Nancy Kartes Curator of Living Collections

The Bellevue Botanical Garden (BBG) is an urban refuge, encompassing 53-acres of cultivated gardens, curated collections, restored woodlands, and natural wetlands. Since opening in 1992 the Bellevue Botanical Garden has grown significantly in its size and impact.  Today, BBG welcomes around 500,000 visitors each year to learn about gardening and explore nature.  The Garden hosts a wealth of educational classes for children and adults, along with many community events benefiting Bellevue and the horticulture community at large.

The success of BBG is the outcome of a vibrant and diverse community, a collaboration between the City of Bellevue, the Bellevue Botanical Garden Society, and nine other partner groups.

Thanks to a generous gift the Bellevue's Parks and Community Services Department has a unique opportunity for you to be a part of the Botanical Gardens.  A private donor has established an endowment to fund the full-time salary of a Curator in perpetuity.  This new position is named in honor of the Garden’s previous director, Nancy Kartes.

The Garden curates a vast collection of 3,000 unique varieties of plants spread throughout 53-acres in 12 thematic garden spaces.  Records are maintained in a custom database.  Originally entered in Access in the early 2000s, the data now sits in a SQL Server with an internal interface through Salesforce and mapping with ARCMap.  The system has a robust public facing Plant Collections Search providing database and map access online.

The role is the first full-time position in the Garden’s history dedicated to Living Collections.   This will consolidate efforts previously shared by the Garden Director, part-time staff, interns, and dedicated volunteers over the past 25 years. This position has primary responsibility for all curatorial work including overseeing plant records volunteers and interns and supports horticultural and educational efforts at the Garden.

• Manage all living collections.
• Supervise plant records volunteers.
• Foster teamwork and collaboration among staff and partners
• Develop, implement, and monitor intern training programs. 
• Provide technical advice and horticultural expertise for garden partners, collaborating organizations, and the public.
• Provide horticultural content and review Garden publications, media and interpretive materials.
• Assist the Garden Director in determining collections budget needs, authorize budget expenditures and manage the approved operating budget. 
• Participate in long-range planning and the design of gardens and facilities, renovations and new construction related to gardens.
• Embrace the Garden’s commitment to excellence in guest services, willingly integrating work with the efforts of other programs. 
• Responsible for review and implementation of Living Collections Policy, curation of the living collection, and management of the plant accession database, geodatabase, and public interface with collections.  
• Provide aesthetic vision and inspiration for horticultural displays. Establish horticultural standards and priorities, including best practice standards of garden maintenance, and an emphasis on sustainable and organic practices and methods without compromising plant health or quality of display. 
• Work with Garden Director and partners to implement elements of the Master Plan and Interpretive Plan related to horticulture, with an emphasis on the accessibility of the plant collections to the Garden’s visitors. 
• Ensure appropriate plant procurement for garden projects. 
• Support renovation, procurement, and installation of horticultural displays. 
• Teach classes for Garden’s education program, provide training for public, volunteers, and staff. 
• Devise and implement proper inventory control measures. 
• Oversee inventory and evaluation cycles for gardens in collaboration with garden partners and horticultural peers in the region. 
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations. 
• Perform other duties as assigned by Garden Director.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

• Works under the general supervision of a Community Services Supervisor (BBG Garden Director)
• May exercise supervision over full-time/temporary/seasonal employees, interns, volunteers, or support staff, as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in horticulture or related field, Master’s degree preferred.
• Four (4) or more years of progressively responsible related experience in the field of horticulture, garden management or landscape maintenance/management.
• 2 years of experience leading, teaching, and motivating others preferred.
• Training and experience in horticultural best practices, with an emphasis on sustainability.
• Widely versed and current in horticultural field (e.g., sustainable gardening, native plants, plant disease, etc.)
• Other combination of education/experience appropriate to the job will be considered.
• Or any equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Occupational Blood Born Pathogens and Defensive Driving certifications preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Must be a well-organized, seasoned, successful and empathetic team member. Demonstrated knowledge of sustainable landscape and hardy plant care appropriate to the region.
• Demonstrated ability with the design and installation of inspiring botanical displays.
• Must possess excellent communication skills.
• Proficiency with technology, data management, and Microsoft Office Suite software programs especially Word and Excel.
• Experience with plant records management software. Advanced skill in the ability to troubleshoot and adapt software to fit organizational needs.
• Ability to use geographic information system (GIS) for mapping of plant collections.   Prefer working knowledge of ArcGIS software.
• Advanced knowledge of plant identification particularly for plants of NW gardens.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Work involves walking, talking, hearing, using hands to handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls, and reaching with hands and arms.  Vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
• The employee may be required to push, pull, lift and/or carry up to 40 pounds.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet.
• The employee must be able to remain focused in an inherently busy environment with frequent distractions and interruptions.