Plant Records Manager

Job description

The National Trust is looking for a new Plant Records Manager to help the team look after one of the largest collections of cultivated plants in the world, within the largest collection of historic gardens under single ownership in Europe.Our most significant plants range from original introductions to horticultural rarities, to ancient and veteran trees, to those with amazing associated stories such as Isaac Newton’s apple tree.

We have an exciting opportunity to join our team as we seek to capture the current status and history of our plants, to help us care for them and share their amazing stories.This role, and high quality plant records, are key to good collections and conservation management.

Our Living Collections team help our brilliant gardeners, rangers and volunteers care for these incredible collections of plants, by providing curatorial, conservation and collections management support.This includes everything from horticultural botany to collection analysis and review, to propagation and nursery management at the Plant Conservation Centre, as well as providing great systems, processes and training.

Your contractual location will be our Plant Conservation Centre in Devon, however there will be an opportunity to explore and agree remote working arrangements which strike the right balance for you and the Trust. The role will involve travel to other National Trust locations on occasion, to meet with stakeholders and to carry out work.

In this critical role you will be the Trust’s expert and champion, for plant records and systems (IrisBG desktop app, Floria mobile app, ArcGIS for garden maps, and integration with various other Trust systems for data manipulation and management information).

You’ll develop and maintain the related guides and training modules, provide help desk support to users, and chair and develop expert user networks.You’ll recruit and lead a small team of volunteers to help gardens with complex records updates, improvements to data standards and drawing garden maps in ArcGIS.

With guidance from the National Curator of Living Collections, you’ll work with colleagues across the Trust, and external partners and standards bodies, to integrate industry improvements and best practice into our ways of working, and lead on the development of our data standards in line with best practice.

You’ll have a deep love of plants and expert knowledge of a collection management database within a garden, museum or scientific institution, including applying and developing collection management procedures, data standards and terminology control (glossaries, configuration lists, permits etc.). You’ll understand the complexities of managing, developing, configuring and integrating database systems in a large organisation, and have knowledge of industry and professional standards in living collections management and plant naming, along with:

•a deep knowledge of managing and manipulating data

•passionate about delivering great service and simplifying processes

•great communication skills, with experience of supporting non-technical users and creating easy-to-understand user guides

•comfortable with leading training events, both face-to-face and online

•managing a small team of volunteers

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

Wherever you’re from, and whatever your background, we want to hear from you – and it doesn’t matter if you’re jam first, cream first, or even if you don’t like scones at all. Everyone is welcome.

Benefits for working at the National Trust include:

• Flexible working whenever possible

• Free parking at most locations

• Free entry to our properties for you, a guest and your children (under 18)

• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary

Click here to find out more about the benefits we offer to support you.