Polytunnel Manager – 1 Day a week
The Mudlarks Community is a Hertford based charity supporting adults and young people with learning disabilities and mental health concerns. Through supported learning and meaningful work in the community we help people build confidence and self-worth whilst developing important skills.
We are looking for a Poly Tunnel Manager to organise and run the new polytunnel project, growing for the cafe and propagating plants for use in our community gardens and for sale.
Hours: 9am – 5pm – Mondays
The Benefits
- Salary: Circa Pro rata of £27,651
- NEST company pension scheme
The Role:
We are seeking a highly motivated, enthusiastic person to develop our new polytunnel project. The successful applicant will lead and empower our learning disabled gardeners and volunteers to create and run two polytunnels, growing salads and herbs for the cafe, as well as plants for the community gardening teams.
With compassion and empathy, you will support and empower adults with disabilities to develop their horticulture skills, build their independence and well-being.
You will manage a team of two gardeners and a volunteer, develop a growing programme, harvest crops and deliver to the cafe.
Click here for PT full job description
To apply please send CV and covering letter to vic@mudlarksgarden.org.uk
About you:
You will be a passionate organic gardener; you will love nature and have an understanding of green therapy. You will have excellent personal skills and a genuine interest in people of all abilities. You will be passionate about enabling people to learn and develop. You will be committed to championing the needs of the individuals you are working with.
A desire to enable individuals to fulfil their potential is a priority. Working within a small dynamic team, you will have the skills and experience to lead practical, purposeful activities in addition to gardening.
Specific duties and tasks:
- To support Mudlarks gardeners (people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health concerns) to grow vegetables and plants in the Haileybury polytunnels.
- To teach Mudlarks gardeners the horticultural skills required to work in a polytunnel, with a view to these people being employed in future.
- To liaise with the allotment and cafe, and deliver salads, herbs and vegetables to the cafe.
- Planning, organising and running the day-to-day activities in the polytunnels. Managing winter activities.
- Responsibility for maintain the growing areas, ensuing a safe and tidy site. Co-ordinating the cleaning and maintenance of the polytunnels, storage areas, and all internal and external areas used by the groups.
Education, training and experience
Essential
- Horticulture knowledge and experience
- A good level of literacy, numeracy and communication skills.
- Experience of working with people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health concerns.
Desirable
- Training, qualifications and experience in care for people with learning difficulties and mental health concerns.
- Training and qualifications in horticulture.
Skills and abilities:
Essential
- Ability to think logically and creatively to provide practical solutions to a changing range of problems and issues.
- Ability to deal with challenging behaviour.
- Ability to work positively both as a member of a team and independently, with general direction and within a clear framework of accountability.
- Self-motivated and able to use own initiative.
- Good verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work under pressure.
- Willingness to be flexible.
- Prepared and able to work outdoors in all weather.
- Clean full driving licence – driving the gardeners and delivering produce is an integral part of the job.
Desirable
- Written communication skills necessary to present information in written reports and correspondence.