Hiring: Director of Horticulture – Green City Growers

DIRECTOR OF HORTICULTURE

FULL TIME, YEAR ROUND: Salaried; $40,000-$50,000 based on experience Benefits: vacation, sick time, fresh produce, professional development reimbursement, and health stipend

Start: Immediate

Green City Growers is New England’s premier urban farming company. We transform unused spaces into thriving urban farms, providing schools, homeowners, restaurants, businesses and communities with immediate access to nutritious food, while revitalizing city landscapes and inspiring self-sufficiency. Some of our clients include: Whole Foods Market, the Beverly Public School system, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Boston Properties, and b.good restaurants. We maintain Fenway Farms, a 5,000 square foot farm on the rooftop of Fenway Park. And there’s much more to come.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a hands-on team in a quickly growing company that is dedicated to helping bring sustainable food production into Boston and beyond!

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Director of Horticulture oversees the planting and maintenance of GCG’s ~125 urban farm sites throughout the greater Boston area. They will manage the farm staff and delegate tasks in-house and on-site to ensure our gardens and services meet or exceed client expectations. The Director of Horticulture will collaborate and work to support GCG’s other departments (i.e., education, sales, administrative, and operations), ensuring efficiency and smoothness of work. Strong people skills and the ability to direct others respectfully and effectively are requirements. The Director of Horticulture must also keep a constant eye toward improving products and systems as GCG continues to grow.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Human Resources: Hire and manage horticulture department staff and promote their growth and development. Work with Accounts Representative to ensure efficient scheduling of farmers, interns, and crew members.
• Financial: Develop and manage horticulture department costing & budgets. Collaborate with other departments on budget development to ensure efficient deployment of financial resources.
• Site Quality: Oversee quality control on all sites, perform regular site visits as needed.  Work with Accounts Representative to address client questions and concerns. Ensure best practices are followed for food safety and use of horticultural materials.
• Staff Support: Develop horticulture reference materials and training documents for internal use. Work with Directors of Education and Marketing to develop client facing materials. Address farmer questions and lead regular meetings to direct onsite work.
• Administration: Work with sales team, Landscape Designer, and clients to generate crop plans, yield estimates, and cost estimates. Develop and administer data collection systems.  Participate in and lead committees. Develop SOP documents.
• Research and Development: Research and trial new materials, products, and varieties.  Attend and present at conferences and continuing education courses.  Work with Operations department to develop and improve products and services.

PREFERED QUALIFICATIONS

• Degree in Horticulture, Agriculture, or equivalent experience. 3+ years farm or professional garden/landscaping experience, with 2+ years supervisory experience.
• Working knowledge of local vegetable and fruit crops, organic soil fertility and pest management.
• Propagation/greenhouse experience is preferred.
• Garden education experience is a plus.
• Must obtain MA Pesticide Applicator’s license.
• Some administrative experience and comfort with technology/computers including but not limited to Office and G-Suites.
• Detail oriented with a demonstrated commitment to high quality work.
• Strong time management and organizational abilities, with the ability to work in a very fast-paced environment
• Excellent communication skills, positive attitude, and professional demeanor
• Flexible schedule – some weekend days may be required, occasionally days run long
• Willingness and ability to perform physically challenging work in all weather conditions.
• Driver’s license required.

To apply, please attach a resume and cover letter to jobs@greencitygrowers.com outlining your experience and desire to be part of our team. Please no calls or emails other than to this address.