We are looking for a person with excellent gardening and people skills to become our new Garden and Greenspaces Co-ordinator. The postholder will play a central role in helping us to build Woodlands into an attractive and creative community where people connect with each other and thrive.
Woodlands Community Garden opened in 2010, occupying a vacant site in West Princes Street. Since then, it has become an important local space where people make new friends and feel part of the community. It’s also a great place to unwind from the everyday stresses and strains of city life. Each year, around 45 households grow their own fruit, vegetables, and herbs in the garden’s raised beds. The garden is also the focus of many projects that we run with local partners - and both during and since the pandemic has provided an outdoor space for our nature and wellbeing programme. In 2021 it was recognised as the ‘Best Community Garden in the UK’ in the Cultivation Street Awards, the second time it has won this accolade.
The main purpose of this role is to - physically manage our Woodlands Community Garden site so that it can be safely and regularly used as a venue and meeting space for community and other groups. - further develop Woodlands Community Garden as an outdoor centre for health and wellbeing - facilitate and co-ordinate garden events, partnerships and volunteer opportunities that contribute to our aims of integrating social wellbeing and the environment. - oversee the annual allocation of raised beds at the community garden, respond to queries from growers and provide practical garden support and training.
As well as working in our main community garden, the postholder will also co-ordinate environmental improvements at Willowbank Garden, Millenium Park and look after the garden areas of our Ashley Street premises.
The successful candidate will have previous experience of managing a community garden and be skilled in both hands-on gardening and practical maintenance work. They will have excellent interpersonal skills, experience of developing volunteer systems and also be adept in organising events. They will be able to communicate well with people from a range of different backgrounds, work flexibly within a small team and be both able to work on their own initiative and manage a busy workload.
This is an exciting and varied role and a real opportunity to contribute to the core activities of an innovative and successful charity. The post is fully funded until March 2025, with partial funding already secured for 2025-6.
It is currently offered as a 24 hour per week post, but with the potential for more hours if funding allows.
Terms and Conditions
HOURS: 24 hours per week. Regular evening and weekend work is required.
The post may be suitable for annualised hours or adjustments in the hours for seasonal working, e.g. working more hours in spring/summer which are peak gardening times and less hours over the winter.
The working pattern will be negotiated with the successful candidate, but it should be noted that Sunday is a well-established core day for our garden volunteer activities.
SALARY:£28,013 (pro-rata). A pay review is due in autumn of 2024.
PLACE OF WORK:The postholder will principally work on site at Woodlands Community Garden on West Princes Street. It is a largely outdoor post. Our office base is situated 1 minutes walk from the garden at Visibility Scotland, 2 Queens Crescent G4 9BW.
An element of homeworking for administrative tasks is allowed, but the expectation is that the postholder will be on site and/or working from our office for most of their hours.
CONTRACT:The post is offered on a 2 year fixed term contract, initially until 31st March 2025.
Subject to confirmation of funding, the post is expected to be extended further. We already have 50% funding in place for 2025-6. It is also possible that hours will be increased if funding allows.
HOLIDAY:We offer an annual leave entitlement of 36 days per year (pro-rata).
PENSION:We offer a NEST Workplace Pension scheme with a 5% employers contribution.
A full Job Description is available on our website woodlandscommunity.org.uk/recruitment
Please email your CV and a covering letter to recruitment@woodlandscommunity.org.uk
The Closing Date for applications is 5pm on Monday 6th March.
Late applications will not be considered.
Interviews are expected to take place on Thursday 23rd and/or Friday 24th March.
More information
Further background information about our work is available on our website
For any queries about this vacancy please email recruitment@woodlandscommunity.org.uk