Vacancies

Location:                  Edinburgh, UK with some hybrid working possible
Position type:          Permanent, full-time
Salary:                      £86,716 (starting; pay award pending)
Benefits:                   Includes Civil Service pension, generous annual leave. Further information available at Employee Benefits

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is seeking an exceptional individual for the role of Director of Horticulture—a senior leadership position responsible for the strategic oversight and stewardship of one of the world’s most significant living plant collections. This is a unique opportunity to shape and lead horticultural excellence at a globally respected institution, playing a pivotal role in addressing the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

We are  an internationally renowned centre of excellence in biodiversity science, horticulture, education, and public engagement. With over 13,500 plant species cultivated across four gardens in Scotland—and welcoming over one million visitors annually—our collections and expertise are central to global efforts in plant conservation, ecological restoration, and sustainable development. They also underpin a wide range of educational programmes, community engagement initiatives, and income-generating activities.

As a member of the Executive Team, you will:

·       Lead the strategic management and development of our internationally significant Living Collections.

·       Champion horticulture as a public advocate, thought leader, and spokesperson—raising the profile of the profession, promoting plant conservation, and inspiring the next generation of horticulturists.

·       Advance horticultural contributions to biodiversity recovery, climate resilience, and sustainable landscape management.

·       Play a key role in building the organisation’s horticultural consultancy and commercial partnerships—developing mission-aligned services that extend our impact and generate income.

This is a broad and influential role, requiring a dynamic leader with a deep understanding of horticulture, a commitment to inclusion and workforce development, and the confidence and skills to represent the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh at the highest levels.

Please download the Candidate Pack for further information including a comprehensive job description and person specification: Candidate Pack 

To apply, please email recruitment@rbge.org.uk with:

·       your CV

·       a covering letter outlining the skills, knowledge and experience you’d bring to the role

Please also electronically complete and submit an equal opportunities questionnaire using the following link: EOQ form. This form should not be included with your email application.

Closing date:            midday (GMT) 5 January 2026
Interview date:         February 2026

 To arrange an informal discussion about the role, please contact Jennifer Martin at jmartin@rbge.org.uk

Full time (35 hours), permanent, based in Edinburgh
Salary £31,080 (pay award pending) plus generous holiday entitlement, Civil Service pension and other benefits.

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a world-renowned institution dedicated to plant science, horticulture, and biodiversity conservation. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where innovation thrives, and diverse perspectives are valued.

We have an exciting opportunity to join our Science division as Conifer Safe Sites Manager.  In this role you will oversee the 325 Safe Sites in the UK for growing globally threatened conifers, a critical conservation resource that forms the basis of the success of the International Conifer Conservation Programme (ICCP).

Conifers are of significant economic importance, and yet they are one of the world’s most threatened groups of plants - with over one third of species threatened with extinction. RBGE is widely recognised for its global leadership in conifer conservation - not least because our Safe Sites harbour more than half of the world’s threatened conifer species. 

You will join a small, committed and motivated team that will help ensure that RBGE can fully harness the potential of the ICCP to generate impact, profile and income. 

The purpose of this role is to continue to improve operations and sustainability of one of our flagship conservation programmes, maintain RBGE’s global leadership in conifer conservation, and ensure that the Safe Sites are utilised to maximum impact – for safeguarding threatened conifers, furthering horticultural knowledge, and for conservation and climate change research.

We are looking for someone with horticultural skills and a vision for the integration of science and horticulture in conservation projects. You will ideally have experience of managing tree collections and maintaining plant records and be comfortable engaging with a wide range of stakeholders. This role will require frequent travel throughout the British Isles and occasionally overseas as well as to our Edinburgh and regional gardens.

With a passion for sharing your knowledge and skills and building capacity, this is an exciting opportunity where you’ll use your excellent communication skills to liaise with ICCP safe site managers and owners, support RBGE students with their fieldwork, and deliver training and workshops to diverse audiences.

Further information about the International Conifer Conservation Programme can be found here.

We welcome applications from candidates interested in flexible working arrangements, including part-time hours or job-sharing.

RBGE is unable to sponsor applicants without the right to work in the United Kingdom for this role. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure eligibility to work in the United Kingdom for the duration of the appointment.

To apply, please email recruitment@rbge.org.uk with the following:

•    Your CV
•    A covering letter outlining the skills, knowledge and experience you would bring to the post

Please also electronically complete and submit an equal opportunities questionnaire using the following link: EOQ form. This form should not be included with your email application.

Closing date:                           10am Monday 12 January 2026
Interview date:                        Week commencing 26 January 2026        
Recruitment information:    Job description and person specification    

If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been shortlisted. No recruitment agencies please.