Garden Center Manager

45-Day Opportunity with Potential for Permanent Employment

Location: Centertown, MO
Reports to: President
Employment Type: Full-Time, 45-Day Initial Commitment

Longfellow’s Garden Center is looking for an experienced, hands-on leader to join our team for an initial 45-day management assignment, with the potential for permanent employment.

Longfellow’s is an established garden center serving our community year-round, and we’re looking for someone who can bring strong leadership, fresh ideas, and a bias toward action to our operation. This role is a great fit for an experienced manager who enjoys leading people, improving operations, and taking ideas from concept to execution.

The initial 45-day structure gives both the candidate and Longfellow’s an opportunity to work together before determining whether a longer-term fit makes sense.

This could be especially appealing to an experienced retail, operations, or seasonal business leader who is between opportunities, transitioning from another seasonal position, or simply interested in exploring a new leadership opportunity.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the day-to-day operations of Longfellow’s Garden Center.

• Manage, coach, and support Garden Center employees.

• Establish clear priorities and expectations and hold the team accountable for results.

• Work directly with company leadership to implement new ideas and business initiatives.

• Coordinate employee scheduling and daily workflow based on business needs.

• Monitor sales, labor, inventory, customer experience, and other key operational metrics.

• Identify opportunities to improve processes, efficiency, merchandising, and the customer experience.

• Oversee inventory, product presentation, facility appearance, and overall Garden Center readiness.

• Support purchasing and vendor relationships as needed.

• Ensure customers receive a welcoming, knowledgeable, and responsive experience.

• Help plan and execute seasonal activities, promotions, and operational priorities.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who can quickly learn the business, build relationships with the team, and turn ideas into action.

The ideal candidate will bring:

• Previous experience leading and managing employees.

• Strong retail, operations, or business management experience.

• A track record of taking ideas and projects through implementation.

• Strong organizational, prioritization, and problem-solving skills.

• An understanding of sales, labor, inventory, and profitability.

• Confidence making decisions and providing clear direction.

• A hands-on leadership style and willingness to jump in where needed.

• Strong communication and customer service skills.

• The ability to learn a new business and operating environment quickly.

Garden center, nursery, horticulture, landscaping, or seasonal business experience is helpful, but not required. Strong leadership and operational execution are our priorities.

Why This Opportunity?

This position is structured with an initial 45-day commitment, making it a unique opportunity for someone interested in exploring a leadership role without making an immediate long-term commitment.

At the end of the initial period, there may be an opportunity to transition into a permanent position based on mutual fit and business needs.

If you’re a strong people leader who enjoys improving operations, executing ideas, and making things happen, we’d like to meet you.