Assistant Garden Centre Manager

Squire's Garden Centres; Greater London; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Discount

Holiday entitlements

Bonus (non-contractual)

Pension

Flexible working

Job summary

Squires Garden Centre in Twickenham, London, is seeking a Retail Team Leader to provide management support to the Garden Centre team, with customer service at the forefront of everything you achieve.

Working closely with the Garden Centre Manager to help the centre to succeed. The role includes a detailed rota covering Mondays to Sundays with alternate weekends, and you will help staff deliver the centre's goals through strong merchandising and people leadership.

Qualifications

• Experience leading and motivating a garden centre team.
• Retail experience in a garden centre is essential.
• Flexible rota including weekends is required.

Responsibilities

• Understand the business plan and actively participate in delivering its goals.
• Ensure all employees understand the business goals.
• Develop the plan and improve the business as needed.
• Maintain high merchandising and housekeeping standards per guidelines.
• Co-operate with line and product managers; assist with purchasing.
• Safeguard company property and investigate security issues.
• Assist the Garden Centre Manager and deputise in their absence, including key holder duties.
• Train and motivate retail teams to maximise sales opportunities.

Skills

Leadership

Customer service

Retail experience

Team motivation

Job description

Squires Garden Centre, Sixth Cross Road, Twickenham, London, City of, United Kingdom

Job Description

Posted Monday 27 July 2026 at 00:00

Your primary responsibility will be to provide a management support to the Garden Centre team, with customer service at the forefront of everything you achieve.

Working closely with the Garden Centre Manager to help the centre to succeed.

Rota: Monday 09:00-18:00, alternate Tuesdays 09:00-18:00, Wednesday 09:00-18:00, alternate Thursdays 09:00-18:00, Friday 09:00-18:00 with alternate weekends Saturday 09:00-18:00 and Sunday 09:00-17:30

Main duties and responsibilities

• Understand the business plan and actively participate in delivering it's goals
• Ensure all employees are aware of the business goals
• Take an active interest in developing the plan and improving the business
• Excellent standards of merchandising and housekeeping are established and maintained in accordance with company guidelines
• Co-operate fully with line and product managers.
• Purchase to company guidelines
• Safeguard Company property against theft, loss or abuse, and investigate all security issues
• Assist the Garden Centre Manager and deputise fully in their absence, including key holder responsibilities
• Train and motivate retail teams to maximise sales opportunities

To be successful in this role, we are looking for people

• Passion for retail
• Ability to lead and inspire team.
• Can do attitude and able to make things happen
• Proven experience of working in a garden centre environment at this level is essential.

Squires is a family-owned group of 17 garden centres based in Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex, and Berkshire. Since 1936 the purpose of our business has been the happiness of those who work in it.

We are committed to growing our business and to promoting the highest standards in horticulture, catering, and retail.

We want our staff to enjoy working with us in a friendly, energetic customer focused environment.

Rewards & Benefits

We want our employees to be known for their friendliness, helpfulness, and good customer service, with their whole ethos being 'nothing is too much trouble for our customers'. In turn we will provide an extensive benefit package, please see below.

• Employee Discount- 50% in Restaurants and 20% in Garden Centre on joining, increasing to 25% after 2 years' service and 30% after 5 years' service.
• Holiday (including bank holidays)- 5.6 weeks on joining increasing to 6.2 week after 2 years' service and 6.6 weeks after 5 years' service.
• Bonus- We reward our employees with a non-contractual bonus at Christmas, based on the profit of the company in any financial year (first year is dependent on start date)
• Pension- We are all aware of how important it is to save for our retirement. We offer a Defined Contribution Pension Plan to new employees. If you pay into the plan and meet the government criteria, the company will too, and these contributions will be invested.
• Attendance- After one years service, if you have worked for a full financial year and have 100% attendance, one day holiday (pro-rata) will be added to your holiday grant as a 'Thank you'.
• Made A Difference Scheme (M.A.D)- A reward scheme for team members who make a difference to our business through outstanding customer service, over and above normal duties or initiatives that have grown / inspired the business. There is a monthly winner. All winners select a gift to receive.
• Learning & Development- You can look forward to a wealth of learning opportunities with us that will enhance and develop you with the skills and confidence you need.
• Birthday- After 6 months service if your birthday falls on your contracted day to work, you can leave work early (holiday policy rules apply). If you have 2 years service on your birthday, you will receive a £25 Squires gift voucher (pro rata for less than 40 hours).
• Cycle2work scheme- After 1 years service, a government initiative which offers a 25% to 39% saving on new cycling equipment. This cost is deducted out of your pay over 12 or 19 months.
• Child's first day at school- After 1 year's service come in late and go home early on your child's first day of school life, so that you can be there to take them and pick them up from school on their first day.
• RHS Membership or a Tree / Shrub- After 1 years service Squire's employees can choose either one tree or shrub to plant each year up to the value of £50 retail on the anniversary of your engagement or £50 towards RHS annual membership.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)- After 2 years service employees are eligible to join an EAP, that gives them access to a range of wellbeing resources, etc.
• Retirement- After 15 years service if you are retiring and have over 15 years service, your contracted hours will be reduced by a fifth but your pay will remain the same for your final 3 months.
• Free Parking- Available to all employees in the designated parking areas on our site.