Craft Gardener – Haigh Hall

Priority Candidates will be considered in the first instance

Salary: Grade 4, £25,583 - £26,824 per annum. £13.26 - £13.90 per hour

37 hours per week

We're on a journey to build a workforce reflective of our Borough.

We are committed to fostering diverse teams where everybody can bring their authentic selves to work and feel that they belong. If you want to work for a Council where everybody is encouraged to meet their full potential and make a difference in our neighbourhoods, we would love to hear from you!

Your role:

The horticulture team plays a central role in making the Haigh estate a special place to visit. Together with the Head of Horticulture and Team Leader, the horticulture team work as part of a broader team of volunteers, and apprentices on the regeneration and maintenance of the walled gardens and wider estate at Haigh Hall.

About you:

We are looking to recruit a full time, permanent craft gardener. You will be a keen and knowledgeable horticulturist, with a passion for heritage garden regeneration. The ideal candidate will work well in a team and be adept at using their own initiative. You will have experience of kitchen gardening, implementing planting plans, as well as the creation and maintenance of ornamental borders, plant biosecurity and working with volunteers. You will also have broad experience of maintaining gardens, be it lawn care, meadow management, or hedge cutting. It’s an exciting time to join the team and there will be ample opportunity to build on existing skills as well as learning new ones.

About us:

Wigan Council has been voted ‘Overall Council of the Year’ at the APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) Awards. We are signed up to the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment ensuring that your service will be continuous or 'unbroken' between the supporting organisations.

The Progress with Unity plan is a place movement for change for the next decade, bringing a new era for Wigan Borough. It draws on the strengths of our individual organisations, recognising that together we can achieve much more for our communities by delivering on our 2 place missions; create fair opportunities for all children, families, residents and businesses and make our towns and neighbourhoods flourish for those who live and work in them.

Grade 2* listed Haigh Hall is a much-loved local Wigan attraction. The 300-acre estate is undergoing major renovation, transforming it into a cultural and horticultural attraction of regional and national importance. The project has received significant council capital investment as well as funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Government’s Levelling Up fund. Haigh is grounded in the local community, and their participation is integral to the process and success of this endeavour. Haigh not only has enormous potential as a northwest horticultural destination, but also as inspiration for sustainable and inclusive heritage regeneration.

Here at Wigan, we are proud to support flexible working patterns, when the service can accommodate this. We also take a blended approach to where we work, depending on the work we do. This may include working from home, the office, or the community. We like to thank our employees for their hard work and commitment by giving them the opportunity to access a range of exclusive rewards and benefits click here to find out more about working for #TeamWigan.

To be appointed to this role you must be able to prove your right to work in the UK. Please visit the link below to check you qualify to apply. Please note, at present we are not a licenced sponsor. Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Prove your right to work to an employer

For further information, please contact Sylvia Travers at Sylvia.travers@wigan.gov.uk

Priority candidates Interview date: Friday 24^th April 2026

Interview date: Week Commencing Monday 27^th April 2026

To view the details relating to this position, please click the links below: