Plant Area Manager

Position: Horticultural Manager
Location: Brighton
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience

This is an excellent opportunity to join a successful, long-standing independent garden centre group with a strong reputation for quality, customer service, and horticultural standards.

The business operates a larger, evolving site and is currently undergoing a significant refit and expansion across multiple departments. They are seeking a Horticultural Manager to take full responsibility for the plant area. This role is ideal for a strong people manager with a genuine interest in plants who enjoys a hands-on environment and wants real ownership within a growing operation.

Formal horticultural qualifications are desirable but not essential for the position.

The role

As Horticultural Manager, you will lead and develop the plant department, managing a team of approximately 10 staff while maintaining high standards across plant quality, presentation, and customer engagement.

Key responsibilities include:

Full management of the plant area, ensuring excellent standards, strong availability, and commercial performance.
Leading, motivating, and developing a team of around 10 staff within a large plant department.
Stock control, ordering, and replenishment, with careful planning around seasonality and space constraints.
Providing knowledgeable, professional horticultural advice and delivering outstanding customer service.
Working closely with the owners / senior management, particularly during the ongoing refit and expansion, to maintain standards and identify opportunities for improvement.
Ensuring compliance with all health, safety, and operational requirements.
Taking a practical, hands-on approach to day-to-day operations.

What we're looking for

Proven experience in a garden retail or DIY environment, ideally in a management or supervisory role.
Strong leadership skills, with the ability to manage, motivate, and support a larger team.
Good plant knowledge and a strong interest in horticulture. Formal horticultural qualifications are beneficial but not essential.
Commercial awareness with an understanding of stock management and sales performance.
A hands-on, proactive mindset, comfortable working in a large-site environment.
Flexibility to work weekends and peak seasonal trading periods.

Why join?

Join a respected, independent garden centre group with a long and successful trading history.
Take genuine ownership of the horticultural department within a large and expanding centre.
Work closely with senior decision-makers and have a real influence on standards and future direction.
Competitive salary package, dependent on experience.
Friendly, supportive team and a stable working environment.

This is a superb opportunity for a strong manager who enjoys autonomy, responsibility, and being embedded in the day-to-day success of a garden centre.

Apply now
To apply, send your CV to (url removed) or call (phone number removed) for a confidential discussion
Only candidates based in UK and eligible to work in UK are allowed