HEAD GROWER

West Coast Gardens; Surrey; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Benefits plan

4 Weeks' vacation

KPI bonus

Job summary

West Coast Floral Growers & Distributors LTD. in Surrey, BC, seeks a Head Grower to lead the growing function of our ornamental greenhouse operation. This senior, hands-on role combines deep growing expertise with people development and ownership of crop performance.

You will manage irrigation, nutrition, pest management and environmental controls while ensuring market-ready crops and CFIA GCP compliance. The position offers a competitive salary and benefits in a family-owned business.

Qualifications

• Significant commercial greenhouse growing experience with ornamental crops.
• Strong leadership experience coaching growers or assistants.
• Advanced knowledge of irrigation, nutrition, environmental control and IPM.
• Ability to diagnose crop problems and take corrective action.
• Proven track record delivering crop quality and schedule adherence.

Responsibilities

• Produce market-ready crops meeting quality standards.
• Lead, coach and develop Grower Assistant and maintenance staff.
• Manage crop health via irrigation, nutrition, environmental monitoring, IPM.
• Monitor crops for pests, disease, nutrition, and environmental issues.
• Ensure crops are ready during scheduled shipping weeks.
• Reduce crop shrink and improve consistency across groups.
• Maintain greenhouse facilities and equipment in safe, clean condition.
• Implement preventative maintenance for irrigation and equipment.
• Maintain CFIA GCP compliance and audit readiness.
• Collaborate with Administration, Production, and Ownership.

Skills

Greenhouse growing

Crop management

Team leadership

Irrigation systems

Pest management

CFIA GCP knowledge

Tools

CFIA GCP (certification)

Job description

HEAD GROWER

West coast Floral Growers & Distributors LTD.
Surrey, British Columbia | Full-time

West Coast Floral is seeking an experienced Head Grower to lead the growing function within our commercial ornamental greenhouse operation.

This is a senior, hands-on leadership position for someone who combines strong technical growing expertise with the ability to develop people, establish consistent growing practices and take full ownership of crop performance.

The Head Grower will be accountable for producing exceptional, market-ready crops while minimizing shrink, achieving scheduled crop readiness and maintaining full compliance with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's Greenhouse Certification Program.

ABOUT WEST COAST FLORAL

West Coast Floral is a family-owned greenhouse production and distribution business located in Surrey, British Columbia. We produce a diverse range of ornamental crops including annuals, tropical, and succulents for wholesale customers and our West Coast Gardens retail garden centre.

We are looking for a Head Grower who takes pride in producing excellent crops, developing a capable growing team and continuously improving greenhouse performance.

THE POSITION

The Head Grower will be responsible for:

• Producing exceptional, market-ready crops that meet West Coast Floral's quality standards.
• Leading, coaching and developing the Grower Assistant(s) and maintenance assistant.
• Managing crop health through irrigation, nutrient management, environmental monitoring and Integrated Pest Management.
• Monitoring crops closely and responding quickly to emerging quality, pest, disease, nutrition and environmental concerns
• Ensuring crops are ready during their scheduled shipping week.
• Reducing avoidable crop shrink and improving consistency across crop groups.
• Maintaining greenhouse facilities and growing equipment in a safe, clean and fully operational condition.
• Establishing and completing preventative-maintenance requirements for irrigation and growing equipment.
• Maintaining complete CFIA Greenhouse Certification Program compliance and continuous audit readiness.
• Collaborating effectively with the Greenhouse Administration Team, Production Team and Ownership.
• Identifying and implementing practical improvements to growing practices, crop quality and greenhouse performance.

HOW SUCCESS WILL BE MEASURED

The Head Grower will be measured against clearly established performance expectations, Including:

• Crop shrink at or below the company target for each crop group.
• An average weekly crop-quality score of at least 90%.
• At least 95% of crops ready during their scheduled shipping week.
• 100% CFIA GCP compliance and audit readiness.
• Greenhouse facilities maintained in a clean, safe, organized and production-ready condition.
• Preventative maintenance completed and growing equipment kept reliable and operational.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The successful candidate will bring:

• significant commercial greenhouse growing experience, preferably with a diverse range of ornamental crops.
• Demonstrated success leading a substantial greenhouse growing function.
• Strong plant knowledge and crop-observation skills.
• Advanced knowledge of irrigation, plant nutrition, environmental management and Integrated Pest Management.
• The ability to diagnose crop problems, determine root causes and take timely corrective action.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing growers or grower assistants.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• A disciplined and detail-oriented approach to crop records, compliance and follow-through.
• A commitment to continuous improvement and responsible stewardship of greenhouse facilities and equipment
• Experience with greenhouse environmental control systems.
• The ability to work effectively with production planning, administration, operations and ownership.
• Knowledge of Canadian ornamental greenhouse production and the CFIA Greenhouse Certification Program would be considered an asset.

THE OPPORTUNITY

This position offers the opportunity to take meaningful ownership of the growing function within as established, family-owned horticultural business.

COMPENSATION

Annual salary " $120,000- $150,000, depending on experience and demonstrated capabilities.

Employee Benefits plan, 4 Weeks' vacation, KPI bonus.