
Landscape Director
About the Job
Landscape Director Job Description
The John Hay Estate at The Fells is a nonprofit organization, which has initiated a search to fill the position of Landscape Director. This is a year-round full-time position with peak hours in the spring, summer, and autumn.
The Fells (a Scottish term for “rocky upland pasture”) is one of the finest examples of an early 20th century summer estate in New England. It fulfilled that function for three generations of the Hay Family beginning in 1891. John Milton Hay was Private Secretary to President Abraham Lincoln in the executive office and served as Secretary of State under Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. John Hay held high political positions until his death in 1905. The Fells has 84 conserved acres, which include a late 19th century Colonial Revival house, woodland trails, a walled garden with arbors, trellises, flowering trees and shrubs, neoclassical statuary, a rose terrace, 100-foot perennial border, a small apple orchard and a rock garden. Approximately 10,000 people visit annually, attend programs and events and enjoy the serenity of the site. (Website: www.thefells.org)
The site is located on the eastern shore of Lake Sunapee, facing Mount Sunapee in Newbury, New Hampshire, with easy access to I-89. The property is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and is a preservation project of the Garden Conservancy.
Reporting Relationship
The Landscape Director reports directly to the Executive Director and serves on the Landscape Committee.
Primary Responsibilities
Landscape Management:
- Maintain and preserve the landscape, following Mission, Master Plan and professional standards
- Manage acquisition of plants and supplies, which may require driving to nurseries and suppliers
- Recruit and train staff, volunteers and interns as needed
- Supervise Nursery Manager, Landscape Assistant(s) and 1-2 interns during the summer
- Prepare chores for and supervise garden volunteers (twice a week)
- Supervise the maintenance of water systems, roads, parking lot, equipment and supplies
Education/Outreach:
- Teach horticulture classes and/or Landscape Design
- Mentor staff and volunteers in their horticultural and professional development
- Serve as point person for landscape tours, symposia and other programs related to the landscape
Research:
- Conduct historical research to inform for any further development of the gardens
- Maintain current plant inventory and historical preservation
Competencies/Skills:
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills for working with volunteers and staff
- Strong project management skills
- Ability to lift 50 pounds
- Ability to operate and maintain power tools and landscape equipment required
Qualifications:
- Minimum of five years’ experience in landscape management experience
- Knowledge of horticultural principles and practices, especially related to rock, alpine, woodland gardens
- Knowledge of Northern New England native plants
- Knowledge of and experience in horticulture and ecology
- Degree in appropriate field
Administrative Requirements:
- Developing and maintaining Landscape Department Budget
- Computer proficiency with Microsoft365
- Writing skills are necessary to generate reports for the Board of Directors and articles for the Newsletter
- Participate in the hiring and management of Landscape assistant(s) and 1-2 interns, in collaboration with the Executive Director
Please submit your cover letter and resume to jobs@thefells.org