St Andrews Botanic Garden

Administrative and Executive Assistant
Salary: £18,688 pro rata Hours: 20-24 hours per week (0.5-0.6 FTE). Monday-Friday Contract: 2 years fixed
... St Andrews Botanic Garden (SABG) holds an exceptional, diverse and documented botanical collection in 18 beautiful acres, including half an acre of glasshouses. Located in the centre of the iconic town of St Andrews, it benefits from its links to this UK top 5 University and the global tourist interest in St Andrews.
You would be joining SABG at an exciting time in its 126 year history as it refocuses on making its gardens, plants and expertise relevant and accessible to a wider audience. SABG has recently gone through a transition to become an independent charitable trust and is in a challenging time of growth and development. In the past 2 years visitor numbers have increased over 50%. SABG has a team of 14 FTE across a headcount of 23, including seasonal and occasional staff.
St Andrews Botanic Garden wishes to appoint a capable, organised and effective administrative assistant who is able to provide administrative services for both the Garden and Director.
This is an important role reporting to the Director and requiring a close working relationship with other senior staff involved in programme and business delivery. SABG is committed to attracting and developing the expertise and careers of exceptional individuals at all levels as part of its core mission and values. You can expect to work with other motivated and qualified colleagues and you will receive a professional development budget.
The successful candidate will need to be resilient and adaptable, able to thrive in a fast changing working environment, flexible with regards to roles as growth occurs, and able to be creative to find and implement administrative solutions where no precedent exists.
The successful candidate will also have excellent communication (oral and written) skills and an ability to work as part of a team and with people at all levels. They will have administrative and customer service experience, familiarity with common database and communications systems and a commitment to providing a first-rate guest and administrative service.
Educated to ‘Highers’ standard or above, the role-holder will be able to prioritise effectively, organise meticulously and be a first point of call for all aspects of the business side of Garden operations. They will have a high level of computer literacy and technological awareness together with a methodical approach to work.
For a full job description and person specification pack please email info@standrewsbotanic.org and apply via email. Information submitted on Facebook will not be accepted.
All applications should be received by 5pm on Wednesday 17th April 2019. Interviews will take place on Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th April 2019.
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Rhododendron veitchianum in full bloom in our Temperate Glasshouse

Garden Masterclass THIS SATURDAY, 30th March! Modern Organic Vegetable Sowing and Establishment - Elliott Forsyth
10am - 3pm Lunch included £50 per person... *Special Offer* - Book all 3 Masterclasses for £125 (30th March, 27th April, 25th May)
Booking essential. Forms can be obtained by messaging us or emailing info@standrewsbotanic.org
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The pretty little Scilla mischtschenkoana in our Rock Garden

Veltheimia viridifolia

Scilla mischtschenkoana and Oxalis versicolor in our Alpine display glasshouse

Iris 'Katharine Hodgkin'
This iris is a floriferous garden favourite, introduced by E.B. Anderson in 1958, and produces masses of flowers from late Feb-April. It is easy to grow in moist/well drained soils, sun or part shade. Plant 3-4” deep and apart. Division is only necessary if flowering starts to decline after some years.

Horticultural Summer Internship 2019 - LAST CHANCE for applications
DEADLINE Friday 29th March 2019 at 12noon
Up to two positions available, 8-12 weeks. Paid work for horticulturists in training, experiencing the diversity of plants and habitats at St Andrews Botanic Garden as you work and learn with our exceptional team. Grow your career!
... For more details visit https://tinyurl.com/ybwgrua5 Coelogyne Mem. William Micholitz
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Garden Masterclass - Saturday 30th March - Modern Organic Vegetable Sowing and Establishment
Elliott Forsyth 10am - 3pm
... Book your place now on this fantastic day! £50 or £125 for all 3 masterclasses. More information on our events page. Email info@standrewsbotanic.org for a booking form or message us!
Rhododendron praecox
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'Plants in extreme habitats' with Sarah Carlton, Alpine and Woodland Supervisor.
Join us at 2pm for this Walk, FREE with Garden entry. Complimentary tea/coffee afterwards.

Salix aegyptica catkins

Camellia japonica 'Cara Mia'

The heron is making an appearance most days at the moment - let us know if you manage to capture a photo!

Look out for the frog spawn in the pond if you're visiting us this week!

Various Volunteering opportunities available now, including for our Tropical Butterfly House! We're looking for dedicated volunteers who can commit to regular weekly sessions for a minimum of 6 months. For more information on this rewarding opportunity or an application form email volunteer@standrewsbotanic.org
There is so much Spring colour in the Garden to enjoy!

Lovely brief for an exhibition.

