Help preserve our future
West Dean is part of a registered charity and relies on the support of generous donors, friends, legacies to help us deliver world-class education in conservation and the creative arts and maintain our award-winning gardens.
Work for us
Exciting and flexible employment opportunities, excellent employee benefits, a rich creative heritage and beautiful surroundings make West Dean College an inspiring place to work. If you feel you meet the person specification for any of our vacancies, we would love to hear from you.
Please note that we always endeavour to contact each candidate directly. Occasionally, due to volume of applicants, we are unable to respond to each unsuccessful candidate before the interview date. Speculative applications will be held for six months and candidates notified of any suitable vacancies.
Follow us on Twitter and Linkedin to get all the latest news and job vacancies. Email Katharine.Osborne@westdean.org.uk for further information.
Please see our current vacancies below.
Marketing and Commercial Division Vacancies
Education Division Vacancies
Casual Vacancies
We often have the need for a variety of casual roles including:
- Food Services Assistants
- Kitchen Porters
- Housekeepers
We offer flexible hours (including weekends and bank holidays), hours to meet the needs of the individuals and business. Casual roles offer flexible work patterns and the opportunity to work in several areas of the Estate. Successful candidates for all of the above roles will work primarily straight shifts with a one week Christmas closure.
Hourly Rate: £8.21 per hour plus 12.07% holiday pay
If you would like to apply, please send your CV and cover letter to Helen Dearing, Human Resources Officer, helen.dearing@westdean.org.uk or call 01243 818247.
Benefits
As an employee you can expect to enjoy a wide range of benefits:
- Annual leave - 25 days plus 8 bank holidays per annum, 28 days plus 8 bank holidays per annum for managers and above.
- Generous contributory pension scheme, matching from 4% to 7.5%
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Free entry to West Dean Gardens
- Complimentary staff access to events
- Discounts on retail goods in our two shops
- Free and discounted places on short courses at West Dean College
- Free use of West Dean College facilities including swimming pool, library and tennis courts
- Subsidised meals
- Subsidised bed and breakfast rates
- Discounts on event hire and food and beverage charges
Internships
West Dean College works closely with the University of Chichester to provide paid internships to their degree students through the Graduate On Scheme. Occasionally we may also offer paid internships outside this scheme and these vacancies will be advertised on our website when available. If you have skills you feel would be beneficial to West Dean College and Gardens and you would like to gain experience with us we have many volunteer opportunities as described below.
Volunteer for us
Join our committed and diverse team of volunteers, meet new people, use your expertise and make a difference. You can volunteer in the Gardens, Conservation, Visual Arts, HR, IT, Marketing, Fundraising teams and more. If you feel your skills could be put to good use at West Dean College and Gardens, please get in touch.
Volunteers usually work between 3 and 8 hours a week and take on a variety of activities.
- A dedicated gardens volunteering team help ensure all the gardening tasks are completed on time.
- Administrative volunteers help with a range of activities including getting involved with communication work or helping the development office with Friends membership.
- House volunteers help care for our collection of historic objects.
If you are interested in volunteering at West Dean College, please detail your experiences and skills in an email to Katharine.Osborne@westdean.org.uk
Alternatively you can write us at The Edward James Foundation, West Dean, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0QZ.
"It is immensely satisfying to realise that I have had an input, however small, into the beauty of the garden, and I am very proud of that. It is great, too, to be a part of the friendly team, and I look forward to coming each week." Lesley Aylwin, Volunteer
Thank you to our many Volunteers from NADFAS.
Benefits of being a volunteer
As a volunteer you will learn new skills, enhance your cv and make a real difference to our work.
Equality Act and GDPR Policy
The Edward James Foundation is committed to treating all employees and job applicants fairly and equally, regardless of any characteristic, but particularly any deemed a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.
Our GDPR compliant privacy notice for applicants can be viewed by clicking here. By applying for this job you confirm you have had the opportunity to read our privacy policy and therefore, agree to the terms and conditions contained therein. By applying for this job and sending us your personal data, including your CV, you give us your consent to contact you about this job or any other jobs we feel are suitable.
You are able to opt out of us having your data at any time, by contacting the HR Department 01243 818276 or Katharine.Osborne@westdean.org.uk with your request.