Historic London Town and Gardens is Hiring a Director of Horticulture.
About London Town
London Town is a 24-acre site on the South River in Anne Arundel County, MD. Owned by the county, but operated by the London Town Foundation (a private nonprofit), the site has been open to the public since 1972. The core gardens comprise 10 acres. These include a 1-acre ornamental gardens area and 9 acres of woodland gardens. The site also has a c1760 brick tavern, two reconstructed colonial buildings, a Visitor Center, a pavilion for rentals and meetings, and some garden beds associated with the colonial history component.
London Town is undertaking a new master plan process to replace the current one from 1999. The Director of Horticulture will be directly involved with this project and thus able to shape the gardens here at London Town for the next 10-20 years.
Director of Horticulture
The Director of Horticulture is a hands-on position requiring a strong combination of horticultural expertise and administrative skills. This position requires that the Director work side-by-side in the gardens with other staff and volunteers. The Director is responsible for the implementation of institution-wide horticultural goals and objectives, established in collaboration with the Executive Director and the Board of Trustees.
Responsibilities & Duties
Horticulture / Grounds Management
Oversee maintenance, improvement, and repair of the grounds, historic gardens, propagation facilities, workspaces, and equipment.
Perform a wide range of landscape maintenance tasks important to the preservation, protection and display of the collection, including but not limited to soil preparation, planting, transplanting, mulching, weeding, watering and irrigation, fertilizing, pesticide application, tree work, etc.; oversee and perform winter snow and ice removal.
Liaise with Executive Director and Maintenance Manager to make facilities-related improvements on the grounds and to ensure that emergent problems are addressed promptly and safely.
Bid out, secure, and/or oversee annual contracts for lawn and leaf maintenance, tree pruning, plant health care, irrigation maintenance, and other services as necessary. Serve as the main organizational point of contact for grounds contractors; supervise all contract work on the grounds.
Work with staff, board, contracted professionals, and others, to plan for and implement capital projects related to London Town’s grounds and gardens (ex. disaster response and recovery, landscape improvement and renovation, grounds master planning).
Administrative / Operational Support
Develop, propose, and oversee annual horticultural and grounds budget; track expenses & income.
Set departmental priorities on both a day-to-day and mid-term basis in accordance with organization-wide priorities and needs.
Assist Deputy Director in preparing funding proposals for horticultural projects; oversee and administer pertinent grant projects as needed
Oversee or assist in the planning and execution of special events such as the plant sale or other London Town events and programs as needed.
When tasked, represent London Town in meetings and interactions with partners and other stakeholders.
Collections Management / Education
Maintain collections information.
Generate accession and display labels for plant specimens in London Town’s collection.
Ensure that plant acquisitions align with site’s mission, educational priorities, and aesthetic goals.
Collaborate with the Director of Public Programs to oversee or assist with horticulture-related workshops, presentations, educational opportunities, public programs, etc.
Assist the Director of Public Programs with historic areas garden management and care.
Lead tours of the gardens on an as-requested basis.
Personnel Management / Recruitment
Recruit, oversee, and set work priorities for seasonal gardeners, volunteers, and interns.
Develop individual and group volunteer opportunities (in collaboration with other staff as necessary). Create a positive work environment where horticulture employees, interns, and volunteers feel supported and valued.
And other duties as necessary and required.
Requirements
Degree from an accredited institution required with a focus in Horticulture, Plant Science, Landscape Architecture, Natural Resources Management, or other related field; or, a progressing history of success in a horticultural role at a public garden
Minimum of 3 years of experience working in a public garden.
Maryland Pesticide Operator’s License; or ability to acquire same within 9 months of hire.
Proven ability to lead and direct the work of others to complete general projects, including employee oversight, volunteer supervision, outside contractor collaboration, and project coordination.
Highest level of professional and ethical conduct; demonstrates knowledge and understanding of organizational policies, procedures and systems.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively at all levels; must enjoy and feel comfortable interacting and working in close proximity to general public, in a safe and friendly manner, answering questions about the living collections.
Scheduling flexibility that allows working weekends, holidays, early mornings, or late evenings for grounds maintenance, public programs, or other needs.
Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs. (i.e., load, unload and move gardening supplies, medium to heavy weight tools and equipment). Must be able to work in bright sunshine with probable high UV levels.
Ability to work outdoors in many all weather conditions (i.e., in temperatures up to 95°F as well as temperatures down to 25°F, in rain, snow and other inclement weather conditions as needed).
Ability to stand, walk, bend, stoop and reach for extended periods of time-- 80% or more of the workday is standing on feet.
Ability to safely operate tools, vehicles, and specialized equipment such as chainsaws, tractors, lawnmowers, etc.
Willingness and ability to perform duties of other divisions as directed, and be available for “stand-by” work on a predetermined basis or in response to emergency.
Work Schedule:
The Director of Horticulture is a full-time, salaried, exempt position. Though the position’s usual work schedule is Monday through Friday, because London Town is a public garden, the incumbent will be expected to work some weekend days and early morning or late evening hours throughout the year. For certain programs and site-wide events there will be a need for extended hours and/or additional work days. These hours and needs will be arranged ahead of time between the Director of Horticulture and Executive Director.
Reports to: Executive Director (or Deputy Director when Exec. Dir. is not available).
Compensation & Benefits:
The position’s benefits are laid out in the London Town personnel manual. Compensation is determined by the letter of employment between the incumbent and the Foundation. Starting salary range is $40,000 - $44,000.
How to Apply
Please send a cover letter and resume to Rod Cofield, Executive Director: [log in to unmask]
Cover letters and resumes accepted until the position is filled. Interviews will begin the week of November 2nd. The start date will depend on when the position is filled; will most likely occur between December 2015 and February 2016.
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
|
