Gardener and General Assistant

WE ARE SEEKING A GARDENER AND GENERAL ASSISTANT

Bishop's House is the residence of the Bishop of Chester and his family. The garden at Bishop's House extends to about half an acre, and is mainly laid to shrubs and lawn, with a herbaceous border and some climbing plants. The Bishop's House and gardens are used for hosting many events throughout the year.

About the Bishop

Mark Tanner has served as the Bishop of Chester since 2020. Prior to coming to Chester, Mark was Bishop of Berwick in the Diocese of Newcastle, following a number of years as Warden of Cranmer Hall, training church leaders and others. Mark has served in local churches in Ripon, Doncaster, Coventry, and on the Wirral, and done various forms of chaplaincy, including school and the Army.

What you'll be doing

The postholder will have no line managerial duties but will coordinate with various external bodies (e.g. tree surgeons) in collaboration with site managers. This includes upkeep and proactive management of the garden and curtilage of Bishop's House, including boundary fences, including the following responsibilities:

• General gardening tasks, including but not limited to mowing grass, hedge-trimming, pruning, weeding, planting and lawn care.
• Working in partnership with the Bishop, independently and under direction, to develop the garden space as desired.
• Assisting with functions at Bishop's House, both in the gardens and in official rooms. This may involve setting out furniture, helping to serve refreshments and such general duties as may arise.

Key role requirements:

• Qualification in gardening/horticulture or equivalent
• Full, clean driving licence and access to a car
• Competent handling and maintenance of garden tools
• Competent and safe use of garden equipment
• The ability to navigate competently with the assistance of a Sat Nav
• Competent manual handling skills (relating to lifting)
• Familiarity with basic Health and Safety and COSHH regulations

About You

The Church of England is for everyone and we want to reflect the diversity of the community the Church serves across the whole country. Therefore, while of course we welcome all applications from interested and suitably experienced people, we would particularly welcome applicants from UK Minoritised Ethnicities (UKME)/Global Majority Heritage (GMH) and other under-represented groups. As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to recruiting disabled people. We offer interviews to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the role.

You will need to be/have:

• Ability to use own initiative when appropriate
• Ability to work well within a small team and as part of a close-knit and well-established household
• Ability to maintain confidences and be courteous, friendly and discreet at all times.
• Knowledge and proven experience of garden cultivation and maintenance

Your Salary

• A salary of £14,947.15 (FTE £27,759) per annum, plus age-related pension contributions between 8-15% of salary. We will also match any pension contributions you make up to an additional 3% of your salary.

Please note: You must have the right to work in the UK to be considered for the role.

The closing date for applications is 10 September 2025.

Interviews will be held in person on 19 September 2025.