Department for Environment and Water
Job reference: 839585
Location: - VARIOUS -
Job status: Ongoing
Eligibility: Open to Everyone
About the
Role:
The Botanic
Gardens and State Herbarium in South Australia is a seeking
experienced, knowledgeable, and driven Horticultural Site Manager
to lead the institutions botanic garden horticultural operations at
some of South Australia's most iconic and much-loved public
gardens. This position will be primarily responsible for the Mount
Lofty and Wittunga Botanic Garden horticulture operational
delivery.
Working
with a leadership team, you will be responsible for
coordinating staff and resources to deliver high-quality
horticultural outcomes, and ensuring daily operations align
with strategic priorities. You will play a key role in
fostering team performance, driving continuous improvement,
building a positive culture, supporting a safe and healthy
workplace, and contributing to leadership activities. Your work
will protect and enhance significant living collection
botanical assets, including amenity plantings, native
vegetation, and a significant tree stock.
Key
Responsibilities Lead and manage teams of horticultural staff,
contractors, and volunteers to deliver high standards of
botanic garden presentation, living collection and landscape
development and visitor amenity. Provide operational
intelligence and feedback to senior leaders to inform resource
planning, site development, risk management and strategic
decision making. Support the implementation of the workplace
health, safety, and wellbeing framework, ensuring all
activities are compliant and staff are trained and
supported.
What can we
offer you!
- Working in an
organisation that is contributing to significant environmental
outcomes in the great state of South Australia!
- Be
part of a fun, collaborative and supportive team.
- Hybrid
working model with flexible working options including work from
home available to promote work life balance.
- Free
entry into DEW managed Parks in South Australia.
- Salary
Sacrifice Benefits.
- Access
to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
- Meaningful and
rewarding career.
Contract:
Ongoing
Contract
Essential Criteria
(including qualifications):
- Certificate III in
Horticulture.
- Demonstrated
experience in effectively leading and managing a field-based
team, demonstrating adeptness in decision making, resource
allocation, and fostering a collaborative environment to
achieve organisational goals.
- Demonstrated
experience and maintains a thorough and up to date knowledge of
conservation land management, natural resource management,
maintenance of botanic garden and amenity horticultural
displays, pest and disease control, plant identification,
living collection curation, weed management, turf management,
plant nutrition and irrigation and in the maintenance and use
of all associated plant and equipment.
- At
least five years’ senior experience in operational management,
related to horticulture, living collections, natural resource
management or significant park or garden environment is
required.
- Detailed understanding
and experience in the applications of procurement activities
including acquisition planning, tendering, evaluation,
negotiation and contract management processes as applicable to
operational delivery.
- Sound
understanding of legislative requirements and best practice in
relation to work, health and safety.
- Shows
an accurate understanding of and can apply the BGSH Act 1978
and Regulations 2021, Road Traffic Act 1961 and associated
national requirements of botanic gardens
horticulture.
- A
current class “C” driver’s licence and willingness and ability
to safely operate a 4wd is essential.
- A
current First Aid Certificate is essential.
Special
Conditions:
- May be
required to participate in responses to state emergencies or
associated duties.
- You
must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or provide
evidence that you hold a valid working visa that allows you to
work in Australia without restrictions.
- Prior
to being employed, the successful applicant will be required to
obtain a National Coordinated Criminal History Check
(NCCHC).
- Prior
to being employed, the successful applicant will be required to
provide a Department of Human Services (DHS) working with
children check (WWCC) which is required to be renewed every
five years before expiry.
- Inter
and intrastate and remote area travel may be required,
including travel in light aircraft.
- Wearing a company
uniform during working hours and/or when representing the
department is mandatory.
- May be
required to undertake intra or interstate travel, occasional
overnight absences, and work outside of the normal hours of
work.
- May be
required to participate in bushfires suppression
activities.
- May be
assigned to a position at another BGSH site dependent on
organisational and individual requirements.
Remuneration:
OPS5 $85,168
min - $91,049 max p.a.
Enquiries
to:
Leonie
Scriven, Deputy Director Living Collections
Leonie.Scriven@sa.gov.au
0427 178 982
Application Instructions:
Applications
are to be submitted online through I WORK FOR SA.
Applicants are
to submit a pre-employment declaration, current CV and letter of
application (max. 3 pages) addressing the Essential and Desirable
Criteria OR Technical, Professional/Knowledge and Experience
(including qualifications) as outlined in the Role
Description.
The
Department for Environment and Water is committed to building a
diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage applications from
people with diverse backgrounds including all ages and gender
identities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, people with
disability, culturally and linguistically diverse and
LGBTIQA+.
Applications close: 17/04/2026 11:00 PM
Attachments:-
Pre-Employment-Declaration_240522.pdf
-
Role Description - OPS5 Horticulture Site Manager.pdf
Flexibility Statement
The South Australian public sector promotes diversity and flexible ways of working including part-time. Applicants are encouraged to discuss the flexible working arrangements for this role.
Horticulture Site Manager
