Lead Propagator/Propagator Supervisor Walberton Nursery

Walberton Nursery are recruiting a Lead Propagator/Propagator Supervisor to supervise and develop its busy Propagation team. Walberton Nursery are a market leading customer focused organisation who supply high quality plants to Garden Centres across the UK. We have a team of 40+ employees based across 2 sites near Chichester in West Sussex and are proud to be part of Tristram Plants and the Farplants Group, both highly regarded in the industry for their sales and marketing of horticultural products.

The Lead Propagator/Propagator Supervisor would be responsible for the timely production of over million young plants. Candidates will have a passion for plant propagation in a commercial environment, and be keen to seek, learn and develop propagation techniques and know how. They will keep up to date with latest thinking and apply this to ensuring the highest quality outcomes, whilst ensuring the team are motivated to deliver those outcomes in an environment of continual improvement.

A summary of responsibilities is shown below:

• Planning and prioritising daily and weekly work plans
• Assessing cutting material readiness to enable timely propagation or seed sowing
• Daily monitoring and control of cultural needs, e.g. weaning, trimming, feeding, weeding
• Assessing environmental needs through the day, e.g. venting, watering
• Ensuring batches are correctly labelled to the standard required by OHAS
• Encouraging good crop hygiene practices and regular crop walking to maintain crops weed, pest and disease free, and clear of dead and diseased plants and debris
• Ensuring work areas maintained clean and tidy and equipment returned in good order

• Investigating and assessing innovative methods, equipment, and materials to develop and improve outcomes
• Assisting in the planning, development, and amendment of crop plans

• Ensuring you and your team are working safely, complying with relevant legislation and established Nursery procedures
• Actively contributing to Risk Assessment reviews and Best Practice Workshops

• Determining work rates and using established KPIs to plan and communicate expectations and monitor performance and quality

• Undertaking weekly stock check, reviewing future requirements, and reporting to Line Manager
• Passfield and other Crop Production record keeping and paperwork to agreed timescales and in compliance with accreditation schemes

Candidates will:

• Have proven experience in plant propagation and/or commercial horticulture
• Be good leaders, team builders and motivators of people, with proven Supervisory experience
• Be logical, methodical, accurate and organised with good attention to detail
• Have excellent organisational skills with the ability to keep several tasks live at any one time
• Preferably have a horticultural qualification

• Professional, reliable and a good communicator

• Excellent record keeping skills

Full time, permanent position, with minimum working hours on Walberton's Annualised Hours system, as follows:

November to February 32.5 hours per week

• Monday to Friday 08:00 - 15:45

March to July 44 hours per week

• Monday to Thursday 07:30 - 17:15
• Friday 07:30 - 16:15
• Weekend duties on a rota system (March to September)

August to October 39 hours per week

• Monday to Thursday 08:00 - 16:45
• Friday 08:00 - 15:45

Salary £28,000 - £33,000 per year depending on skills and experience; 268.25 hours annual leave per year pro rata inc. Bank Holidays.

Relocation support available.