Explore the Garden with fun, educational activities including planting, den building, rock pooling, outdoor art, craft, tropical butterfly house, campfire and much, much more!
9am – 3pm Children age 6-12 £30 per day or £125 per week, 10% discount for 1 or more siblings attending together
... Download a booking form from our website https://www.standrewsbotanic.org/children s-events or contact us by email info@standrewsbotanic.org
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Rhododendron veitchianum

What an absolute hidden gem. The butterfly house is amazing you are allocated a time so the butterfly house doesnt get too busy, and no rush to hurry through. The staff were all so lovely and helpful. The botanic gardens were exquisite and just about ready to burst into even more life. Thankyou for a splendid morning x

What a spacious and beautiful garden. We've visited a number of times when in St. Andrews and never tire of it. Looking forward to the butterfly garden area on our next trip.

What a beautiful place, so well set out, lovely walking around. The butterfly house is amazing, the volunteer staff so friendly and helpful, I'll certainly be back again, I hope the council keep this going from now on. I'd recommend going here.

We are still over the moon from the butterfly pavilion. We can highly recommend it. We had such a great morning :)

Was there with my daughter and grandson - we all loved it. Plenty to see in the various plant houses and the butterflies were so beautiful. The grounds wanted to draw me in but we didn't have time to explore. Bought some very healthy looking plants. Will be back.

This is an excellent Botanic Garden. The plant collections are well cared for and worth seeing at any time of the year. The staff and volunteers are helpful and positive about the garden and it's fine collections. It is pleasing on the eye as it was well designed and constructed about fifty years ago.

I was twenty one years old at the time and helped to start the new garden by moving plants from the old Botanic Garden just off South Street in St Andrews Scotland to it's present day location. Coming right up to date please visit and see the new Butterfly House. Stunning!

St Andrews will always be special for me! I wish everyone associated with the garden success and happiness in the future.

Brian Sutherland.

The staff are so welcoming and friendly, and included my child in conversation. The tropical butterfly experience is well worth the extra £2.95 to see - the added heat in the butterfly house was also very welcome! Although I have very little knowledge about plants - it was lovely to see such a wide variety of plants from all corners of the world. My son and I thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon spent there, wandering around the gardens, relaxing in the sunshine and enjoying the peacefulness of the area. Will definitely be back again soon!

Myself and hubby had an unplanned visit to the gardens while visiting St Andrews with our 2 year old son. Such a beautiful and tranquil place. We enjoyed the quietness and peaceful afternoon we had and loved the butterfly house, even our son was intrigued. Would recommend, we are glad we stopped by.

I have no idea about - and little interest in, unless I can eat - plants. But as a concert venue, everything was perfect. I think the "Byre in the Botanics" season ends in a couple of weeks, but it's well worth going. Great, imaginative use of space - well done!

I had the pleasure of visiting the gardens and butterfly house yesterday.The young female at the paying desk was so friendly and helpful.The staff in the buttetfly house were the same very welcoming and knowledgeable.The butterfly house was fantastic and the gardens are beautiful..well worth a visit...I will definitely be back...well done to all involved.

I had a very enjoyable afternoon in the garden with my husband daughter and grandchildren We all loved the butterfly house and the chidren spent time in the craft centre The pond area was really lovely and i liked the herb garden and the scented flowers

I accompanied my daughters p1 class on their school trip this week and it was such a beautiful place to visit. The butterfly house is out of this world and a truly memorable experience and the lovely ladies who were there that day let us see the different caterpillars etc and were so knowledgeable on all the different species. Utterly amazing and cannot wait to come back. Thankyou for making us all so welcome, the kids (and adults!!) loved it �

Had an amazing day with my grandson yesterday, the young girls at the main entrance were very attentive and polite, also the staff working in the gardens gave a friendly smile. The butterfly's were amazing and recommend.

Great and peaceful place with great displays and a brilliant butterfly house. We met and spoke with June who works at the botanic garden who was very nice and spoke with us and showed us some of the plants and gave more information about them.



Will be back to this lovely botanic garden.

Botanic Garden looking splendid .Friendly staff and lots happening to keep up great gardening standards .... hadn't visited for a couple of years and was most impressed . Remarkable difference . Well done . Perhaps you need to do some promotion / marketing . There's not a lot of info in the town and there are sooo many tourists in St . Andrews . Nevertheless .... a sleeping beauty has awoken

Beautiful gardens with educational notices. Large greenhouses with all kinds of tropical plants and succulents. Added attraction of the butterfly house. I was there on Friday September 1st and the young girl in the kiosk was so helpful and friendly. A wonderful place to visit.

Beautiful Gardens, lots to see and many varied walks, suitable for all ages and abilities. The Butterfly Experience is a joy. Special mention to the young girl doing entry tickets, making tea and coffee in the cafe and taking the money for plant sales. Very friendly and informative and nothing was too much trouble. She is a credit to you. Will definitely visit again.

After the exciting news of development within the Education Department, I can see this section of the Garden advancing to the same high-level standard of the staff and programme of works at St Andrews Botanic Garden.

5 stars isnt enough but is all computer will let me give u. The butterfly house was absolutely brillliant and was great to see so much diversity among them. You had a great array of different plants that were great to look at and was interesting to see the plants and shrubs of things we get in a supermarket, such as chocolote. I loved your gardens and loved how you had different trees and plants from all over the globe. I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon i spent there!!