About the National Garden Scheme
The National Garden Scheme is the most significant charitable funder of nursing charities in the country, donating £3.9 million in 2025 and over £77 million since 1927. Our beneficiary charities include Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Carers Trust, Hospice UK, The Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing and Parkinson’s UK.
We help our garden owners open their beautiful gardens to the public, sharing their passion and raising impressive amounts of money through admission fees, refreshments and plant sales. Over 3,000 gardens open each year for the National Garden Scheme and further details about them and the organisation as a whole can be found on our website, www.ngs.org.uk.
About the Head of Operation
At the National Garden Scheme a small central office with a team of 13 is the hub for a wide range of activity involving hundreds of volunteers, thousands of garden owners and a large audience of beneficiary charities, suppliers, supporters and partners, as well as members of the public who want to visit gardens and engage with the charity.
Part of the management team, the Head of Operations leads and manages County Support, a team of four who deliver the resources, information and support needed by our volunteer county organising teams who support the garden owners. The Head of Operations is key in ensuring that the volunteers feel valued and supported.
The right candidate will have experience of database management, ideally Microsoft Dynamics, so that they can update, interrogate and maintain our database and online portal (Power Pages) through which garden owners register and manage their garden data. We are currently updating our IT system and there will be a need for change management to ensure that staff and volunteers are comfortable using the new system.
The successful applicant will be comfortable in a busy, hands-on and varied role and the key requirements are efficiency and excellent communication skills. This is a role for a meticulous, problem-solving people person.
The ethos of the National Garden Scheme is rooted in generosity and kindness and the office in Clandon, Surrey is a warm and welcoming place to work.
Key responsibilities
Manage the county support team
- Lead and manage the county support team (4 people)
- Manage smooth working relations between the county support team and other staff
- Lead the county support team in their day to day activities and relationships with county organising teams, garden owners, visitors and other stakeholders
- Take responsibility for the quality of work executed by county support
To work closely with and manage liaison with county team volunteers
- To work with county organisers to maximise levels of service from head office
- To work with county organisers for smooth recruitment and succession for volunteer roles
To manage and deliver the annual data gathering and fulfilment operations
- To work with county support and county teams in annual gathering of garden data
- To ensure timely delivery of material to publisher
- To organise and deliver with county support the annual delivery of bulk orders to county teams
To manage key operational elements for the organisation
- To oversee the insurance of garden openings, including claims
- To oversee complaints handling
- To manage the provision of different support materials for gardens
To support the Chief Executive in the provision of HR to employees and volunteers
- To recruit, induct and train new members of staff as required
- To carry out performance reviews for some members of staff
- To manage welcome days at head office for new volunteers and oversee their induction.
Other duties include:
- Work flexibly as part of a small office team, providing appropriate support for different colleagues and undertaking tasks as necessary.
- Manage the Chief Executive’s telephone line when he is out of the office.
- Prepare with the Chief Executive the agenda for monthly team meetings and record the minutes.
- Attend national garden shows (e.g. Chelsea) and other events as required.
- Protect and enhance the organisation’s public reputation when speaking on its behalf.
Benefits:
- 28 days holiday (inclusive of public holidays), subsequent increases up to 33 days.
- Permanent, full time role, 35 hours a week – 9am to 5pm with one hour lunch break.
- Attractive work environment - office is based in a National Trust property, Hatchlands Park, East Clandon, nr Guildford GU4 7RT
Person Specification
Skills
Essential/Desirable
Confident knowledge of Microsoft Office suite
E
Knowledge and experience of databases, preferably CRM
D
Experience as an office administrator
D
Experience as a receptionist
D
Personal Skills
Efficiency and reliability
E
Excellent interpersonal skills
E
Excellent oral communication skills
E
Accuracy and attention to detail
E
Ability to prioritise and work to strict deadlines
E
Car owner and driver
E
PLEASE APPLY ONLINE AND MAKE SURE YOU UPLOAD A SUPPORTING STATEMENT/LETTER WITH YOUR CV.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £45,000.00-£55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Bereavement leave
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Work Location: In person
