Growing Operative

Vitacress; North Runcton; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full training provided

Permanent, full-time employment

Career progression opportunities

Job summary

Vitacress is seeking a Growing Operative at our Runcton site near Chichester. You will be involved in sowing, potting, and caring for herbs from seed to harvest, with training provided and a permanent full-time role.

Expect active workdays, varied temperatures, and a supportive team dedicated to quality and safety. We welcome enthusiastic learners and individuals who enjoy practical, hands-on work, with opportunities to grow within the business and contribute to one of the UK's leading fresh

Qualifications

• Experience helpful in horticulture or crop-growing
• Pest and disease awareness helpful
• Food safety knowledge helpful
• Health & Safety awareness helpful
• Manual handling experience helpful

Responsibilities

• Sowing seeds and helping young crops thrive
• Potting, plugging, spacing, and caring for plants
• Monitoring crops and identifying any pest, disease, or quality issues
• Maintaining growing areas to the highest standards
• Operating equipment and machinery safely
• Moving benches and supporting crop production activities
• Recording information accurately using company systems
• Supporting continuous improvement and reducing waste
• Maintaining excellent hygiene, quality, and food safety standards
• Working safely and following Health & Safety procedures at all times

Skills

Hands-on

Team player

Detail-oriented

Willing to learn

Reliable

Job description

Growing Operative

Location: Runcton, near Chichester

Hours: typically 7am-3pm, 5 days over 7 including weekends

Salary: £12.90 per hour, paid to you monthly

Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Join the team behind the UK's favourite fresh herbs!

At Vitacress, we're passionate about producing the freshest, highest-quality herbs for customers across the UK. We're looking for a Growing Operative to join our friendly team in Runcton and help us nurture our crops from seed to harvest.

Whether you're looking to start a career in horticulture or already have some growing experience, this is a fantastic opportunity to develop new skills, work as part of a supportive team, and play a vital role in producing the herbs found in kitchens across the country.

No horticultural experience? No problem. If you're enthusiastic, reliable, and eager to learn, we'll provide all the training you need to succeed.

What You'll Be Doing

• Sowing seeds and helping young crops thrive
• Potting, plugging, spacing, and caring for plants
• Monitoring crops and identifying any pest, disease, or quality issues
• Maintaining growing areas to the highest standards
• Operating equipment and machinery safely
• Moving benches and supporting crop production activities
• Recording information accurately using company systems
• Supporting continuous improvement and reducing waste
• Maintaining excellent hygiene, quality, and food safety standards
• Working safely and following Health & Safety procedures at all times

What We're Looking For

• Positive, reliable, and hardworking
• Comfortable working in a practical, hands-on role
• A team player who enjoys supporting colleagues
• Keen to learn new skills and take on new challenges
• Detail-focused and proud of producing quality work
• Able to work independently when needed

Experience That's Helpful (But Not Essential)

• Horticulture or crop-growing experience
• Pest and disease awareness
• Food Safety knowledge
• Health & Safety awareness
• Manual handling experience

If you don't have these yet, don't worry. We're more interested in your attitude and willingness to learn.

What to Expect

• Working closely with plants and crops every day
• Being active, with plenty of walking and standing
• Working in varying temperatures and conditions
• Wearing PPE where required
• Being part of a supportive and hardworking team

Why Join Vitacress?

• Full training provided
• Permanent, full-time employment
• Opportunities to learn and develop new skills
• Friendly and supportive working environment
• Career progression opportunities across the business
• Work for one of the UK's leading fresh produce growers

Many of our colleagues have started in operational roles and progressed into specialist and leadership positions across the business.

Vitacress Herbs, based just outside historic Chichester, West Sussex, is a primary supplier of Herb and horticulture products in the UK. With our 23-acre site covered in specialist glass houses, we take immense pride in our work ensuring our consumers have a fresh, quality product to enhance their home cooking or enhance your garden environment. We take pleasure in ensuring the best possible standards and we will empower you to do the same. From the way we grow our products, to the relationships we maintain with customers, everyone knows exactly what is going on. We are authentic and grounded. At the centre of everything is a trust that you can feel every day at work. From the herbs that are grown on site; to the investment in facilities and the growth of the business; to growing and nurturing out talented employees, growing is truly at the heart of what we do. Join us and become a trusted partnership in our business.