Garden Retail Manager / Horticultural Manager (Duty Manager)

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

• Overall management (including line management duties) of the horticultural departments within the garden centre, including but not exclusively plants, garden care and outdoor/ornamental product lines.
• To lead the strategic development of the garden centre’s horticultural departments, ensuring synergy throughout the departments, and supporting each department to maximise productivity, sales/profitability and commercial potential.
• Line management of the plant and garden shop team managers/supervisors. 
• Working closely with and collaborating with other departments to achieve the highest standards in terms of merchandising, customer service and retail/consumer experience.
• Monitoring team performance and handling day-to-day staffing issues (including inductions, performance management, appraisals, probations, absence management and employee working relationships).
• Undertaking the role of Duty Manager on a rota basis and acting as a first port of call for all shop floor queries, including handling problems and complaints (from both staff and customers) and escalating where necessary.
• Monitoring and analysis of sales and other relevant reports, and using industry data and continuous improvement, to drive performance (and achieve Company/business objectives).
• Working with the management team, and managers/supervisors within the horticultural departments, to oversee pre-season planning, buying, and workload management.
• Working closely with the merchandising team to develop design ideas in terms of space utilisation/layout and visual displays, which enhance sales, customer experience and brand image.
• Ensuring the team members are equipped with the resources, advice, support and training to perform to the required standards.
• Maintaining a safe, positive, professional and efficient working environment overseeing H&S and staff welfare matters within your team.
• Opening and closing the garden centre as required.

Person Specification/Key Skills and Experience:

• Solid experience of working in a seasonal and/or retail business at management level and delivering outstanding customer service.
• A strong horticultural background, combined with commercial awareness, experience of driving sales and the ability to lead your departments through each season.
• Natural leadership skills, together with strong people management skills, in order to confidently manage, motivate and develop your teams.
• Excellent communication skills with a proactive, solution-focused approach to customer and staff concerns.

Salary: £36k - £40k per annum

Full-Time (alternate weekend working required)

To apply, or for more information about the role (including full job description), please contact Sara Stephenson at [email protected] 

Applications must include a CV together with a covering letter. In line with GDPR and our Job Application Privacy Notice, please do not apply through Facebook or any other social media platform.

Please note that we will be interviewing as and when we receive suitable CVs, so there is not set closing date for this position. We look forward to receiving your application.