Garden Leader (hourly wage)
Stiftung Hilfswerk der Evangelischen Kirchen Schweiz (HEKS)
Solothurn
Key information
- Publication date:24 October 2025
- Workload:100%
- Contract type:Permanent position
- Place of work:Solothurn
HEKS employs over 1500 permanent staff members. At 24 locations in Switzerland and worldwide in 35 countries, HEKS operates with 290 programs and projects amounting to around 144 million Swiss francs. In 2024, HEKS reached around 16 million people with its work.
HEKS pursues the vision of a just world in which the dignity of all people is respected, peace prevails, and natural livelihoods are preserved. The goal is a transformation on social, economic, and political levels. HEKS contributes to improving the living conditions of people in Switzerland and worldwide, asserts their rights, and raises awareness and mobilizes for this purpose.
Lived diversity - Inclusion is important to us:
We welcome applications regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age, or sexual orientation.
HEKS pursues the vision of a just world in which the dignity of all people is respected, peace prevails, and natural livelihoods are preserved. The goal is a transformation on social, economic, and political levels. HEKS contributes to improving the living conditions of people in Switzerland and worldwide, asserts their rights, and raises awareness and mobilizes for this purpose.
Lived diversity - Inclusion is important to us:
We welcome applications regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age, or sexual orientation.
Garden Leader (hourly wage)
"HEKS New Gardens" is aimed at immigrants and locals interested in gardening and contact with people. Once a week, half a day is spent gardening together. Outside the garden half-day, participants can use the garden independently at any time.
For our New Gardens program, we are looking for a hands-on personality for the location in Solothurn starting February 1, 2026 as
These are your main tasks:
- Location responsibility & gardening: Location responsibility for the garden in Solothurn; planning of infrastructure, sowing and planting plans, as well as conducting weekly garden meetings in close cooperation with program management
- Integration & community: Introduction and support of participants and volunteers; planning and execution of garden festivals; action days and public events
- Education, knowledge transfer & health promotion: Guidance of participants and volunteers in organic gardening (soil care, composting, cultivation planning, tree and shrub pruning, plant protection, biodiversity promotion); low-threshold teaching of basics on health, sustainability, and integration; participation in the development of educational content
- Collaboration in conceptual work & evaluation: Monitoring, project documentation; evaluation; impact measurement; further development of the program
- Networks & public relations: Building and maintaining a contact network in the Solothurn region; regular team and professional exchange within HEKS; public relations
Ideally, you bring the following:
- Completed studies or professional training in a green profession
- Experience in socio-cultural animation/social pedagogy with a solid connection to environmental or gardening projects
- Experience in organic gardening as well as interest in biodiversity, sustainability, and ecological cycles
- Enjoyment in practically conveying professional knowledge at the interface of nature and people
- Experience in guiding vulnerable persons and intercultural work
- Knowledge of the Solothurn region and personal networking in the area
- Organizational talent, initiative, teamwork skills
- Very good German, additional languages are an advantage (e.g., English, French, or a migration language)
- Weather resilience and willingness for seasonally fluctuating working hours; 2-3 fixed half workdays during the gardening season (March-October), fewer work assignments in the winter months
What you can expect from us:
- A interface role between nature, health, and social issues: You work with plants, soils, and biodiversity – and with people who gain new perspectives through the gardens
- The opportunity to convey gardening expertise and health-promoting aspects in a practical and low-threshold manner
- A versatile field of work in a renowned NGO with committed colleagues and professional exchange
- Meaningful activity with direct societal impact on a part-time basis
Would you like to join the HEKS team?
We look forward to receiving your application by November 20, 2025 via our application tool . Please understand that email or postal applications cannot be processed.
For further information, please contact Antonia Hesse, Program Manager New Gardens Aargau/Solothurn, at neuegaerten-agso@heks.ch.
More information about the program can be found at www.heks.ch/garten-aargau-solothurn .
We look forward to receiving your application by November 20, 2025 via our application tool . Please understand that email or postal applications cannot be processed.
For further information, please contact Antonia Hesse, Program Manager New Gardens Aargau/Solothurn, at neuegaerten-agso@heks.ch.
More information about the program can be found at www.heks.ch/garten-aargau-solothurn .
