Horticulture and Landscape Manager

(Great Yarmouth Borough Council — Permanent, Full Time, Hybrid)

Great Yarmouth’s parks, gardens and public spaces play a vital role in the wellbeing of our residents and visitors. We are looking for an experienced horticulture or landscape professional to lead the care, improvement and development of these valued green spaces.

 This role oversees the planning and delivery of planting schemes, seasonal displays and landscape maintenance across our parks, seafront, gardens and public realm. You will ensure our green spaces are attractive, safe, well‑managed and environmentally resilient.

 A key part of the role is coordinating planting for the Winter Gardens, seafront and major parks, including supporting the development of a growing facility to supply plants efficiently. You will work closely with contractors, community groups and volunteers, ensuring high standards and encouraging involvement.

 We are looking for someone with strong horticultural knowledge, practical experience of managing green spaces, and confidence leading operational work at scale.

 What you will lead

 A Borough-wide landscape, horticulture and ecology strategy, bringing coherence and ambition to parks, open spaces, habitats, and visitor destinations.

The flagship Winter Gardens horticultural programme, including working alongside the planting designers, glasshouse operations, and creation of an efficient growing facility to supply the site and generate income through surplus stock.

Major planting and biodiverse landscape improvements across the seafront and key parks including Gorleston Cliffs and St George’s Park.

Commercial, visitor‑facing and community projects that improve the visitor experience, celebrate civic pride, and deliver award‑winning “In Bloom” campaigns.

Volunteer development and community involvement, ensuring residents, friends groups and valued organisations such as the Civic Society and Preservation Trust are active partners.

Contract and client leadership, acting as the Council’s lead for the parks maintenance contract and ensuring delivery against KPIs and quality standards.

Funding bids and partnership development, securing external investment and working with national and local organisations that share our environmental and heritage ambitions.

Biodiversity leadership, driving nature recovery and environmental value across all council‑managed landscapes.

What you’ll bring

• Deep experience in horticulture, landscape management or ecological leadership, ideally within heritage, conservation, tourism or complex green-space settings.
• Creative design thinking — able to craft beautiful, resilient planting schemes that reflect local character and climate challenges.
• Senior leadership capability, including budget oversight, commercial awareness and contract management.
• Confidence working with Members, partners, community groups and volunteers.
• A strong grasp of biodiversity and nature recovery approaches, and a passion for delivering sustainable stewardship.
• The ability to develop and deliver clear strategies, operational plans and funding bids.
• Relevant qualifications in horticulture, applied ecology, conservation or a related field.

Why join us?

• Play a central role in the transformation of one of the UK’s most distinctive coastal places.
• Lead high-profile landscape and horticultural programmes with national visibility.
• Enjoy a supportive hybrid working culture focused on collaboration, creativity and delivery.
• Shape an ambitious new growing operation with commercial and sustainability benefits.
• Work with a committed leadership team where innovation is encouraged and your expertise will directly influence place-making across the Borough.

Ready to shape the future of Great Yarmouth’s landscapes?

If you’re motivated by creativity, community impact and the chance to lead ambitious ecological and horticultural change, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now and help us create vibrant, sustainable and inspiring places for everyone who lives, works and visits Great Yarmouth.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council has the goal to achieve excellence for the Borough. We don’t just say we are ambitious; we mean it. We are always looking at the ways in which we can improve and be the best that we can, providing the best for the people who live, work, visit and operate businesses in the Borough.

We have big plans for the future and massive opportunities ahead. We are one of the most successful enterprise zones in the country, Great Yarmouth is England’s offshore energy hub and Norfolk’s biggest seaside resort at the edge of the Broads National Park. The challenges we face in the borough are wide, but our commitment to achieving more has never been so focused.

We know that our team members are our most valuable asset, working hard to achieve our short and long term goals. Find out more about the people who work with us, and if you are as ambitious as we are, apply now and be part of our team.

We offer a range of exciting benefits as an employer and are committed to a policy of equal opportunity in employment and the services we provide.

There is more information on the Jobs page of the Great Yarmouth Borough Website, with details of how to apply and the recruitment process. You will also be able to find more details regarding DBS checks (if relevant for the job role), Right to Work checks, along with details of our values and behaviours, agile working and our Privacy Notice.