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How to hire a gardening manager

Gardening manager hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring gardening managers in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a gardening manager is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new gardening manager to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a gardening manager, step by step

To hire a gardening manager, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a gardening manager, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step gardening manager hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a gardening manager job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new gardening manager
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the gardening manager you need to hire. Certain gardening manager roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A gardening manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, gardening managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list shows salaries for various types of gardening managers.

    Type of Gardening ManagerDescriptionHourly rate
    Gardening ManagerFarmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers operate establishments that produce crops, livestock, and dairy products.$20-69
    ManagerManagers are responsible for a specific department, function, or employee group. They oversee their assigned departments and all the employees under the department... Show more$17-44
    Floor ManagerA floor manager is responsible for supervising the general operations of a specific department in an organization. Floor manager tasks include assisting customers, ensuring prompt resolution of clients' inquiries, distributing tasks to the staff, and monitoring the employees' performance... Show more$15-27
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Customer Service
    • Pest Control
    • Inventory Control
    • Community Gardens
    • Nursery
    • Conflict Resolution
    • Sales Associates
    • Plant Sales
    • Sales Floor
    • Guest Satisfaction
    • Product Knowledge
    • Retail Sales
    • CSA
    • Permaculture
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage several customer service incidents and tend to emergencies including the administration lifesaving CPR to a gym patron.
    • Administer performance management by diagnosing improvement opportunities, providing effective feedback, coaching, and corrective action plans.
    • Perform cashier duties using QuickBooks program.
    • Administer performance management by diagnosing improvement opportunities, providing effective feedback, coaching, and corrective action plans.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your gardening manager job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A gardening manager can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, gardening managers' average salary in alaska is 64% less than in new york.
    • Seniority. Entry-level gardening managers 70% less than senior-level gardening managers.
    • Certifications. A gardening manager with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a gardening manager's salary.

    Average gardening manager salary

    $79,971yearly

    $38.45 hourly rate

    Entry-level gardening manager salary
    $43,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 17, 2025
  4. Writing a gardening manager job description

    A good gardening manager job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a gardening manager job description:

    Gardening manager job description example

    IslandWood provides exceptional learning experiences to inspire lifelong environmental and community stewardship; our 250-acre campus is located on Bainbridge Island. The Garden Manager ensures that our garden on the Bainbridge Island Campus is a model for best practices in sustainable gardening and garden-related learning, and coordinates school and community-based garden programs.




    Classification: Full-time/Annual, Hourly/Non-exempt

    Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday

    Work Location: Bainbridge Island Campus

    Benefit Package: 100% Paid for FT Employees (medical, dental, vision, life, STD/LTD, HSA)

    FT employees qualify for 401k, 3 weeks paid vacation, 2 Floating Holiday and sick leave, 10 paid Holidays.

    FT employees qualify for Commuter Program


    Primary Responsibilities:

    * Guides the vision of IslandWood garden education.
    * Manages garden budget, maintains records and orders garden-related supplies.
    * Oversees the planting schedule and garden care plan for outdoor garden space and greenhouse.
    * Coordinates projects for garden volunteers, graduate student workers, and interns.

    * Trains summer camp instructors and graduate students

    * Works in partnership with Facilities staff to care for and maintain physical assets.
    * Manages and trains garden graduate staff

    * Oversees bee upkeep with bee keeper volunteer.
    * Works across teams to coordinate community events, private events, donor engagement and fundraising objectives.

    * Supports partnerships with regional garden education community-based organizations.
    * Teaches garden classes and delivers garden programs.
    * Oversees the development and execution of lessons for all programming (camps, conferences, etc.)
    * Provides training and support to education coordinators, .
    * Supports IslandWood’s strategic plan to expand our mission and impact, and commitment to mission, vision, values and goals.


    Required Qualifications:

    * Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education/experience in Horticulture, Agriculture, or food systems.

    * Education background and experience in direct delivery of educational programs.

    * Experience running a year-round greenhouse.

    * Knowledge of PNW natural history and ecology and/or PNW cultural history.

    * Experience in plant ecology, gardening and/or soil science.

    * Experience in management, adult education, and program development.

    * Experience teaching at a variety of age levels, with a focus on elementary and adult education.

    * Experience working with and facilitating groups of volunteers, teachers, and other adult audiences.

    * Demonstrate IslandWood’s core values that enable teams and individuals to succeed with shared respect and purpose.

    * Commitment to support IslandWood’s work towards justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.

    * Must comply with and maintain a drug-free work environment.

    * Must pass child safety screening procedure, post offer.


    Preferred Qualifications:


    * Certification in Basic First Aid, CPR; WFR certification desired (can be provided by IslandWood after hire)

    * Experience working with staff, students, and clients from diverse backgrounds.


    Effective 07 February 2022, IslandWood requires all staff, volunteers, docents, interns, and graduate students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and to provide proof of inoculation including Booster.

    This decision is intended to aid in the safety and health of all persons delivering and/or supporting program delivery, our clients, and students.

    IslandWood is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes applications from qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. We encourage diverse applicants because we believe having a staff that authentically reflects the community, we serve is critical to our ability to be culturally responsive.

  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find gardening managers for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your gardening manager job on Zippia to find and recruit gardening manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    During your first interview to recruit gardening managers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new gardening manager

    Once you've selected the best gardening manager candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a gardening manager?

Recruiting gardening managers involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

Gardening managers earn a median yearly salary is $79,971 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find gardening managers for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $20 and $69.

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