Yard Manager Job Description:
Position Summary
The Garden Center Yard Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, profitability, and daily operations of Whispering Pines Nursery & Garden Center. This role oversees the outdoor nursery, inventory management, customer service, sales, staff development, and operational performance while ensuring the company's mission, values, and standards are consistently upheld.
The Yard Manager serves as a key member of the leadership team, partnering with ownership to drive profitability, operational excellence, and an exceptional customer experience.
Reports To: Owner/CEO and Office Manager
LEADERSHIP & INFLUENCE
The Yard Manager will:
Understand, embrace, and execute the vision, mission, and strategic direction established by the Owner/CEO.
Serve as a trusted partner to ownership by providing operational insight, financial analysis, and recommendations that improve company performance.
Lead by example while fostering a positive, accountable, and customer-focused workplace culture.
Work collaboratively with all management and production teams to ensure seamless communication and efficient operations.
Develop, mentor, and hold employees accountable for achieving departmental and company goals.
Promote continuous improvement by identifying operational efficiencies and implementing best practices.
Performance Deliverables
The Yard Manager is expected to oversee all aspects of the Garden Center's daily operations while consistently achieving measurable business objectives.
Success in this role includes:
Maintaining a safe, organized, and profitable operation.
Achieving annual target sales and maintain profitability.
Delivering exceptional customer service.
Maintaining healthy, market-ready plant material.
Developing and retaining a productive team.
Managing expenses and labor efficiently.
Protecting company assets through effective inventory management.
YARD OPERATIONS
Responsibilities
Oversee all daily operations of the outdoor nursery, greenhouses and Gift Shop.
Maintain a clean, organized, safe, and visually appealing retail environment.
Ensure proper watering, pruning, fertilization, pest management, and overall plant health.
Maintain attractive merchandising, pricing, and signage throughout the Garden Center.
Operate—or become certified to operate—forklifts, loaders, skid steers, and other equipment safely.
Ensure compliance with all company safety standards and OSHA regulations.
Perform physical work as needed, including lifting up to 50 pounds and working outdoors in all weather conditions.
CUSTOMER SERVICE & SALES
Responsibilities
Deliver exceptional customer service by providing expert horticultural advice and product recommendations.
Assist customers with product selection, loading materials, and resolving concerns professionally.
Represent Whispering Pines Nursery & Garden Center with professionalism in every customer interaction.
Create visually appealing displays that maximize customer engagement and sales.
Develop seasonal merchandising plans, promotional events, and product assortments.
Identify trends, customer needs, and sales opportunities while communicating recommendations to ownership.
Collaborate with the landscaping division to generate installation opportunities and increase cross-company sales.
Annual Performance Goals
Garden Center Sales: $750,000
Work with Manzer’s Landscape and Design, Inc. to turn nursery sales into landscape services and install opportunities.
Target goal of $150,000 per year.
FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION AND PAYROLL
Responsibilities
Assist ownership in developing the annual operating budget and monthly financial forecasts.
Partner with the Office Manager to complete month-end financial reporting.
Monitor daily sales, gross profit, labor costs, expenses, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
Ensure all daily POS transactions are accurate and registers balance each business day.
Communicate operational discrepancies and KPI concerns to ownership with recommended solutions.
Create, approve, and manage purchase orders while ensuring timely reconciliation.
Monitor labor scheduling and daily payroll hours to ensure accurate and timely weekly payroll processing and limiting overtime.
Assist the Office Manager in maintaining attendance records, PTO balances, vacation tracking, and employee personnel documentation.
Coordinate employee performance evaluations and maintain all required documentation.
Prepare weekly topics for and perform weekly staff meetings.
Assist with planning and coordinating events, promotional materials, website updates, marketing and social media initiatives.
Support implementation of the annual marketing calendar.
Oversee annual customer satisfaction surveys and quarterly customer follow-up initiatives.
STAFF LEADERSHIP
Responsibilities
Recruit, interview, hire, train, and develop full-time and seasonal employees.
Schedule staff to maximize customer service while maintaining labor budgets.
Assign daily responsibilities and monitor completion of all tasks – Inspect what you expect!
Provide coaching, performance feedback, and corrective action when necessary.
Maintain a culture of accountability, teamwork, professionalism, and continuous improvement.
Ensure all employees operate equipment safely and follow company policies and procedures.
INVENTORY MANAGEMENT
Responsibilities
Oversee receiving, stocking, merchandising, and inventory control for all nursery stock, hard goods, and bulk materials.
Ensure inventory levels appropriately support seasonal sales opportunities.
Monitor inventory accuracy and product quality.
Rotate inventory to maximize freshness and minimize shrink.
Maintain annual plant loss below $10,000.
Ensure the Garden Center remains clean, organized, and fully stocked throughout the season.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Performance will be measured using the following objectives:
Annual Garden Center Sales: $750,000+
Landscape Referral Revenue: $150,000+
Plant Shrink: Less than $10,000 annually
Labor Costs: Maintain within approved budget
Gross Profit: Meet or exceed company goals
Inventory Accuracy
Purchase Orders completed accurately and closed within one week
Employee Reviews completed on schedule
Customer Satisfaction
Yard Appearance and Merchandising Standards
Safety Compliance
Employee Retention and Development
Qualifications
Leadership experience in retail, nursery, landscape, or horticultural operations.
Strong horticultural knowledge or formal education in horticulture, agriculture, botany, or a related field preferred.
Excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced seasonal business.
Experience with inventory management, budgeting, purchasing, and payroll administration.
Ability to operate—or become certified to operate—forklifts, skid steers, and related equipment.
Strong computer skills, including POS systems and Microsoft Office.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
Competitive salary based on experience
Benefits
Medical Insurance Allowance
IRA/Retirement Match (See Employee Handbook)
Performance Bonus Eligibility
Paid Time Off
Employee Discount of 20%
Professional Development Opportunities