Coordinator 4, Horticulture

Who We Are
Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world.

Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18th-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse people who helped shape a new nation.

Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 88 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research.

The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life. The Foundation also owns and operates two world-class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.

Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Griffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area.

Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on-site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes. Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.

About this role:

Leads maintenance crew for the care and management of historic gardens and landscapes to the highest horticultural standards. This is a working lead responsible for the direction of all assigned employees for maintenance and management of all specified areas to include the proper cultural practices for all plants, including heirloom and modern varieties and includes fine gardening, plant conservation, landscape restoration, soil management, and hardscape maintenance. Assists the Landscape Manager with plant selections, the preparation of the annual budget and written performance management reports. This position is classified as essential, and the incumbent must participate in all emergencies, ice and snow removal and special events.

 Essential Duties:

1. Lead assigned employees, volunteers, and interns. Assign work, oversee the daily operations to meet operational goals efficiently, train and evaluate employees to ensure safety protocols and quality standards are followed. May participate in the hiring and performance feedback process for assigned team members.

2. Lead daily team meetings to establish goals and provide directions to ensure efficient completion of projects and garden-related activities and provide process improvements as necessary to enhance productivity.

3. Interact positively and professionally with fellow employees and Colonial Williamsburg visitors. Establishes and maintains a working environment with open communication for all employees, ensuring an efficient flow of information to and from appropriate parties.

4. Responsible for following the best management practices for the cultivation of trees, shrubs, ground covers, vines, turf grasses, perennials, annuals and herbs. This includes planting, watering, fertilizing, grooming, pruning and soil management. Remains informed of current techniques and practices in the horticultural field.

5. Responsible for the identification, control and treatment of weeds, diseases, and pests. Coordinate with IPM Specialist to ensure the safe and proper use of insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides.

6. Assure OSHA guidelines are being followed in the workplace and specified areas are safe for employees and visitors. Assure assigned employees have the proper tools and equipment and the proper training to use and maintain tools and equipment safely.

7. Operate large equipment such as, but not limited to, tractors, loaders, dump trucks, snowplows and similar machinery in safe and proper manner.

8. Maintain project documentation including daily work logs, material usage. Communicates requested reports including production goals and progress to the landscape managers.

9. Effectively monitor use of materials, tools, and equipment efficiently. Performs inventory checks and schedules maintenance to stay within the approved budgetary framework.

10. Perform research on Colonial Williamsburg’s properties, and 18th-century gardens and gardening methods.

11. Work with other departments requesting horticultural or landscape support or schedule m