Regional Gardens Manager

About the Company
Hand Picked Hotels is a beautiful collection of 21 privately owned, luxury country houses and coastal retreats, hand picked for their individuality. Architecturally distinctive and quintessentially British, every hotel boasts an extraordinary location, from Scotland to the Channel Islands, offering breath taking views, from vast countryside to expansive beaches, to lush woodlands. With every need taken care of, the team at each hotel ensures every guest has a magical experience, encouraging them to return time and time again.

Hand Picked Hotels was founded in 2001 by owner and Chairman, Julia Hands MBE. Whilst each hotel is individual, every property fulfils the company values of family, individuality, community and care, ensuring a hand picked experience for every guest and employee.

We are currently recruiting for a Regional Gardens Manager, this is a new opportunity to join our expanding garden team at Hand Picked Hotels. This role will cover a selection of hotels located in the Southeast and Southwest and will involve extensive travel on a weekly basis. This is a key role within Hand Park Hotels and will support with the transformation strategy within our gardens.
About the Role
About the role:

• This newly created role of Regional Gardens Manager will be joining during the early stages of this development project of the transformation of the gardens and estate within our portfolio of hotels at Hand Picked Hotels.
• As Regional Gardens Manger you will be responsible for the implementation of the new designs put together by the Head of Garden Design and the garden design team.
• This role will also involve the ongoing maintenance of the gardens and grounds for each hotel ensuring a highly of standards are delivered in line with the garden design strategy set out by the garden design team.
• You will be expected to visit each hotel to audit the garden standards.
• During the set-up phase, the Regional Gardens Manager will audit the existing garden team within their region and produce staffing recommendations to ensure a high level of standards are delivered.
• This role will also involve auditing all garden tools and machinery within your region, making suggestion on what is required.
• You will be responsible for ensuring all staff are correctly trained to safely operate them. Where possible machinery should be shared between nearby hotels as an economic efficiency measure.
• In liaison with the Head of Garden Design will oversee the implementation of immediate design changes across the hotel gardens, which may include extensive bulb planting, ensuring a high standard of horticultural practice is maintained.
• Support with a proposed structured and achievable training programme for all garden team members to ensure a high standard of horticultural knowledge and skill is in place.

About you

• To be considered for this role you must be a highly experienced, skilled and professional horticulturalist with a horticultural qualification RHS Level 3 or above, have a minimum of 10 years high level horticultural experience within a luxury environment.
• Evidence of the development and implementation of programs of work and long-term garden maintenance and improvement is required.

• Demonstrable experience with estate operation, management, including cost control management.
• Knowledge of implementing and running kitchen and herd gardens is essential.
• It is vital you are able to demonstrate a strong commercial awareness and the ability to successfully train and manage a team.
• Have excellent written and verbal communication skills and a positive attitude.
• Established trade relationships with suppliers preferred but not essential.
• Flexible approach to work, highly motivated, passionate and a team player.
• It is essential you have a driver’s licence.

Company Benefits

• A competitive salary package, plus car allowance, business mileage will be paid.
• Company pension scheme with a generous employer contribution.
• Life assurance scheme.
• Employee Assistance Program to support you with whatever life throws at you.
• Company Sickness Scheme Benefit.
• 28 days holiday per year including Bank Holidays, which will increase with length of service to a maximum of 33 days per year including Bank Holidays.
• Forward career progression, with access to our In House and external training programs, including apprenticeships and other recognised hospitality industry courses which are all supported by our learning and development team.
• £30 staff stays with Hand Picked Hotels per room Bed & Breakfast & 25% discount on all food & drink. Yes, it’s as good as it sounds!
• Annual loyalty awards (like afternoon teas and overnight stays)
• Online retail discount platform offering thousands of savings with high street retailers and restaurants as well as a health and well-being platform.
• Opportunity to make lifelong friendships and be part of a team that celebrates Diversity and Inclusion.

Job Type: Permanent

Salary: £60,000.00-£85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Free parking
• On-site parking

Work Location: In person