Find your place in the field of good food

Our goal is to connect good people with good food. We advertise sustainable food jobs and training opportunities to help jobseekers and employers find each other.

Roots to Work is a project of Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming.

Job description

• Role: Seed Officer - Heritage Seed Library
• Location: Garden Organic, Coventry, CV8 3LG
• Key Requirements: Working as part of the Heritage Seed Library team to maintain a quality collection stock of vegetable seeds. Assist with planning, production, processing and distribution of seed.
• Hours: Part time (14 hours per week) (job-share).
• Duration: Fixed Term contract [30th June 2027]
• Salary: £25,000 per annum pro-rata
• Role subject to DBS Check: No

About us:

At Garden Organic we care about organic growing, composting, seed conservation, research and citizen science. Our small but hugely knowledgeable and committed team is backed by a family of members and volunteers, all dedicated to growing food and flowers in harmony with nature. We are an established, experienced and innovative membership charity, working in communities around the UK and campaigning for organic practice which protects and promotes life above and below the soil. Now in our seventh decade, we are also home to the vitally important Heritage Seed Library a living collection of 800 rare vegetable varieties that otherwise would have died out.

Our mission is to show people how to be organic growers and in doing so, we strive to be a great place to work, volunteer or partner with. We care about what we do, how we do it, and the impact we make. We believe that our time is now – when people are actively seeking positive contributions that they can make in the face of biodiversity loss and climate change.

About the role:

You will be reporting to our Head of HSL and your core responsibilities and main duties are as follows:

1. Maintain the core library seed samples for the HSL collection
2. Work with the Head of the Heritage Seed Library to ensure that there is adequate seed to supply members
3. Co-ordinate seed given to Seed Guardians and isolated site growers.
4. Oversee quality control of seed stocks – including cleaning, drying and storage requirements, germination rates and pest & disease management.
5. Assist with the pre-accession process and communications for potential new additions to the HSL collection.
6. Assist with the development of the HSL database, including stock management and descriptor information.
7. Be the point of contact with regard to seed requests and enquiries.
8. Ensure that a sample of every variety is duplicated in storage at Warwick HRI Genetic Resources Unit.
9. Maintain and update stock records of seeds.
10. Oversee the cleaning, packaging and distribution of seed.
11. Decide on varieties to be listed in the annual Heritage Seed Library catalogue and Orphan’s list, in conjunction with the Head of the Heritage Seed Library and Information Officer.
12. Conduct tours and assist in delivering workshops, presentations and events both on and off site.
13. Assist with the growing and characterisation of seed varieties with staff and volunteers as required.
14. Answer emails, telephone calls and enquiries from members, colleagues and the public.

What we are looking for:

You will be working as part of a team so being a good team player who proactively engages with colleagues is essential to ensure you are contributing to and feel part of the organisation. You will be organised, flexible and efficient, with good attention to detail. You will be comfortable with organizing your time and prioritising workload to ensure that targets and tasks are met and completed.

What we can offer:

• Salary: £25,000 pro-rata
• 25 days Holiday plus bank holidays and additional leave at Christmas (pro-rata)
• Additional long service holiday
• Group Pension Scheme with 8% employer contribution
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Salary Extras benefits platform (Instant discount scheme and health, wellbeing and financial support)
• We Care benefits platform (With access to virtual GP consultations, nutritionist support, get fit programmes, smoking cessation and further health and wellbeing support)
• TOIL for additional hours worked
• Life Assurance
• Garden Organic membership

Application information

All applicants must complete an application form which can be downloaded via our website: www.gardenorganic.org.uk/who-we-are/work-with-us/seed-officer along with a covering letter explaining why you think you would be a great fit for the role. We pay close attention to covering letters so please do send us one.

We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis and we reserve the right to close the vacancy early depending on response levels. As part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion applications will be anonymised before being submitted to our recruitment panel.

Recruitment Timetable:

Application Deadline: Thursday 26th June Interview Dates: Wednesday 2nd July Interview Location: Ryton Organic Gardens, CV8 3LG

The interview will include: A panel interview A tour of the Heritage Seed Library

Equal Opportunities:

At Garden Organic we embrace diversity and recognise the value it brings to our organisation. As such, we match charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates and welcome candidates from various backgrounds irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender identity or reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief or sexual orientation. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace and take pride in ensuring that everyone feels welcome, respected and empowered.

Garden Organic is also a Disability Confident Employer and aims to create opportunities wherever possible. It should be noted that some of our roles require travel and attendance at events where accessibility arrangements will vary.

Safer Recruitment:

Garden Organic is also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects employees, associates and volunteers to share this commitment. We may require some candidates to undertake a DBS check relevant to the requirements of the role.

Please note that we only accept applications from individuals with the right to work in the UK. We are unable to sponsor working visa applications.

To find out more about our Charity, our ambition, our successes and why it is a great time to be joining Garden Organic, along with our Privacy Statement please head to our website at www.gardenorganic.org.uk

Please mention Roots to Work when applying for these jobs