Horticultural manager

Horticultural managers are responsible for the smooth and efficient running of horticultural activities. They work mainly either in commercial or amenity horticulture. Depending on the area of horticulture, their duties include managing crop production, staff recruitment and supervision, budgeting and planning.

Work activities

In commercial horticulture, managers are responsible for producing crops such as fruit, vegetables, flowers, ornamental plants, trees and shrubs for sale. They manage places such as market gardens, fruit farms, orchards, plant nurseries and garden centres. There are also managers in agribusiness, such as companies that produce chemical fertilisers or equipment and machinery for use in horticulture. In amenity and environmental horticulture, managers are responsible for the workers who look after areas such as public parks, sports fields, green areas around buildings, and roadside verges. Some managers are responsible for workers who care for plants inside buildings, such as offices. This area of work is called interior landscaping. Wherever they work, horticultural managers are responsible for overall, strategic planning, and for the day-to-day running of their organisation.

In strategic planning, managers need to make decisions about all the materials they’ll need, including seeds, plants, fertilisers and machinery, throughout the year. This includes planning when to grow different types of plants and setting up a timetable for disease and pest control. Commercial managers must decide what to produce and when to harvest it, and all managers need to decide on the equipment, machinery and other resources they need to invest in. They must also set a budget and monitor costs, usually on a computer, to make sure the horticultural business makes a profit. Financial management could include analysing sales records to decide which products are most likely to sell well. Managers are involved in sales and marketing work. They have to negotiate contracts with potential clients or customers, for example, to look after a company’s green areas or to sell produce to a supermarket.

Managers also have contact with suppliers (e.g., of seeds or equipment). Commercial horticultural managers need to liaise with distribution companies, to make sure they can get crops to their market on time. Managers are also responsible for staff recruitment, supervision and planning of work schedules, such as planting, propagation or pest control. In larger horticultural units or companies, there are supervisors to monitor workers day-to-day. In garden centres, managers are responsible for stock control; displaying stock attractively for customers; staff management and training; providing advice; and dealing with complaints.

Horticultural managers need practical knowledge and must be in touch with the work outside. For example, they might travel around the site for quality control, checking the crop for pests or diseases. How much they are involved in day-today tasks will depend on the size of the horticultural unit or company, and the number of workers it employs. On small enterprises, such as a market garden or fruit farm, a manager might work alone, or with only one or two members of staff. This means they will be involved in practical tasks such as spraying, mulching, watering, pruning and potting.

Personal qualities and skills

To be a horticultural manager, you’ll need:

A strong interest in growing and caring for plants.
Sound technical knowledge of horticulture.
Organisational and planning skills.
The ability to communicate with a wide range of people, such as workers, supermarket representatives and distribution managers.
Analytical and number skills for budgeting, price setting, buying and cost control.
The ability to make decisions, and to work well under pressure.
Willingness to keep up to date with new methods, processes, equipment and machinery.

During busy times and depending on how many workers are employed, managers might have to help out with practical day-to-day work. This means they must not mind hard, physical work or being outside in all types of weather. Familiarity with computers is an advantage, for task such as for budgeting and keeping records.

Pay and opportunities

Pay for horticultural managers varies depending on the sector they work in and the type of business or organisation they work for. The pay rates given are approximate. Horticultural managers earn in the range of £24,000 - £34,000 a year.

Horticultural managers usually work a 44-46-hour week. However, they might need to work irregular hours and weekends, especially at harvest/peak selling times.

Employers include local authorities, horticultural contractors, large private estates, garden centres and organisations such as the National Trust. Opportunities for horticultural managers occur in towns, cities and rural areas throughout the UK.

There are opportunities for horticultural managers to become self-employed, for example, running contract grass cutting services.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on the website of the Institute of Horticulture, in local newspapers and horticulture magazines, on general and horticultural job boards, on the Government’s Find a Job service.

Entry routes and training

Entry at management level usually requires a relevant degree, foundation degree or higher national qualification. You’ll usually also need to demonstrate skills and knowledge gained through practical work experience. However, some people have worked their way up into management, usually gaining appropriate qualifications along the way.

A level 5 (higher) apprenticeship in the role of horticulture and landscaping technical manager is a good place to start. This programme provides on-the-job training plus the opportunity to work towards relevant qualifications at the same time.

Relevant degree, higher national and foundation degree subjects are in horticulture and related subjects. Entrants can also have degrees in relevant science subjects, such as botany, biochemistry, environmental science or soil science.

Some of the larger horticultural businesses and garden centres run management training schemes. The Royal Horticultural Society runs the degree-level Master of Horticulture (RHS) mainly through distance learning.

The progression route in this job depends on the type of horticulture you’re involved in and the size of the company or organisation.

Qualifications

To get onto a higher apprenticeship in this career, you’ll need two relevant A-levels plus GCSEs in English and maths. Subjects to consider include biology and chemistry.

For entry to a degree in horticulture, the usual minimum requirement is GCSEs and two to three A-levels – however equivalent qualifications, such as Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 Nationals and the International Baccalaureate diploma, might be acceptable for entry.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Working as a horticultural supervisor/worker can lead into management-level posts.

If you don’t have the qualifications you need to enter a degree, foundation degree or HND course, you might be able to start one after completing an Access course. A range of colleges and universities offer degrees in horticulture – commercial or combined with other rural management subjects, including at foundation level. Study can be full or part time/flexible. Courses have been developed in partnership with industry. You can search for relevant courses on the website of Lantra, the sector skills council for the land-based and environmental sector.

Funding for further study may be available from the Studley College Trust and the Merlin Trust. Candidates should see the Trusts’ websites to check on eligibility.

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