ADMINISTRATOR III SUPERVISOR (Nursery Manager)

Maryland AG; Maryland; On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service, seeks a Nursery Manager for the John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery in Preston, MD. The role oversees production, seed collection, sales, and operations, while guiding staff and budgets to support statewide conservation and forestry programs.

Responsibilities include planning annual production, coordinating contracts, and ensuring safe, efficient nursery operations across multiple species.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Six years of administrative staff or professional work.
• Substitutions available for education/experience per policy.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall nursery administration and operations.
• Lead staffing, budgeting, contracts, and purchasing.
• Oversee seed collection, production, inventory, and distribution.
• Manage customer orders and seedling sales.
• Ensure equipment, facilities and safety compliance.

Skills

Administrative experience

Staff supervision

Nursery production

Budgeting

Contracts & purchasing

Customer orders & distribution

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Introduction

This is a position specific recruitment for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service. This recruitment will be used to fill current vacancies for the position and may be used to fill future vacancies in the same classification/function. Future vacancies may also be filled via other recruitments. The resulting eligible list will be maintained for one year.

GRADE

STD0018

LOCATION OF POSITION

John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery

3424 Gallagher Road, Preston, MD 21655

Main Purpose of Job

This position serves as the Nursery Manager for the John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery and is responsible for the administration, staffing, budgeting, production, seed collection and processing, seedling sales and distribution, and tree improvement operations of the nursery. The position establishes annual production and planting plans, manages nursery facilities and specialized equipment, coordinates contracts and purchasing, and provides technical information to customers and partners. These functions support the Forest Service mission by supplying high-quality, locally appropriate tree seedlings for conservation, restoration, and forestry projects throughout Maryland.

POSITION DUTIES

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Maryland Forest Service, is seeking a Nursery Manager to lead the John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery in Preston. The manager is responsible for the overall administration and operation of the nursery, which produces approximately 3 million tree seedlings of over 50 species annually for reforestation, restoration, and tree planting programs across Maryland. The position supervises permanent, seasonal, and contractual staff; sets annual production and staffing priorities; manages budgets, purchasing, and contracts; oversees seed collection, seedling production, inventory, customer ordering, and distribution; and ensures equipment, facilities, and production systems are maintained and operated safely. The manager works with Forest Service programs and partners to forecast demand and align nursery production with statewide needs. The position requires practical judgment in balancing crop conditions, labor, equipment, customer demand, and available funding. Work includes regular outdoor activity around agricultural and nursery equipment, particularly during seasonal production periods.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: Six years of administrative staff or professional work.

Notes:

• 1. Candidates may substitute 30 college credit hours from an accredited college or university for each year up to four years of the required experience.
• 2. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and two years of experience in administrative staff or professional work for the required experience.
• 3. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Master's degree from an accredited college or university for the required experience.
• 4. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer involving staff work related to the administration of rules, regulations, policy, procedures and processes, or overseeing or coordinating unit operations or functioning as a staff assistant to a higher ranking commissioned officer on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

SELECTIVE QUALIFICATIONS

Applicants not using a substitution to meet the minimum qualifications, must have one year of experience with tree seedling production, seed collection or processing, propagation, or other nursery production activities. (*job duties must be clearly described in your application to receive credit)

DESIRED OR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience managing nursery, agricultural, horticultural, forestry, or comparable production operations.

Experience supervising permanent, seasonal, and/or contractual staff.

Experience managing budgets, purchasing, procurement, contracts, or equipment replacement needs.

Experience managing customer orders, sales, inventory, or distribution in a production or service operation.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator's license valid in the State of Maryland.

SELECTION PROCESS

All information concerning your minimum qualifications must be submitted by the closing date. We will not consider information submitted after this date. Successful candidates may be ranked as Best Qualified, Better Qualified, or Qualified and placed on the employment (eligible) list for at least one year.

For education obtained outside the U.S., a copy of the equivalent American education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service must be provided prior to hire.

EXAMINATION PROCESS

Your application is part of the examination process. The examination will consist of a rating of your education, training, and experience related to the requirements of this position. The rating will be based on the information provided on your application. Therefore, it is important you provide all the experience and education related to this position completely and accurately.

BENEFITS

STATE OF MARYLAND BENEFITS