Dedicated in 1953, Kingwood Center Gardens is a cultural and educational center with special emphasis on ornamental horticulture and
gardening. The Kingwood mission is “to create beautiful gardens for enjoyment, education, and inspiration”.
Job Overview
Kingwood Center Garden’s Head Gardener promotes positive transformative guest experiences, overseeing the daily fostering of outdoor horticultural displays. The head gardener leads the design, installation and fostering of seasonal horticulture displays. This position provides routine supervision of the full-time and seasonal
gardening staff and volunteers while collaborating with other Horticulture team members. The Head Gardener applies standard, as well as specialized horticultural practices including, but not limited to landscape/garden design, organic and
permaculture practices, IPM, use of
irrigation systems, weeding, pruning, planting and watering. The Head Gardener provides
experience, expertise, and professionalism, as a teacher and coach to staff and garden guest alike.
Duties and Responsibilities
• Leads the design, coordination, and implementation of seasonal displays and shows
• Leads the team of Gardeners, Assistant Gardeners, seasonal reports, and volunteers, fostering outdoor garden spaces toward design intent maturity, in accordance with Kingwood’s aesthetic standards
• Collaborates with other Kingwood Center staff to install temporary exhibits
• Contributes to department annual budget planning
• Leads a proactive approach to IPM including scouting, identifying, and generating ecologically sound management solutions
• Coordinates, with input from other horticulture staff, the plant record and plant labeling processes throughout Kingwood
• Engages in public speaking, workshops, and demonstrations as needed
• Other duties as assigned
Requirements
• Monday through Friday schedule with some evenings and weekends required
• Ohio Pesticide License or ability to obtain one within 6 months of hire
• Must be able to communicate clearly with staff and the public
• Must be able to balance office workload with supervision in the garden.
• Must be able to work outside in extreme weather conditions year-round.
• Must be physically fit, able to occasionally lift to 50 lbs.
• Ability to collaborate with persons of all ages, diverse backgrounds, skills, and abilities including staff, guests, and volunteers
• Working understanding of Microsoft Office, including Access, Outlook preferred.
Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture required
• Three years minimum in a supervisory role leading staff to meet to exceed their potential, preferably in a public garden, estate garden, or landscaping
• Formal training/minimum 3 years field experience in landscape design,
permaculture or advanced soil health preferred
• Prior experience working in a public garden preferred
• Experience supervising volunteers preferred
Send resume and cover letter to
humanresources@kingwoodcenter.org
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