Director of Horticulture & Facilities
Full Time Position
Eligible for full time benefits:  Paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life, short-term disability, and 403(b) plan
Available Immediately
Annual Salary:  Commensurate with Experience

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is the Carolinas’ Garden for all seasons, providing guests a chance to reconnect with nature and to create lifelong memories with friends and family. Located within 380 acres on the banks of Lake Wylie, spectacular gardens, sparkling fountains, a conservatory dedicated to the display of tropical plants and orchids, a visitor pavilion, a garden store and nature trails await the visitor.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of Horticulture & Facilities is responsible for strategically overseeing all aspects of horticultural production and display at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. This position supervises horticulture and maintenance staff, plans and implements planting designs, and ensures accurate tracking and public communication of plant related information. Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is known as one of the top public gardens in the country and is recognized for excellence in horticultural display; maintaining and advancing this public standing in the industry is integral to this position. As the Garden continues the implementation of the Master Plan, this position plays an active role in planning and overseeing Garden design, physical plant maintenance, and development. Serving as an organizational leader, this position serves as a member of Leadership Team, is a key public face of the Garden, is one of the primary stewards of the guest experience at the Garden, and must be an enthusiastic advocate internally and externally for making the Garden beautiful and engaging for others.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES/TASKS:

• Directly supervises the horticultural and facilities staff; engages seasonal staff, interns and volunteers to meet departmental and organizational goals.
• Develops and manages the annual departmental operating budget and evaluates programs and projects to ensure maximum cost effectiveness.
• Participates in the development, review and implementation of Garden procedures to ensure the gardens, physical plant, and grounds are consistently maintained at the highest possible standards and that departmental staff are providing excellent customer service.
• Oversees the design and implementation of new horticulture projects as part of the Master Plan development.
• Maintains design intent of themed Garden areas, provides ongoing oversight of plant care and maintenance and oversees plant acquisition for the horticultural collections.
• Designs the seasonal displays and bedding change-outs; coordinates with staff the procurement and installation of plants.
• Coordinates and manages all contract services for areas of responsibility.
• Maintains complete control of the irrigation system, including maintenance, repairs, renovations and programming.
• Oversees the Integrated Pest Management program.
• Administrates the Collections Management Program to ensure the plant collections are properly documented, maintained and appropriately represented to the public.
• Ensures that best horticultural practices are applied in Garden maintenance; provides staff, intern and volunteer training regularly.
• Supports all efforts to enhance the guest experience by planning and implementing new strategies and programs to engage guests in horticulture.
• Supports institutional events and programs, serves as an active participant on committees and ensures the full support of the horticulture staff of these efforts. Participates or encourages departmental staff participation in institutional tours, classes, demonstrations and speaking engagements as requested.
• In coordination with the Director of Education, plan horticulture specific demonstrations, programs, tours and presentations that are offered to daily guests and through public events. Serves as a liaison to the education, guest services and events departments to ensure horticulture is integrated in all programming.
• Oversees the management of plants propagated for resale; maintains a collection of orchids for resale; and coordinates with the Garden Store staff to ensure all plants are maintained and displayed effectively.
• Serves as a safety representative for the horticulture and facilities functions; establishes appropriate safety procedures for the both departments and ensures all staff, interns and volunteers adhere to established protocols.
• Manages the Facilities staff schedule to ensure complete coverage during Open Hours as well as operational support for all activities including, but not limited to Garden and Private Events.
• Serves as the primary steward of all fire and life safety systems and equipment including all related permits, certifications and/or inspections.
• Serves as the primary contact for burglar and fire alarm monitoring companies and responds to alarm events appropriately.
• Maintains relationships and good standing with the local authorities and serves as the primary contact for emergency services.
• Serves as the primary steward of all wells and water resources on the property including potable and non-potable water systems as well as sanitary sewer systems; administrates all related permits, certifications and/or inspections.
• Oversees the deer management program and maintains complete and real-time knowledge of all hunting activity on the property.
• Oversees the proper operation and maintenance of the entire mechanical fleet including passenger vehicles and trucks, tractors, golf carts and utility vehicles, and all small equipment.
• Establishes community partners to support the advancement of the public horticulture, particularly in serving as a research or test site.
• Serves as a member of Leadership Team and acts as a positive leader for the organization.
• Supports peers and staff in achieving overall institutional goals.
• Serves as an external representative of the organization, a national leader in horticulture and as a liaison with key organizations to support achieving institutional goals.

 

QUALIFICATIONS:
Minimum of a certificate or similar training in horticulture or related field and at least three years of related horticultural experience. Ideal candidates will have at minimum a B.S. or B.A. in horticulture or related field and at least five years of relevant experience in public horticulture.

 

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Excellent management skills to maximize staff efficiency and productivity
• Basic computer experience and working knowledge of Microsoft programs
• Experience in maintaining the highest level horticulture standards; specific experience in a public garden preferred
• Ability to design engaging and beautiful horticultural displays and oversee the implementation of plantings
• Ability to represent the organization at local, regional and national levels
• Exceptional leadership, management and communication skills and ability to work in a team environment
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, change oriented environment
• Willingness to take calculated risks to establish long-term change in organizational direction
• Must be willing to serve all of our guests equally regardless of their race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, gender identity and/or sexual orientation.
• Maintains pesticide application licenses
• Must have a valid driver’s license and be able to produce a clean driving record

 

 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS of the essential functions of this job:

 

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURES: 
To be considered, applicants must complete an application online, submit a resume and letter of interest, including salary history, compensation expectations and professional references.