Landscape Manager

Description:

Arnos Vale is looking for a Landscape Manager – a new post for the cemetery.

We are a Victorian garden cemetery near the centre of Bristol - only a 10 minute walk from Temple Meads train station. Since opening in 1839 the cemetery has become the resting place for than 300,000 people, with beautiful monuments across the 45 acres.

Since being rescued in 2003, led by the local community, Arnos Vale has become a haven for nature. Ecology surveys in 2023, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund show that nature is thriving in the cemetery with increases in bat populations, spreading of rare wild flowers and housing a large variety of Bryophytes (including rusty fork moss, which is rare and facing extinction in England). The successful candidate will be supported by knowledgeable Trustees - Mary Wood - experienced ecologist, Dan Flew MSc ACIEEM - bat specialist and Andrew Jenkins and Emily Corrigan who also volunteer in the landscape team.

We are looking for someone who will lead on managing the landscape of the cemetery - balancing nature, heritage and visitor access. You'll enjoy sharing your knowledge of habitat conservation and ecology with a wide range of people, including our dedicated landscape volunteers.

Role Description

We have a unique model of operation - while still a working cemetery, we balance visitor access with nature and heritage, inspiring people through our public engagement programme. To support our charitable objectives, we run income-generating events for visitors, operate an in-house café, shop, offer venue hire and weddings. The cemetery is a 45-acre urban green space; a unique and fascinating place for the community and visitors to explore and enjoy nature and history. You’ll be responsible for the management of Arnos Vale’s diverse landscape, ensuring that visitor access and nature are in balance. You’ll do this using our Landscape Management Plan, keeping it updated and forming annual work plans.

Qualifications

• Qualified and experienced in chainsaw use: NPTC 201 (formerly CS30) and NPTC 202 (formerly CS31)
• A clear passion for, and experience of nature conservation and biodiversity, and a commitment to sharing this with our community and volunteers
• Experience of working with and supervising volunteers o A range of practical landscape maintenance and nature conservation skills in a physically demanding role
• Experienced in using outdoor machinery – strimmer, hedge-trimmer
• Great people and motivational experience, able to communicate well with a wide range of people
• Full UK driving licence