OmVed Gardens is seeking an Assistant Gardener and Seed Saving Network Coordinator. We are looking for an experienced, friendly and passionate gardener and seed saver with a strong focus on sustainability and organic gardening practises to join the team, assisting in the activities outlined below under ‘Job Role’.
Organisation: OmVed Gardens
Position: Assistant Food Grower/Seed Network Coordinator
Responsible to: Head Food Grower
Pay: £22/per hour
Hours: 3-4 days per week (24-32 hours) – please note this is a seasonal position and hours are flexible depending on what work is required. Expect to work 4 days per week in the spring/summer/early autumn and 3 days per week in late autumn/winter.
Application deadline: 14 July 2024
Interviews starting: Week beginning 22 July 2024
Expected commencement: End of July/early August 2024
Job Role:
- Gardening tasks: growing crops for seed and food (this will involve occasional heavy labour)
- Managing social media platforms for the Seed Saving Network
- Admin and Inputting data for The Seed Saving Network
- Physical seed collection
- Creating Newsletters
- Helping to organise Seed Swaps and educational events
- Teaching and Leading volunteer groups for food and seed growing
- Leading tours for educational groups in the gardens
Successful candidates will require the following skills/qualities:
- Manual dexterity and agility to carefully care for seedlings, plants and seeds
- An in depth knowledge of food growing
- Some experience of seed saving
- A helpful and team/oriented mind set
Previous experience
Essential:
- 3 years minimum experience in food growing in a professional setting and/or 5 years
minimum experience food growing in a garden or allotment or as a volunteer in community
gardens/farms
- Proficiency in growing all kinds of food crops
- Ability and willingness to carry out manual handling tasks in all weather
- Ability to self-guide work
- Willingness to learn and be part of a team
- Experience leading volunteer groups in a garden setting
Preferred:
– Qualification in food growing (for example level 1 or 2 in horticulture)
– Experience working with children
– Some experience and knowledge of seed saving
– Admin skills, some experience with data collection and spreadsheets/airtable
This position is subject to a 3 month trial period and reference check.
Successful applicants of the first round of interviews will be required to work one half day (paid)
alongside the head gardener to assess skillset and suitability of role.
The deadline for applications is 14 th July 2024.
Interviews will begin around 20 th July and the start date for the position is end of July/early August.
If you are interesting in applying, please send a copy of your CV with a brief covering letter to vicky@omvedgardens.com
About Omved Gardens:
Located in Highgate, London, Omved Gardens encompasses one hectare of land. We practice organic gardening and food growing with a heavy focus on permaculture and environmental synergy. It is an outdoor lab, a meeting place and a celebration of organic and sustainable food production. The gardens are open to the public for educational workshops and events throughout the year. The vision for Omved Gardens is to increase biodiversity at all levels (food, seed, species, participation) and to use the garden, or the act of growing or tending the wild to advance towards the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals.