Plant Propagation Manager

ABOUT THE GARDENS OF GOLDEN GATE PARK  

The mission of Gardens of Golden Gate Park is to connect people to plants, the planet, and each other. 

Gardens of Golden Gate Park is a public/private partnership between the San Francisco Recreation & Park Department and the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society (SFBGS) to jointly operate the Conservatory of Flowers, Japanese Tea Garden, and San Francisco Botanical Garden. A Lease & Management Agreement between RPD and SFBGS, approved by both the Recreation & Park Commission and the Board of Supervisors, sets the terms of the partnership. The agreement is a cooperative management agreement that outlines the roles and responsibilities for each partner. 

Key areas of responsibility for SFBGS include volunteer engagement, education, visitor experience, philanthropy, membership, marketing, and other functions. RPD has primary responsibility for horticulture and facility management and maintenance, master planning and capital improvements conducted in collaboration with SFBGS, as well as other functions. Together, RPD and SFBGS collaborate on collections management within the Gardens. 

The Conservatory of Flowers is a national, state, and local landmark and a place of exceptional beauty. Built in 1879, the Conservatory was the first formal structure erected in Golden Gate Park and remains an internationally renowned icon, displaying and cultivating unusual plants to heighten awareness of the pressing need to preserve threatened rainforest environments. 

The Japanese Tea Garden is the oldest operating public Japanese garden in North America. This garden provides visitors from around the world with an opportunity to experience the natural beauty, tranquility, and harmony of a Japanese-style garden and was originally created as an exhibit for the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition. 

San Francisco Botanical Garden opened in 1940 and is a 55-acre living museum within Golden Gate Park, showcasing 8,000 different kinds of plants from around the world. San Francisco’s oceanic climate with cool dry summers, mild wet winters, and presence of fog allows the Garden to grow a diverse array of species from around the world. 

POSITION SUMMARY 

Reporting to the Director of Collections & Conservation, The Plant Propagation Manager‘s primary area of responsibility is to oversee the propagation and production of plants for retail sale and conservation contracts, including seed bulking and growing plant materials for restoration. With support from other Gardens' departments or SF Rec & Parks, you'll recruit, train and indirectly manage hands-on plant propagation and production by other staff, volunteers, or interns. Additionally, the Plant Propagation Manager will work closely in collaboration with the RPD staff in the day-to-day maintenance of the shared nursery facility and the care of the plants in production for the Living Collection.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Operate on a schedule of Tuesday through Saturday and cover holidays as needed
• Develop and maintain budgets for the program, and work with the Director of Collections & Conservation to develop a business and a production plan
• Maintain inventory and order program supplies to support retail and contract growth
• Collaborate with Bookstore Manager to meet retail needs for Gardens' shops
• Work with Department staff to develop and implement phytosanitary procedures, IPM plan, and BMPs within the nursery facility
• Work with the Director of Collections & Conservation to obtain and implement contract grows for conservation purposes
• Assist with interpretation by researching plants in the collection and writing plant profiles for internal and external use
• Work with the Plant Records Manager to document plants in nursery production in the electronic plant records database and ensure consistency in labeling
• Carry out daily horticultural and maintenance operations like, watering, weeding, fertilizing, or repotting
• Conduct inventories both outside and in greenhouse settings
• Conduct mapping alongside GIS Manager and records mapping using IrisBG
• Provide reports to leadership as needed

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 3 years of experience managing nursery operations
• At least 1 year of experience supervising volunteers
• Obtain a CA Qualified Applicators License within the first 6 months of employment and follow all local and federal pesticide use and reporting requirements
• B.S. in Horticulture, Botany, Ecology or closely related field preferred, but not necessary based on experience
• Highly organized, with the ability to work both collaboratively and independently
• Demonstrated plant production experience with strong plant propagation skills
• High level of critical thinking, documenting and proactive problem solving
• Entrepreneurial spirit with a focus on revenue generation
• Demonstrated strong leadership and communication skills to manage, train and support a varied audience of volunteers and staff

ENVIRONMENT

• The nature of the work may require exposure to inclement weather conditions 
• Safely operating in various outdoor and storage environments with potential exposure to infectious and/or hazardous materials, and/or conditions
• Capable to safely and correctly lift, pull, push, drag and/or move, with assistance large and/or heavy plants and equipment to truck bed level  
• Ability to stand, walk, kneel, bend and squat for considerable periods of time
• Ability to work outdoors in various weather conditions and office environments
• Strong ability to work collaboratively in a shared workspace

HOW TO APPLY: go to - https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/All/99885d66-fdde-45ea-b169-b55cfb505be0/Gardens-of-Golden-Gate-Park or email jobs@gggp.org