Job Description Proforma - Zoological Society of London (ZSL)

Job Description

Job Title: Zoo Horticulturalist
Section (optional): ZSL Horticulture
Department: Facilities Management
Directorate: Zoological
Responsible to: Team Leader Horticulture ZSL London Zoo
Current job holder: n/a

Approved by:
Head of Department/ Director:

Job Evaluation Committee Reference Number:
Grade Allocated:
Date Allocated:

Last updated: 08 October 2014 Page 1 of 9

Job Description

Key Purpose of the job

Support ZSL in achieving its mission and strategic aims through the use and
advancement of horticulture, the application and development of plant related expertise and
knowledge, and by managing ZSL’s sites for biodiversity by working within the Facilities
Management department.

Visitor experience - Maintain and develop amenity areas and exhibits to defined
horticultural standards (planting and maintenance of temperate and tropical herbaceous and
woody stock, lawn and meadow maintenance, hedge maintenance, tree management,
propagation and cultivation of temperate and tropical stock).

Animal management - Carry out horticultural tasks that support animal sections optimising
welfare and husbandry opportunities (provision of forage, propagation and growing of herbs
and other stock in the nursery and glasshouses for use as forage and enrichment, supply of
plants and plant materials for exhibits and as exhibit furnishings).

Biodiversity conservation - Carry out horticultural tasks that optimise the site’s biodiversity
value and function through appropriate habitat management (e.g. tree, deadwood and scrub
management, meadow management, invasive species control).

Education, learning and research - Participate in training and further learning (formal and
informal) to comply with legislation and best practice, and to develop up to date skills and
knowledge in zoo horticulture. Communicate core values to key audiences and assist the
department in delivering training for ZSL staff and partner organisations.

Operational - Comply with current legislation and best practice guidance. Use resources
responsibly. Minimise the impact of the department’s operation on the environment.

Last updated: 08 October 2014 Page 2 of 9

Main duties and responsibilities

 Comply with current legislation and best practice guidance (e.g. health and safety,
environmental, wildlife legislation).

 Comply with ZSL and departmental policies and procedures.
 Work toward achieving the organisation’s and department’s aims by carrying out tasks to

agreed standards.

 Use facilities, tools, equipment and machinery responsibly and as instructed.

 Carry out and record daily, weekly and monthly planned preventative maintenance
checks to specified standards.

 Use materials and substances as instructed by the Team Leader Horticulture.
 Actively support ZSL’s and the department’s efforts to protect the environment and

operate sustainably.

 Ensure own safety and that of others.

 Maintain and develop amenity areas and exhibits to defined horticultural standards.

 Carry out horticultural tasks that support animal sections optimising husbandry and
welfare opportunities.

 Carry out horticultural tasks to optimise the site’s biodiversity value and function
through appropriate habitat management.

 Participate in training and further learning (formal and informal) to comply with
legislation and best practice, and to develop up to date skills and knowledge in zoo
horticulture.

 Supervise apprentices, volunteers and work placements as agreed with the Team
Leader Horticulture.

 Supervise colleagues in situations that require special competencies (e.g. when
operating machinery) as agreed with the Team Leader Horticulture.

Expectations of the job holder

 To ensure that the policy for equality of opportunity is adhered to and promoted in all
aspects of the job holder’s work.

 To ensure effective quality control and continuous improvement in all aspects of the work
and responsibilities attached to this post.

 Demonstrate professionalism towards sensitive and confidential information.

Last updated: 08 October 2014 Page 3 of 9

 To comply with and promote Health and Safety policies and procedures and to
undertake recommended Health and Safety training as and when necessary.

 To be committed to professional self-development, through participation in in-service
training as necessary for the successful carrying out of the job.

 To undertake such other duties as are commensurate with the grade of the post.

NB: This job description is designed to outline a range of main duties that may be
encountered. It is not designed to be an exhaustive list of tasks and can be varied in
consultation with the job holder in order to reflect changes in the job or the organisation.

Last updated: 08 October 2014 Page 4 of 9

Person Specification

Qualifications & experience

 The position requires practical experience of working in zoo horticulture, amenity
horticulture, countryside management or a similar land-based sector.

 A qualification to at least Level 2 Diploma in horticulture (or equivalent), countryside
management or similar land-based sector is desired.

 The job holder must hold a full UK driving licence and should ideally have a number of
the accredited qualifications below:

o Lantra/NPTC Hedgetrimmers
o Lantra/NPTC Brushcutters
o Lantra/NPTC Pedestrian Rotary and Flail Mowers
o Lantra/NPTC Ride-on Rotary and Flail Mowers
o NPTC PA1/PA6 Pesticide Application
o NPTC MO1 /MO1a - Tractor Driving
o Lantra Basic Tree Surveying and Inspection
o NPTC Level 2 Award in Chainsaw Maintenance and Crosscutting
o NPTC Level 2 Award in Felling and Processing Trees up to 380mm
o Lantra/NPTC Woodchippers
o IPAF MEWP (Mobile Elevating Work Platform) static boom (1b)
o IPAF MEWP (Mobile Elevating Work Platform) mobile boom (3b)
o ITD Articulated Wheel Loader (or equivalent)
o ITD Dumper Truck (or equivalent)
o NPORS 360° Excavator (tracked – 10t) (or equivalent)
o RTITB Counterbalanced Lift Truck (or equivalent)
o Manual Handling
o Use of Ladders
o Emergency First Aid at Work
o Cable Detection
o Harness Awareness
o NPROS Abrasive Wheels (or equivalent)

Knowledge

 The position requires good knowledge of current horticultural, arboricultural and
conservation management practices and techniques.

