Nursery Production & Plant Health Administrator

Job Summary

We are seeking a dynamic and detail-oriented Nursery Production & Plant Health Administrator to join our vibrant horticultural team. In this role, you will oversee the production processes of nursery plants, ensuring optimal growth and health through meticulous management of plant care protocols. You will coordinate plant health monitoring, pest and disease control, and irrigation systems to promote vigorous crop development. Your expertise will help maintain high standards in greenhouse and outdoor cultivation environments, supporting sustainable plant production and landscape projects. This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to innovative horticultural practices while working in a fast-paced, outdoor and greenhouse setting.

Duties

• Work closely with the Sales Manager, Sales Representatives and Production Manager to translate customer contracts into production plans and maintain production calendars, quantities, specifications and delivery requirements.
• Track production milestones from contract and receiving through propagation, planting/potting/sowing, growing, finishing, sorting, packing and delivery; work backward from delivery dates to anticipate materials, space, labor, supplies and equipment.
• Quality-control and document incoming plant material, including grapevine rootstock, scion and mother-block materials, conifer genetics, seed lots and other propagation materials.
• Maintain traceability for source, variety/clone/rootstock/genetics, lot, quantity, condition, testing/certification, biosecurity requirements, production location, losses, inventory adjustments, finished quantities and delivery status.
• Regularly reconcile physical inventory, production records and contract requirements.
• Support the Production Manager and Leads by anticipating production space, supplies, labor, tools, equipment, fertilizer and crop-protection inputs, irrigation/fertigation needs, packaging, storage, testing and laboratory needs.
• Communicate purchasing and staffing requirements to the office early and assist with equipment or CapEx requests when needed.
• Maintain practical SOPs, checklists and calendars for critical production activities and verify that important steps are planned, completed, documented and followed up.
• Conduct regular crop walks across greenhouse, shade-house and field production, monitoring growth, vigor, uniformity, root development, irrigation, environmental conditions, nutrition, pH/EC, pests, disease, crop losses and production progress.
• Coordinate tissue, substrate, water, and disease testing when needed; maintain data, photographs, and observations sufficient to identify trends and evaluate corrective actions.
• Investigate production or plant-health concerns methodically by observing, reviewing records, gathering input, researching history, testing where appropriate, proposing corrective action and following through to documented resolution.
• Serve as an information bridge between Sales, Production, the Office, and Management; participate in weekly planning meetings and maintain clear notes, action items, owners, and due dates.
• Provide Sales with accurate contract and crop updates, respond to production questions, help prepare for customer crop visits, and communicate significant production risks promptly.
• Help maintain preventative biosecurity through sanitation, controlled access, lot separation, pest monitoring, incoming-material inspection, and appropriate documentation.
• Research and support continuous-improvement opportunities involving plant quality, automation, irrigation/fertigation, pest and disease management, testing, traceability, production capacity, trials, vendors, grants and capital projects.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• This position is primarily an administrative and technical partner to nursery production and does not replace the Production Manager's responsibility for crew leadership and physical execution.
• Provides coordination, planning, quality-control support and follow-through to Production Leads and crews as appropriate.
• May exercise delegated authority from the General Manager or Production Manager for specific production-administration, quality-control, documentation, or corrective-action responsibilities.
• As the role develops, may progressively assume greater ownership of nursery production administration systems and leadership responsibilities.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORKING CONDITIONS

• Regular, reliable attendance and flexibility during seasonal production peaks.
• When plants, customers, or production require attention, the work schedule and daily priorities adjust accordingly.
• Frequent movement between office, greenhouse, shade-house, warehouse, and field environments.
• Approximately 65% production/plant-facing and 35% administrative/planning annually, shifting with the production season.
• Ability to walk production areas, observe plants closely, take samples, use a tablet/computer, and work around agricultural equipment and normal farm conditions.
• Exposure to seasonal temperatures, dust, moisture, fertilizers and crop-protection activities consistent with an agricultural nursery environment.
• Prolonged periods of computer and administrative work are also required.

WORK STYLE & EXPECTATIONS

• Demonstrates flexibility and willingness to support a wide range of administrative and business functions
• Actively seeks guidance when needed while also exercising independent judgment and problem-solving
• Utilizes available resources, including internal team members and external tools, to effectively complete assigned tasks
• Maintains professionalism, confidentiality, and sound judgment in all aspects of work
• Communicates clearly, promptly, and respectfully across all levels of the organization

SUCCESS FACTORS

• Production calendars and critical intervals are maintained and used proactively.
• Incoming materials are qualified, lots remain traceable, and inventory is accurate.
• Crops are consistently observed, and plant-health concerns are communicated early and investigated thoughtfully.
• Corrective actions are followed through, and results are documented.
• Sales receives accurate, timely information about customer contracts and crop progress.
• Supplies, labor, equipment, testing, and production space are anticipated before they become urgent.
• The Production Manager can focus on execution while management receives accurate information without having to reconstruct what is happening.
• Few surprises. Strong records. Healthy plants. On-time delivery.

DEVELOPMENT PATH - CRAWL, WALK, RUN

• CRAWL - Learn & Observe: Learn the people, crops, varieties, genetics, customers, contracts, facilities, production calendars and SOPs. Walk crops with experienced personnel, participate in planning meetings, record, organize, and ask questions. Understanding before ownership.
• WALK - Administer & Own: Progressively own production calendars and reminders, contract and lot tracking, inventory reconciliation, crop walks and plant-health records, sampling and testing, QC/SOP verification, production meeting follow-up, resource planning, Sales/Office communication and corrective-action tracking.
• RUN - Manage & Improve: With demonstrated technical knowledge, judgment, and leadership, progressively own the nursery production administration system, including contract-to-delivery planning, reporting and forecasting, inventory and traceability, plant-health monitoring, QC/biosecurity, testing, resource planning, production meetings and continuous improvement.

Join us in cultivating healthy plants while advancing your career in a lively environment dedicated to sustainable horticulture!

Pay: $25.00 - $30.00 per hour

Expected hours: No less than 40.0 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k) 4% Match
• Health insurance
• Paid sick time
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person

Salary : $25 - $30