Vacancies

The Head of Communications & Public Affairs is a pivotal role at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) promoting our world-leading work in science, conservation, horticulture, and education.

Working as an active member of the Senior Leadership Team, this role will lead the organisation’s approach to strategic communications, seeking opportunities to engage external audiences, disseminate key messages, and raise RBGE’s profile on a national and international stage through press and media engagement.

With oversight of the communications and publishing functions, this role will also provide key support to the Regius Keeper and the Executive Team in shaping engagement and communication strategies with political stakeholders across the Scottish and UK governments.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a real impact in the next phase of RBGE’s corporate strategy, strengthening key policy relationships and promoting RBGE’s expertise to deliver real impact in the fight against the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

Closing date:                         09:00am (BST) on Monday 20 July 2026        
First interview date:               30 July 2026
Second interview date:          5 August 2026

Recruitment information: 

Further details on the job description, person specification, and how to apply can be found in the candidate pack for the role on our website here: Head of Communications and Public Affairs Candidate Pack

Full time (35 hours), 12-month fixed term contract, based in Edinburgh

Salary £40,112 plus generous holiday entitlement, Civil Service pension and other benefits

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a world-leading centre for plant science and conservation, with a strong commitment to inclusion, sustainability, and collaboration. We are seeking a Glasshouse Supervisor to help lead the care and development of our internationally important National Living Collection on a fixed-term basis for 12 months.

Our Glasshouses are home to an extraordinary diversity of plants from across the globe, supporting world-class research, conservation, education, and public engagement. They play a vital role in safeguarding threatened species, advancing horticultural excellence, and inspiring learners and visitors who explore the Garden each year. Joining at a pivotal time, you will contribute to the delivery of the Edinburgh Biomes Project, the most ambitious plan in RBGE's history, helping shape the future of our living collections and the visitor experience.

Reporting to the Deputy Curator, Glasshouses, you will co-lead the Glasshouse team, ensuring the highest standards of horticulture, collection care, and safe working practices. You will plan and coordinate day-to-day operations, supporting and developing staff while managing the resources, equipment, and materials needed for the efficient and sustainable running of the Glasshouses. Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, you will help ensure the living collections continue to support research, conservation, and public engagement.

You will also play an important role in maintaining the quality and advancing the conservation value of the National Living Collection. This includes overseeing collection records, supporting plant propagation, managing seed and spore bank resources, and ensuring high standards of documentation and collections management. You will contribute to the ongoing development of the collections, helping to maintain their scientific, horticultural, and conservation value for the future.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in one of the world's most significant botanic garden collections during a period of transformational change. We are looking for a motivated and experienced horticultural professional with strong leadership skills, sound knowledge of plant collections and conservation, and the ability to manage resources effectively while maintaining high operational standards. You will be organised, collaborative, and committed to continuous improvement, with excellent communication skills and a passion for supporting both people and plants. We welcome applications from candidates who can demonstrate relevant experience and transferable skills and who are inspired to contribute to an organisation dedicated to understanding, conserving, and celebrating the world's plant diversity.

Although we see this as a full-time role we would be happy to accept applications on a part-time basis; if this is your preference please let us know how many hours you would be able to work each week.

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

• Your CV
• 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:                              Midday BST Friday 17 July 2026            

Interview date:                            Week commencing 27 July 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.