Responsibilities

As a commercial horticulturist, you’ll need to:

• undertake all aspects of husbandry and production including preparation, growing and harvesting
• manage pest, disease and weed control programmes, commensurate with hygiene and health standards
• market and sell produce, depending on crop, season and market demand
• plan and run transplanting lines in glass houses as products change throughout the year
• take responsibility for the ‘carrier area’ that sets stock down and also picks it up ready to be dispatched
• analyse yields, operational costs and financial returns of horticultural operations
• identify technical and business problems, investigate the causes and formulate solutions
• plan and organise trials to assess their effectiveness
• prepare new or modified operational and business plans
• develop new products and markets and negotiate with suppliers and buyers
• manage produce supply chain systems and the supporting infrastructure for processing, storage and transport of produce
• organise presentations, technical visits and demonstrations
• ensure that UK, European Community and international quality, hygiene, health and safety and employment standards and regulations are met
• communicate effectively with customers, colleagues and professional groups, both orally and in writing, through briefings, reports and presentations
• train, instruct and supervise others – depending on your role
• perform essential administrative tasks, including record keeping and budgeting
• keep up to date in your specialist area and in developments in the whole horticultural sector
• meet agreed deadlines and work within budgets – at management level
• assist in the recruitment and management of staff