Gardener - 12-month Fixed-term

The Role

The Timaru District Council is seeking for a Gardener to join our newly created team. This hands-on position is responsible for the direct in-house maintenance of the Council’s gardens, parks, landscapes, and other green spaces. As a Gardener, you will be integral to ensuring the high-quality maintenance of our district's greenspaces.

This role involves maintaining parks, gardens, and greenspaces by mowing lawns, pruning, fertilizing, weeding, spraying, deadheading, and irrigating. It also includes planting and caring for bedding plants, monitoring plant growth and health, handling agrichemicals safely, and operating powered gardening tools. Additionally, the position requires regular maintenance and servicing of horticulture tools, staying updated on gardening techniques, and performing other horticultural tasks as required.

It gives a unique opportunity for you to take pride in displaying the district’s landscapes at their best!

We are looking for someone with a general understanding of horticulture and proven experience in a Gardener or related role. If you have a passion for horticulture and the skills to maintain and enhance our greenspaces, we would love to hear from you!

This is a fixed-term role offers 40 hours per week to cover parental leave. Ideally the contract duration will be from 1 May 2026 to 16 May 2027. Weekend work is expected on a rostered basis. The hourly rate for this role is $29.47 - $30.36. Check out a copy of the position description here. For further information please email us at jobs@timdc.govt.nz.

You must have the right to live and work in this location to apply for this job. Applications close at 5:00pm, 23 April 2026. Applications can be registered through our career’s website www.timaru.govt.nz/jobs.

The District

Timaru District is a thriving and innovative community. It is the central hub for the South Island, servicing a large agricultural heartland, with a growing economy that provides the import and export gateway for primary sectors. We boast a Top 10 most loved beach in New Zealand and have access to mountains, rivers, and lakes, making Timaru an ideal destination for recreational, sporting, and cultural pursuits.

Let’s not forget about that 7-minute commute to work!

The Organisation

The Timaru District Council aims to enable democratic local decision-making and action by, and on behalf of communities, to promote the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of its communities in the present and for the future. With around 400 staff, there are a diverse range of roles from front facing community to support and technical specialists.

www.welovetimaru.nz celebrates all the things we love about living in Timaru, from our affordable houses, to our easy commute, fantastic lifestyle and our successes. Come and join the story!