Gardener

Job Number: Gardener

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Since 1991, Evergreen, a not-for-profit, has provoked bold action in transforming public landscapes into thriving community spaces. We believe that connecting people, natural and built worlds create flourishing cities for the future. For more than 25 years Evergreen has connected, collaborated, and catalyzed Canadians to do amazing things positively affecting attitudes and behaviours that lie at the core of a sustainable city. For more information visit www.evergreen.ca

Overview:

The Gardener performs maintenance of pre-existing native plantings and garden beds as well as surrounding naturalized areas located at Evergreen Brick Works.  The Gardener’s duties ensure Evergreen Brick Works is an attractive, ecologically rich, safe and engaging site.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Garden maintenance and installation

• Following daily, weekly and seasonal garden maintenance plans and schedules
• Weed and remove all invasive plants and maintain integrity of themed beds
• Water all gardens, planters and pots as necessary or dictated by watering schedules
• Monitor, manage and remove detrimental pests, and dead or diseased plants
• Installing and tracking new garden plantings as per site guidelines
• Processes compost, assists with compost turning when adding materials and supports soil building efforts on site
• Litter removal and disposal from all gardens and naturalized areas
• Cleaning and maintaining hardscape surfaces as necessary
• Daily reset of outdoors furniture set ups

2. Tool and Material maintenance and oversight

• Maintain gardening tools, including gas and electric powered tools, to ensure proper functioning
• Ensure tool inventory is up-to-date and all items are accounted for at the end of each day, week and season
• Communicate tool and plant material needs

3. Volunteer Programming Facilitation and Support

• Facilitating site-focused volunteer and corporate gardening and stewardship programming such as Garden Circle, Compost Club, etc.

Competencies:

Position-Specific Competencies:

• Attention to detail. Does not let important details slip through the cracks.
• Customer-focus. Anticipate, understand, and respond to the needs of internal and external customers/donors to meet or exceed their expectations and receives positive feedback from internal and external customers/donors.
• Flexibility/adaptability. Flexible, versatile and/or tolerant in a changing work environment while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency. Adjust quickly to changing priorities and conditions. Cope effectively with complexity and change.
• Managing up (i.e., manage manager). Clarify performance expectations, keep manager abreast of activities, seek guidance from manager when necessary, communicate needs for job performance / satisfaction (e.g., need for information, development, etc.), open to feedback
• Proactivity/Enthusiasm/Persistence. Act without being told what to do. Passionate and excited over work. Can-do attitude. Tenacious and goes the distance to get something done.

Guidelines:

Reporting Relationships:

• Supervised by: Facilities Manager

Qualifications:

• Education: Landscape design, Horticulture, Restoration Ecology Design, or similar education
• Certification: Certified Landscape Technician or similar certification an asset
• Familiarity with Ontario native plants & food plants an asset
• Knowledge of natural pest control an asset
• 1 -3 years of gardening experience

Working conditions:

• Working outdoors in inclement weather
• Working at heights on occasion
• Working hours: 32 - 40 hours per week

Physical requirements:

• Standing for extended periods of time
• Lifting heavy objects on a regular basis
• Doing repetitive tasks with few breaks

Terms of contract:  Seasonal (April – Nov.)

Cover letters and resumes can be submitted by e-mail to humanresources@evergreen.ca. Please Reference “Gardener” in the subject line.

By Mail to Attention: Human Resources
Centre for Green Cities, Suite 300
Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3X8

Evergreen welcomes applications from persons of diverse backgrounds and is an equal opportunity employer.  Accommodation will be provided in all parts of the hiring process as required under Evergreen’s Accommodation policy.  Applicants, please make your needs known in advance.  We sincerely thank all candidates for their interest.  However, only those selected for an interview will be notified. No phone calls please.

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Job summary

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