum cover for the Garden and the safety of site, visitors
and staff is maintained, and arrange appropriate cover when required. Liaise with site Duty
Managers to source cover options.
Train up Visitor Experience staff who provide cover in the Garden.
To be responsible for the maintenance of the polytunnel structure and working areas, good
hygiene within the polytunnel for optimum plant production. Responsibility for the delivery of the
annual polytunnel objectives as directed by the Garden Manager.
To monitor regular litter picks are undertaken by the team and responsible for the management
of the bins in the garden and any other tasks as required by the Garden Manager.
To coordinate the team when working alongside Garden volunteers and work experience
students as agreed with the Garden Manager.
Promote and develop equality and diversity in line with YMT Equality Statement.
Monitor events in the Garden to ensure internal and external organisers and attendees work
within YMT guidelines and Historic England parameters of what is acceptable within the
historic garden and site of a scheduled ancient monument.
Emergency Situations Responsibilities:
• To act as the operational level emergency manager or crisis leader on behalf of the
organisation, deferring to the Garden Manager if they are on site.
• To inform the appropriate managers and colleagues of any emergency situation in a
timely manner e.g. CEO, health and Safety advisor, etc
• When activated, to coordinate the frontline response within a designated site or area.
• To ensure that all of our visitors are safe and well looked after including those with
disabilities who may need additional support.
• To lead the tactical response, identifying key reactive and proactive response issues and
coordinating accordingly.
• To liaise with the emergency services as required.
• To provide continuing situational awareness of the incident and operational activities,
enabling response colleagues to understand current status and key issues.
• To support other Bronze level managers and inform the Silver and Gold level manager in
understanding tactical and operational challenges, issues, risks and response
requirements.
• To identify longer-term impact and effects on the organisation and its frontline
operations.
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• To assess and advise on any immediate or longer-term recovery requirements or
activities.
• To coordinate any recovery or service restoration activities as required or directed.
Other duties
Other duties may be required from time to time which are consistent with the grading of this
post.
To be the key point of liaison and operational coordinator for other departments and external
organisations when the Garden hosts events and activities.
4. Key performance measures.
Effective coordination and sharing of Garden Duty Manager duties with the other Garden Duty
Manager.
Line management of Garden Team members as allocated by the Garden Manager,
undertaking creation of annual objectives and holding PDRs and regular 1-2-1’s.
Responsibility for the coordination and team delivery of operational duties both horticultural
and non-horticultural and proactive management of Garden byelaws and issues occurring in
the Garden in line with YMT policy.
Responsibility for the coordination of volunteers & work experience placements.
Responsibility for team in absence of Garden Manager and assume decision making
responsibility in the event of issues (e.g. extreme weather)
Demonstrates the ability to prioritise a busy workload, coordinate the team effectively and find
solutions to issues.
Proactive coordination and monitoring of the team to deliver high standards of presentation in
the Garden in line with the Garden Manager’s direction.
Delivery of the seasonal grass maintenance and polytunnel programmes.
Leadership and involvement in routine horticultural tasks and maintenance duties and other
associated horticultural tasks as agreed with the Garden Manager.
Accountability for the overall tidiness of the Garden including litter & waste management and
working areas.
Demonstrates motivation of the team to complete tasks as required.
Positive behaviours demonstrated when leading the team and engaging with the Garden
Manager; proactive, positive, motivational, flexible, responsive to Garden Manager requests
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Effective liaison with other YMT teams and external bodies when representing the Garden
Team.
5. Knowledge, skills, experience and behaviours
Knowledge
• Grass maintenance
• Substantial horticultural knowledge
• Hard landscaping knowledge
• Garden machinery and basic maintenance knowledge
• Qualifications in some of: horticulture, spraying, chain saw use, grounds maintenance
Skills
• Experience of line management and of coordinating a team and allocating tasks and
monitoring to ensure completion to a high standard
• Strong motivational skills to ensure a team delivers objectives
• Demonstrable garden maintenance abilities to a high standard
• Very good knowledge of all garden tasks required to ensure maintenance of a garden all
year round and the ability to proactively identify horticultural and hard landscaping issues
that need addressing.
• Good understanding of plant health and effective measures to address issues.
• Strong practical aptitude and ability to carry out simple repairs, basic maintenance and
safety awareness of machinery and garden equipment and vehicles.
• Experience of coordinating and overseeing volunteers and work experience placements.
• Experience or willingness to learn about polytunnel work, propagation and growing plants.
• Experience of managing people ideally.
