Senior Director of Horticulture

Job Description

The Director of Horticulture is responsible for all horticulture aspects of a top-ranked botanic garden in Southern California. San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) is a rapidly growing major botanic garden that seeks continued growth and impact. The ideal candidate will possess the experience and vision to plan and execute the growth of horticultural programs at SDBG to become world-class and one of the most important public gardens in the United States. The ideal candidate will have expertise in horticulture, collections management, staff leadership, and planting design. They will lead the horticulture team to maintain and create inspiring garden displays and develop significant plant collections in formal and naturalistic gardens, as well as managing irrigation, trails, natural lands, conservatories, greenhouses, growing facilities, water features, stormwater features, and other landscape elements throughout a 37-acre campus.

Compensation
Salary: $96,000-$125,000+
On-site Housing
Full- time/ salary exempt

Benefits:
● 401(k) matching
● Health, Vision & Dental insurance
● Supplemental insurance
● Employee Assistance Program
● Employee discount
● Flexible Spending Account
● Life insurance
● Paid time off
● 10 paid holidays

About Us

Established in 1970, San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG, or Garden) is a 37-acre garden that inspires people of all ages to connect with plants and nature. The Garden’s four miles of trails showcase 5,000 plant species and varieties, including 300 plants for which SDBG is the only garden maintaining a population. SDBG has 15 gardens representing different regions of the world, 12 demonstration gardens, and the largest public bamboo collection in North America. SDBG has three children’s gardens, including its flagship, one-acre Hamilton Children’s Garden, the largest kids’ garden on the west coast. SDBG is growing its plant conservation and education programs. It routinely assesses and surveys rare flora in the Southwestern United States while developing horticultural strategies to save plants from extinction and makes them available to a wide audience. The Garden also conducts active research in areas such as plant conservation, genetics, informal education and sustainability with partners including UCSD, San Diego State, and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. SDBG offers the most comprehensive opportunities for informal education about plants, botany and horticulture in the San Diego region, and welcome over 200,000 visitors per year. SDBG regularly presents world class horticulture and artistic exhibits on its grounds, as well as diverse special events.

Led by the Board of Directors and senior management, SDBG has moved into a growth trajectory with a stated goal of transitioning from being the leading botanic garden in San Diego to becoming a leading regional garden with a national and international voice. The Garden is in the process of completing a Master Plan and is entering a capital campaign to design a transformation of the entire campus. We intend to build on our strong legacy of outstanding plant collections to become a world-class Garden in visitor experience, program delivery, science-based plant conservation and research, and education and outreach. The Senior Director of Horticulture will guide the way to horticultural successes that will catapult SDBG to national and international prominence.

Duties & Responsibilities

Essential Functions
Strategic Leadership
● Serves on SDBG’s senior leadership team and participates in long-range planning.
● Evaluates, contracts and coordinates outsourced services related to horticulture.
● Determines annual budget needs, authorizes budget expenditures and manages the approved operating budget for the Horticulture Department.
● Coordinates cross-departmental activities, events, exhibitions, and programming.
● Integrates operations of the Horticulture Department into the mission and goals of SDBG as a whole, guided by the strategic plan.
● Empowers staff by granting authority where possible and by growing skills and abilities through training and certifications.
Horticultural Leadership and Staff Management
● Leads a department of 10 full-time horticulture staff, interns and volunteers, providing direction, training and supervision
● Establishes departmental procedures and priorities, evaluating and overseeing daily operations.
● Manages all living plant collections, gardens, conservatories, growing facilities and landscapes, maintaining high horticultural standards for aesthetics, collections and plant health goals.
● Serves as a leader for the Lightscape winter light show, annual orchid show, and other events and exhibitions as needed.
● Collaborates with the Horticulture Manager to develop and execute garden projects, set long-range goals, and guide the screening, interviewing, and hiring of horticulture candidates
● Establishes planting and maintenance priorities including area upgrades.
● Manages plant selection and procurement.
● Manages and prioritizes a robust Horticulture safety program with safety as the first priority.
● Manages plant collections and policy processes by growing and empowering a collections-oriented staff.
● Establishes horticulture standards and priorities, with an emphasis on sustainable, organic, and
● integrated pest management practices without compromising plant health or quality of display.
● Provides horticultural content and review for SDBG’s publications and interpretative materials.
● Works with Board of Trustees, permanent and ad hoc committees, and donors.
● Collaborates with Programmatic Departments to fulfill year-round opportunities for guest experiences.
● Collaborates with the Philanthropy Department to support fundraising and stewardship initiatives.
● Collaborates with the Marketing and Communications Department to promote the Garden and educate the public.
● Presents on horticultural topics to various media, internal media channels, and external stakeholder groups. Enables staff to do the same.
● Serves as a public horticultural leader in San Diego and Southern California, including pursuing leadership opportunities in regional and national horticultural associations. and participating in regional efforts to improve horticulture in wider society.
● Ensures compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations as they pertain to the responsibilities of this position.

Education and Experience

Essential Requirements
● Minimum 5 years’ experience in management of people and horticultural spaces, required.
● Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in horticulture or closely allied field, preferred.
● Other combinations of education/experience appropriate to the job will be considered.
● Demonstrated knowledge of sustainable landscape and conservatory practices
● Experience with construction management; understand construction drawings and specifications, to oversee garden development.
● Experienced in project management and creating processes to simultaneously drive multiple initiatives to achieve short term and long-range goals.
● Able to process divergent information, stakeholder feedback, weigh risks and evaluate resources to make decisions and take prompt action.
● Possess strong management skills to grow and lead a diverse horticultural team of outstanding quality at a major institution.
● Able to engage constructively with a wide variety of external stakeholders, including donors, public officials, contracted teams and designers.

Physical Requirements
● Able to work a full shift outdoors with strenuous activity, possibly in inclement or extreme weather.
● Operate small machinery (weed eaters, chainsaws, etc.) and larger equipment such as Bobcat-skid steer loaders.
● Able to drive a golf cart and walk, stand, bend, kneel for extended periods.
● Able to lift and carry a minimum of 50 lbs. a distance of 25 feet frequently and in all seasonal extremes.

Other Duties
● Must be available to work special events including some holiday, weekend and evening shifts.
● Perform other duties or special projects as assigned
● Must possess a valid driver’s license
● Pass a background check.

Additional Information

SDBG Diversity Statement
San Diego Botanic Garden is committed to create, maintain and grow a welcoming and inclusive environment. Just as our natural world relies on plant diversity, we believe that cultivating diversity amongst our staff and volunteers contributes to a flourishing Garden. We are dedicated to ongoing conversations as we celebrate and support the unique attributes of all people.

Application Instructions

To apply, please email your resume and cover letter to HR@SDBGarden.org