Garden Section Manager and Coordinator (Head Garden Section Manager)

Job Description

As Garden Section Manager and Coordinator, you will support a dynamic team of horticulture professionals in maintaining Hillwood’s historic gardens and grounds. Your daily duties will include maintaining a garden area that will require specialized plant maintenance and knowledge, coordinating garden section managers and leading volunteers on projects offering insight and guidance, and ensuring the highest standards of garden presentation. You will apply your deep plant and horticultural expertise to design and install seasonal displays while mentoring staff and volunteers in proper techniques and garden care.

About Us

Hillwood’s mission is to delight and engage visitors with an experience inspired by the life of our founder, Marjorie Merriweather Post, and her passion for excellence, gracious hospitality, art, history, and gardens.

As a female business trailblazer, Marjorie Merriweather Post had extremely high standards for the work she did and a signature style for making people feel welcome in her home. Hillwood’s staff and volunteers pride themselves on being an extension of Post’s story by creating an oasis in Washington, D.C., where everyone is welcome to learn, explore, and be inspired. From our 13 acres of landscaped gardens to our magnificent collections of fine and decorative arts to exploring the captivating life of Marjorie Merriweather Post, Hillwood offers opportunities to be a part of something fabulous.

Duties & Responsibilities

Garden Management
– Manages the maintenance of designated garden rooms by designing, restoring and maintaining highly manicured plants.
– Works in a team with garden section managers to caretake and improve Hillwood’s campus, including the garden rooms and woodlands.
– Installs seasonal bed and container designs in collaboration with other stakeholders.
– Performs garden and grounds maintenance tasks requiring an advanced level of knowledge in landscape pruning, planting, watering and fertilizing to optimize plant health & appearance.
– Plants trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and bulbs.
– Partners with the Director of Horticulture to design seasonal displays for gardens.
– Uses equipment and hand tools with a high level of skill while demonstrating safety protocols.
– Operates computerized irrigation system (Baseline).
– Accesses and employs plant mapping software.
– Utilizes expertise to develop and give tours and presentations to various Hillwood stakeholders including the garden docent program.
– Works under the direction of the Floral and Event Décor Designer to install holiday décor.
– Participates in snow removal and storm clean up.

Staff Management
– Coordinates group garden work among garden section managers, including seasonal display installations, volunteer tasks and snow removal.
– Manages the Outdoor Garden Support volunteers in accomplishing tasks throughout the grounds.
– Provides advice, goal setting and reviews to garden section managers
– Creates a weekly schedule for gardeners based on projects and manager’s needs.
– Approves timesheets of direct reports in a timely fashion.
– Works with Garden Section Managers on staff training.

Organizational Relationships
– Reports to Director of Horticulture.
– Supports the recruitment and selection process for new staff members.
– Interacts with various levels of Staff, Visitors, Members and Volunteers.
– This position is considered essential staff and reports during adverse conditions.

Education and Experience

Knowledge
– 5-7 years’ experience in similar roles, Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
– Strong plant knowledge base.
– Experience designing seasonal displays.
– Knowledge of proper and safe use of hand, power tools and small tractors.

Skills and Abilities
– Excellent verbal communications with an emphasis on persuasion and generating action.
– Polished writing and speaking ability and strong interpersonal skills.
– Highly organized with demonstrated time management skills including multi-tasking.
– Detail-orientated
– Access and employ job-related computer software (i.e. Microsoft Office, Office 365)) at an effective proficiency level.
– Follow oral and written instructions; maintain cooperative working relationships; demonstrate sensitivity to, and respect for a diverse population.
– Ability to meet ongoing deadlines.
– Works independently with moderate supervision, interacting effectively with and quickly gaining the respect and support of staff.

Additional Information

About Us:

Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens is deeply committed to fostering a positive, inclusive and engaging workplace where all voices are heard and where staff and visitors of all backgrounds can be inspired by the life of our founder Marjorie Merriweather Post.

As a private cultural institution, Hillwood offers stable, year-round employment independent of government funding cycles. Our commitment to preserving and enhancing our historic gardens continues regardless of government shutdowns or federal budget considerations.

We Offer:

– A commitment to a living wage, this role is compensated at $75,000 annually.
– A fabulous work culture that inspires your best work.
– Support for career development with internal and external opportunities to learn and grow.
– About our Health Plan: Our most popular medical plan has an upfront deductible of $1,650 per year for a single coverage and $3,300 per year for dependent/family coverage with a Health Savings Account (HSA) tied to the plan. Hillwood will contribute up to $1,650 annually into your HSA if you elect single coverage or up to $3,300 annually if you elect dependent/family coverage for the 2025 plan year prorated based on the effective month of your coverage. Employee contribution rates for medical plans are based on the coverage level selected at the employee’s base annualized salary. Essentially, those with higher salaries pay more for their medical coverage. The maximum employee contribution is $170 per biweekly payroll, most employees pay much less for medical insurance.
– Retirement Savings Plan. Hillwood matches up to 5% of the employee contribution. The Hillwood contribution is 100% vested upon reaching three years of service.
– Life and accidental death and dismemberment, short & long term insurance at no cost to the employee.
– Flexible spending account for dependent care.
– Metro commuter benefits of up to $100 per month.
– Best in class paid time off – new hires accrue up to 3 weeks of vacation during the calendar year, new hires also receive 80 hours of paid sick leave each year and 11 paid holidays.
– Mental wellness support.
– Discounts in the shop and Hillwood café.
– Free admission to the museum and festival days.
– Casual Monday.
– Free on-site parking.

Application Instructions

Follow the links on our website:
https://hillwoodmuseum.org/careers-and-volunteering/careers