• Good IT literacy and ability to use email effectively, and create spreadsheets, reports and
documents.
• First Aid Certificate or willingness to undertake.
• Willingness to undertake training as identified by the Garden Manager to meet the needs
of the effective management of the Garden.
Experience
• Substantial horticultural experience in a professional setting
• Experience of managing a team preferred
• Experience of working in an environment open to the general public or a large garden
involving the use and maintenance of garden machinery
• Experience of spraying, tractor driving and maintaining tools and machinery, and high level
of grass maintenance
• Experience of coordinating hard landscaping tasks to a high standard
• Clear understanding of Health & Safety protocol and ability to ensure team safe working
practices are observed
• Experience of managing difficult situations and identifying solutions
• Experience of prioritising and coordinating a varied and demanding workload
• Experience of enforcing rules
• Experience of working with volunteers
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Behaviours
The YMT behaviour framework links to our Values. The below are the behaviours that all staff
should aspire to:
1. WE ARE CURIOUS – inquisitive, learning & exploring
We ask questions, we don’t assume, we learn and we encourage different perspective:
• Embraces change, readily adapts to new situations, and seeks opportunities to learn from
others.
• Champions innovative approaches and proposes creative solutions, actively seeking out
opportunities to learn and expand their knowledge base.
• Anticipates information needs and proactively gathers relevant data to stay ahead of the
curve.
• Equips and empowers colleagues with development opportunities in all aspects of work
2. WE ARE CREATIVE – Innovating, experimenting & contributing
We have fun being creative, driving positive change and exploring potential
• Drives change ensuring they bring others on the journey with them and ensure they
communicate and engage appropriately.
• Sees opportunities to drive improvements to visitors and colleagues experiences puts
forward ideas and suggestions to make them happen
• Explores ideas fully– looking how it relates to values, programme etc and communicates it
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to relevant people.
Looks at creative ways to enhance our visitors experience, engages with them, listens to
their feedback and adapts their experience to meet their needs. Looks to continuously
improve and learn for future visitor engagement.
• Consistently embraces fun and creativity to improve our visitors experience, ways of
working and programme. Will go over and above to be part of fun and creative things.
3. WE ARE GENEROUS – sharing, helping & appreciating
We care for people, collections and places inviting everyone to develop knowledge, to take
delight in and enjoy our spaces
• Creates framework for sharing knowledge, information and skills and encourages others
to participate
• Creates or contributes to a culture which supports opportunities for dialogue and
questions on wide range of subjects
• Practices visitor first. Puts visitors at the heart of everything that they do. Goes the extra
mile to ensure they have a great experience with us, shares their knowledge passionately.
• Completes their assigned work to a high standard and regularly supports other colleagues
and departments with shared goals, projects and tasks.
4. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE – Accountable, reliable & learning from mistakes
We make informed decisions today for a better tomorrow and for a sustainable future
• Professional and consistent standards, a role model and leads by example .
• Takes ownership and responsibility in their role, decisions, actions, behaviours and own
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learning consistently. Leads by example.
Looks for opportunities to improve how we care for our collections and places. Engages
with the right people to make this happen.
Identifies when a task or action is not the most efficient or best way to work and looks to
be involved in implementing more efficient ways of working for everyone for the future.
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5. WE ARE SUPPORTIVE - Encouraging, Empathetic & Collaborative
We collaborate and seek connection to grow a thriving community where we celebrate one
another, cheer on progress and are heartfelt with feedback.
• Consistently celebrates successes and shares these with others
• Consistently brings new ideas and considers how they help deliver vision and mission
• Takes pride in being part of their team. Actively looks for opportunities to make a
difference outside of their immediate team and role ensuring their colleagues have a
voice. Has a ‘can do’ attitude that supports colleagues to deliver their personal best & to
improve the visitor experience..
Leads by example. Has a positive outlook, is a trusted member of the team and actively seeks to
support colleagues in need by suggesting solutions. Not afraid to challenge if
needed. Demonstrates energy and enthusiasm to ensure our visitors have the best experience.
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6. Key relationships
Garden Manager
Garden Duty Manager
Garden Team Members
Members of the public
Events Manager
Venues Team
Estates Team
Retail Manager
Yorkshire Museum Duty Manager and VEAM’s
York Art Gallery Duty Manager and VEAM’s
External bodies ( e.g. Eboracum Security, PCSO’s, Police)
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7. Organisation chart
Head of Visitor Experience
and Commercial
Garden Manager
Visitor Experience
Garden Duty Managers
x 2
Garden Team x 5
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