Location
Milton Keynes, South East Region

Hours
Full Time - 37 hours per week (excluding unpaid breaks). This role may require working regular unsocial hours including evenings, nights, weekends and Bank/Public Holidays.

Salary
£34,440 per year

About the Role
The Ministry of Justice is seeking a Horticulturalist/Gardens Manager to work within HMPPS, an executive agency responsible for managing prison and probation services in England and Wales. The role involves day-to-day supervision of prisoners in Land Based Activities and Horticulture, ensuring targets are met, discipline is maintained, and a safe, positive working environment is upheld. You will provide instruction and develop prisoners’ skills to improve their future employment prospects and reduce reoffending. Duties include maintaining prison grounds, overseeing planting, cropping, harvesting, and conservation, and potentially teaching towards nationally recognised qualifications with support from external organisations. You will also assess accredited vocational qualifications and deliver relevant actions from the MoJ's Biodiversity Strategy. This is a non-operational, non-rotational role with no line management responsibilities. The role requires adherence to high standards of security and control at all times.

Experience
- Relevant work experience in horticulture including use of horticultural machinery and tractors.
- Conversant with grounds maintenance practices including grass maintenance, turf culture, drainage, soil husbandry, ornamental horticulture (aquatics, bedding, perennials, trees and shrubs), and knowledge of habitats supporting insects, creatures and animals.
- Supervisory experience is desirable.
- Experience in soil and growing medium husbandry, crop protection, crop production technology, plant protection technology, and preparation of fresh produce for sale including grading, labelling and presentation.
- Experience using industrial standard machinery and equipment.

About you
- Ability to supervise and instruct prisoners effectively, maintaining discipline and a safe working environment.
- Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively.
- Commitment to delivering purposeful activity and supporting rehabilitation.
- Confident in fulfilling spoken aspects of the role in English.
- Willingness to work unsocial hours as required.

Qualifications
- Must hold or be prepared to work towards a Level 3 qualification or equivalent in horticulture within two years.
- Must hold or be prepared to work towards PA1 and PA6 pesticide spray certifications.
- Must hold or be prepared to work towards a recognised workplace assessor qualification.
- Must possess a full current United Kingdom (UK) driving licence to operate tractors and other vehicles.
- Current knowledge of relevant Health and Safety and Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations.
- May be required to be an accredited assessor.