Head Gardener

Wolfson College, University of Oxford, is seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Head Gardener to lead our dedicated gardening team in maintaining and developing our exceptional gardens, grounds and sports fields.

About the Role

This is a hands-on leadership position, offering the opportunity to make a lasting impact on one of Oxford’s most distinctive college landscapes. Working alongside a small, skilled and committed team, you will oversee the ongoing care, maintenance and future development of the College’s gardens and grounds.

Key responsibilities include:

• Maintaining the College’s gardens, grounds and sports fields to an exceptional standard.
• Leading, motivating and developing the gardening team.
• Planning and delivering future improvements to the landscape, including associated with the new garden building.
• Managing the department’s budget.
• Ensuring compliance with health and safety requirements.
• Undertaking departmental administration.

About You

We’re looking for someone with a genuine passion for horticulture and proven people management and leadership experience. Ideally, you will have:

• A National Diploma in Horticulture (NDH) or equivalent qualification.
• Extensive practical horticultural knowledge and experience.
• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• A full UK driving licence.
• Experience operating a variety of gardening machinery.
• Good organisational, administrative and IT skills.

Why Wolfson College

Wolfson College is a great place to work. Founded in 1966, it is one of the University of Oxford’s largest and most international graduate colleges, with an open, inclusive and welcoming community. Home to more than 800 students from over 75 countries and nearly 300 Fellows, the College offers a supportive environment where people from around the world live, study and work together.

Located on the banks of the River Cherwell in North Oxford, the Grade II listed campus is set within thirteen acres of beautiful gardens and parkland. The grounds include a striking bog garden with a cascading water feature fed by the River Cherwell, a woodland walk, a winter garden and sweeping informal lawns, providing a unique and rewarding setting for any horticultural professional.

If you’re looking for an opportunity to shape and care for one of Oxford’s most beautiful college landscapes while working in a friendly and vibrant college community, we’d love to hear from you.

For further details and information on how to apply please read the further particulars of the job.  

The closing date for this vacancy is noon on Wednesday, 15 July 2026. Interviews will take place on Monday, 27 July 2026.

Wolfson College is committed to equality of opportunity and values the diversity of its workforce, students, and wider community. We warmly welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We would appreciate it if you could complete and return a recruitment monitoring form. This form does not constitute part of the recruitment and selection process.