 Up to date knowledge of current health and safety legislation and best practice guidance
is essential.

Skills & abilities

 The job holder must be able to put up to date horticultural, arboricultural and
conservation management techniques into practice.

 The position requires a good level of literacy, numeracy and IT skills. The job holder
must be able to read and understand instruction manuals, risk assessments, safe system

Last updated: 08 October 2014 Page 5 of 9

of work documents and electronic communication. He/she must also be able to complete
planned preventative maintenance (PPM) check sheets, other relevant health and safety
documents and daily work record sheets.
 The job holder must have good interpersonal skills. Departmental decisions are
frequently discussed and taken collectively in daily team briefings and regular team
meetings. The majority of tasks are team tasks.

Other requirements

 Ability to work early mornings, evenings and weekends if required.

 Ability to attend training off-site if required.

Last updated: 08 October 2014 Page 6 of 9

Job Description Analysis for Job Evaluation Process

A. Applied knowledge, skills and expertise

 The position requires good knowledge of current horticultural, arboricultural and
conservation management techniques and the ability to put these into practice.

 Up to date knowledge of current health and safety legislation and best practice guidance
is essential.

 The position requires a good level of literacy, numeracy and IT skills. The job holder
must be able to read and understand instruction manuals, risk assessments, safe system
of work documents and electronic communication. He/she must also be able to complete
planned preventative maintenance (PPM) check sheets, other relevant health and safety
documents and daily work record sheets.

 The job holder must have good interpersonal skills. Departmental decisions are
frequently discussed and taken collectively in daily team briefings and regular team
meetings. The majority of tasks are team tasks.

B. Responsibilities

i. Human resource management

 Supervise apprentices, volunteers and work placements as agreed with the Team
Leader Horticulture.

 Supervise colleagues in situations that require special competencies (e.g. when
operating machinery) as agreed with the Team Leader Horticulture.

ii. Physical resource management

 Comply with current legislation and best practice guidance (e.g. health and safety,
environmental, wildlife legislation).

 Comply with ZSL and departmental policies and procedures.

 Work toward achieving the organisation’s and department’s aims by carrying out
tasks to agreed standards.

 Use facilities, tools, equipment and machinery responsibly and as instructed.

 Carry out and record daily, weekly and monthly planned preventative maintenance
checks to specified standards.

 Use materials and substances as instructed by the Team Leader Horticulture.

 Actively support ZSL’s and the department’s efforts to protect the environment and
operate sustainably.

Last updated: 08 October 2014 Page 7 of 9

 Ensure own safety and that of others.

 Maintain and develop amenity areas and exhibits to agreed horticultural standards.

 Carry out horticultural tasks that support animal sections in optimising husbandry
and welfare opportunities.

 Carry out horticultural tasks to optimise the site’s biodiversity value and function
through appropriate habitat management.

 Participate in training and further learning (formal and informal) to comply with
legislation and best practice, and to develop up to date skills and knowledge in zoo
horticulture.

C. Building relationships

i. Interpersonal skills

 The position requires good communication skills.

 The job holder is expected to act in a professional, respectful and constructive
manner when dealing with colleagues at ZSL and other organisations, contractors,
suppliers and members of the public.

 The job holder must be able to work as part of a team as well as on her/his own
initiative and is expected to provide coaching for others if required.

ii. Communication

 Communication is mostly verbal, but also by phone and email. The job holder is
expected to regularly check her/his emails to be aware of updates to ZSL and
departmental policies and procedures and other communications.

iii. Liaison

 The job holder is required to liaise with line management, colleagues, other
departments, and to some extent with contractors, suppliers and members of the
public.

D. Mental demands Page 8 of 9
i. Judgment and decision making

Last updated: 08 October 2014

 The job holder must be able use her/his skill, experience and knowledge to decide
on safe ways of carrying out tasks in compliance with legislation, best practice and
ZSL/departmental policies and procedures, and when to consult a line manager for
further guidance.

 The job holder should have the ability to make decisions and prioritise tasks
according to their importance and urgency in context of the department’s overall
operation.

ii. Original thought and problem solving

 The job holder is expected to participate in discussions during team briefings and
meetings in a constructive and courteous manner.

iii. Concentration

 The job holder must be able to focus on the task in hand when working with
equipment and machinery, and when handling substances and materials.

iv. Flexibility

 The position requires flexibility when planned tasks are superseded by unscheduled
changes, or when tasks are interrupted by events that take priority, such as the need
to deal with hazardous situations, visitor enquiries, or having to accommodate
contractors and suppliers.

E. Working conditions

 Work will be undertaken outdoors in all weather conditions and in the zoo’s indoor
exhibits. The job holder must be physically capable of carrying out the required tasks.

 Working hours are 37.5 hours per week. The nature of the job might require
occasional early morning, evening and weekend work.

Last updated: 08 October 2014 Page 9 of 9