British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA)
Grounds Manager
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
WWT Slimbridge (Centre)
South-West England
Closing date for applications is: 21st Jul 2026
Contact: Recruitment Team (recruitment@wwt.org.uk)
Sector: Horticulture
Type: Paid
Contract type: Full-time
Salary: £35,437 per annum
About The Role
WWT Slimbridge is a world-renowned wetland centre where wildlife and people connect. We are looking for an experienced and motivated Grounds Manager to lead our grounds team and help deliver our mission to restore wetlands, help wildlife thrive and inspire people.
This is a key leadership role where you’ll combine practical expertise, strategic thinking and strong people management to ensure WWT Slimbridge grounds are maintained and developed to the highest standards, supporting both exceptional visitor experiences and thriving habitats.
You Will
- Lead and develop a skilled grounds team, including staff, volunteers, and contractors
- Plan and deliver annual grounds maintenance programmes and improvement projects
- Enhance landscapes and habitats in line with conservation and visitor experience goals
- Ensure outstanding standards across all grounds, infrastructure, and visitor areas
- Manage budgets, resources, and contractors effectively and sustainably
- Play a key role in the Centre Management Team, including Duty Manager responsibilities
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
This is a hands-on leadership role where no two days are the same, from long-term planning and project delivery to supporting your team on the ground.
This is a full-time position working 37.5 hours, 5 days in 7 including weekends and bank holidays.
About You
The successful candidate will have:
- A qualification in horticulture or landscaping
- Practical experience at management level
- Experience in the use of plant and machinery
- Strong experience in grounds or estate management, ideally within a visitor-focused site
- A proactive, solutions-focused, and resourceful approach
- A passion for landscapes, nature, and creating environments people love to visit
- Full current driving license
About Us
We’re WWT, and we’re on a mission to restore the super-powered ecosystems we call wetlands. There’s never been a more important moment for our work, and we’ve got some phenomenal people on the case.
Whether they’re taking a new visitor under their wing, or conducting ground-breaking research further afield, our team are second to none. And there’s nothing we love more than watching them soar.
Whatever you do here, you’ll be helping to restore wetlands and unlock their power. So, the only question left is, what role will you play?
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Why you’ll love working at WWT
- Wake up every day knowing your work is helping to restore wetlands, and our world
- Be surrounded and inspired by our team of passionate, dedicated people
- 33 days annual leave (which goes up to 38 days after 5 years of service) – this includes bank holidays and you have flexibility to take those days whenever you want
- Free entry to all our wetland centres, including your family
- Free car parking and secure bike storage areas
- Colleague discount on shopping and memberships
- Cycle to work scheme
- Contributory pension scheme
- Life Assurance of three times your salary, for peace of mind for your loved ones
- Independent personal, workplace, and financial advice from our Employee Assistance Programme
WWT is an equal opportunities employer and all applications will be considered solely on merit.
Registered Charity Number England & Wales, no 1030884 and Scotland, no SC039410
Apply For This Job
For more information, and to apply for the role, please follow the link below: https://vacancies.wwt.org.uk/vacancies/877/grounds-manager.html
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location