Job Description

Plant Production Supervisor

Department: Plant Science & Conservation

Supervisor: Horticulture Manager

Supervises: Assigned nursery and production personnel, Gardeners, Horticulture Interns, and Volunteers

FLSA Salary Classification: Full-time, Exempt

Revision Date: October 2026

Availability: Ability to work a flexible schedule. Work will require occasional evenings, regular weekends, and occasional holiday hours depending on the season.

Position Summary:

Lead the day-to-day operations of Huntsville Botanical Garden’s greenhouse and nursery production facilities, including production planning, propagation, crop scheduling, plant health, inventory management, and supervision of assigned staff and volunteers. Deliver high-quality plant material for Garden landscapes, living collections, education programs, and Plant Sales in coordination with the Horticulture Manager, Curator, and other institutional partners. Translate approved priorities and budgets into reliable production plans, accurate records, and measurable operational results while advancing sustainable growing practices and operational resilience.

Essential Functions:

• Plan and conduct propagation and production of a wide variety of plants for Garden collections and displays, educational programs, events, and Plant Sales; coordinate production priorities and identify capacity constraints with the Horticulture Manager and relevant program leads.
• Develop and maintain integrated crop schedules, production forecasts, growing-space allocations, and resource plans. Recommend production-versus-purchase decisions, monitor milestones and crop readiness, and promptly communicate material risks, losses, or competing priorities.
• Manage daily greenhouse and nursery operations, including growing environments, irrigation, fertigation, integrated pest management, sanitation, biosecurity, crop quality, and safe use of equipment. Responsible for routine grounds upkeep in production areas and coordinating facility repairs and preventive maintenance with Facilities and the Horticulture Manager.
• Monitor greenhouse environmental control systems and growing conditions, including temperature, humidity, moisture, ventilation, and irrigation. Maintain operational and treatment records, troubleshoot problems within delegated authority, and escalate system failures or infrastructure needs.
• Perform operational planning for and execution of plant production, sourcing, and inventory management for Spring and Fall Plant Sales. Develop assortment recommendations, detailed production and procurement plans, inventory forecasts, and resource requirements consistent with approved sales targets, product-mix strategy, pricing parameters, and budgets.
• Coordinate Plant Sale plant purchasing within approved authority; oversee inventory accuracy, plant identification, quality, labeling, pricing implementation, staging, replenishment, and post-sale plant inventory reconciliation. Coordinate routine nursery operations and task handoffs with PSC staff; report progress, risks, and recommendations in departmental meetings.
• Maintain accurate production, procurement, inventory, plant disposition, and crop performance records. Analyze crop losses, costs, growing-space utilization, and other operational indicators to support budget development, performance evaluation, forecasting, and continuous improvement.
• Supervise assigned staff, interns, and volunteers through scheduling, work assignments, delegation, technical training, coaching, performance feedback, and safety oversight. Promote cross-training, documentation, and continuity of essential operations.
• Collaborate with the Curator and conservation personnel to implement approved propagation, safeguarding, collections, and research-related production activities. Follow established requirements for plant identification, provenance tracking, documentation, biosecurity, and collections policy; refer curatorial and conservation priority decisions to the appropriate program leads.
• Improve propagation and cultivation practices, including for commercially unavailable or underutilized southeastern native plants. Develop, document, and refine growing procedures and contribute production data and technical expertise to institutional projects, grant proposals, and professional knowledge sharing.
• Collaborate constructively with Garden colleagues, communicate decisions and handoffs clearly, and perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in horticulture, nursery or greenhouse production, plant science, or a related field and at least two years of relevant experience in plant propagation, greenhouse or nursery production, and crop scheduling; or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible experience. Demonstrated experience coordinating production workflows and directing the work of others. Valid driver’s license, subject to insurability and annual Motor Vehicle Record review. Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including spreadsheets, and ability to maintain accurate digital records. Must possess or obtain the pesticide applicator credential required for assigned duties within six months of hire, subject to applicable law and HBG policy.

Success Factors:

• Ability to organize, prioritize, delegate, and adjust production schedules; anticipate capacity constraints; manage competing deadlines; exercise sound technical judgment; and escalate risks in time for effective decisions.
• Strong knowledge of propagation, crop culture, plant health, integrated pest management, environmental controls, and irrigation under northern Alabama conditions.
• Familiarity with cultivated and native plants of the southeastern United States, including plant identification and growing requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to use production, inventory, and financial information to develop practical plans, track performance, and recommend improvements.
• Strong supervisory, interpersonal, and written and verbal communication skills; constructive collaboration across departments; reliable handoffs; commitment to staff development, safety, and HBG core values.
• Practical knowledge of the safe operation and care of relevant nursery, greenhouse, and grounds equipment.

Preferred Qualifications:

Advanced degree or additional professional training in horticulture, nursery or greenhouse production, or a related discipline. Experience supervising employees and volunteers; managing nursery inventories, plant procurement, and retail or fundraising plant sales; producing native plants or conservation collections; using greenhouse environmental control and nursery inventory systems; and documenting propagation protocols or production performance.

Physical Requirements: The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Physical Demands: Must be able to perform manual labor, including frequent lifting/carrying/transporting loads up to 50 lbs., and work with loud equipment. Requires individual to frequently position oneself by bending, climbing (up to 15-ft), traversing over uneven and sloping terrain. Ability to wear Personal Protective Equipment required.
• Work Environment: Office environment and Garden grounds. Work is performed in greenhouses, cold frames, indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions. Exposure to loud, prolonged noises and/or vibrations.
• Equipment: Office equipment will include a computer and two-way radio. Equipment may include skid steer, handheld power equipment such as weed eater and blower, fertigator and other greenhouse tools.

Job descriptions are guidelines that attempt to characterize major duties and responsibilities of employees and are subject to change as needs and programs change. At Huntsville Botanical Garden they are considered neither inclusive nor exclusive. It is expected that up to 20% of your duties may change annually.

Employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

The Huntsville Botanical Garden supports a culture of inclusion that attracts, inspires, and engages people to achieve success. The Garden is committed to hire and develop employees based on job-related qualifications irrespective of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or veteran status. To increase diversity in professions related to the public garden realm, we encourage applications from underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans.