Horticulture Manager

Location and Work Arrangement

• The role is described as fully remote in the United Arab Emirates.

Role Overview

Production and Crop Management

• Develop horticultural production strategies and seasonal or annual plans aligned with business and market objectives.
• Manage crop establishment, propagation, cultivation, pruning, training, harvesting, grading, packing, storage, and delivery.
• Monitor plant growth, crop development, yield, quality, maturity, irrigation, nutrition, pests, diseases, weeds, and environmental stress.
• Implement integrated pest and disease management and ensure responsible use of agricultural inputs.

Operations and Leadership

• Manage growing media, crop materials, machinery, irrigation systems, greenhouse equipment, climate controls, tools, and field infrastructure.
• Lead staff, growers, supervisors, technicians, seasonal workers, contractors, and service providers.
• Prepare workforce schedules, training plans, productivity targets, performance standards, and workplace-safety practices.
• Manage budgets, procurement, supplier performance, labor costs, input expenses, maintenance costs, and capital requirements.

Technology and Improvement

• Use sensors, automation, GIS, drones, remote monitoring, and crop-management systems to improve horticultural operations.
• Analyze production and operational data to identify productivity gaps, cost drivers, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Coordinate trials of new varieties, growing techniques, technologies, inputs, and production systems.

Compliance and Sustainability

• Ensure compliance with agricultural, environmental, food-safety, chemical-handling, labor, and workplace requirements.
• Implement water conservation, soil-health, nutrient-efficiency, integrated pest-management, waste-reduction, biodiversity, and responsible land-use practices.
• Prepare reports on production, yield, quality, crop health, labor, inputs, costs, risks, and sustainability.

Ideal Candidate

• Substantial experience in horticulture, commercial crop production, nursery management, greenhouse operations, floriculture, fruit and vegetable production, landscape horticulture, agronomy, or a related field.
• Demonstrated knowledge of plant physiology, crop nutrition, soil management, irrigation, plant health, propagation, and post-harvest activities.
• Experience leading workforces, contractors, budgets, procurement, suppliers, and operating costs in horticultural settings.
• Familiarity with precision agriculture, controlled-environment agriculture, automation, sensors, or digital farm-management systems is advantageous.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English are required.

Performance Focus