Assistant Grower Manager - Commercial Horticulture
Preston | Full-time | £32,000-£35,000
Are you an experienced grower ready to take the lead in shaping the future of large-scale plant production?
We're working with a leading name in UK horticulture to recruit an Assistant Grower Manager - a hands-on leadership role where you'll oversee growing teams, deliver top-quality crops, and drive innovation across multiple sites. If you're passionate about plants, sustainability, and people management, this could be the next big step in your career.
What You'll Be Doing
Leading and motivating the growing teams to deliver healthy, high-quality crops on a commercial scale
Implementing and managing ICM programmes (water, environment, IPM, crop protection, energy use, etc.)
Driving down waste while maximising yield and product quality
Overseeing crop husbandry, plug quality, and site standards across multiple growing sites
Playing a key role in technical trials - from peat-free growing media to innovative biologics and NPD trials
Working with Sales & Purchasing Teams to input into tenders and deliver against customer expectations
Taking ownership of HR aspects for your team (rotas, recruitment, appraisals, training & development)
Supporting ERP and space planning projects to optimise production
Representing the business externally - including providing content for social media and attending trade shows
What We're Looking For
Proven experience in commercial growing and team management
Strong technical knowledge of integrated crop management
A passion for sustainability, innovation, and trial work
Great communication and leadership skills to bring out the best in your team
Ability to balance hands-on work with strategic oversight
Organised, professional, and confident in working cross-functionally with sales, supply chain, QA, and operations
Why This Role Stands Out
Be at the forefront of large-scale commercial growing, influencing future practices and sustainability trials
Work with a dynamic management team in a business that invests in innovation and people
Lead from the front - managing both the technical and people side of growing operations
A varied, challenging, and rewarding role where no two days are ever the same
Ready to grow your career?
If you're a horticultural leader looking for your next big challenge, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today and take the reins in a role where your expertise will shape the future of plant production.
For an informal chat, please call Emily on (phone number removed), email (url removed) or message me on LinkedIn. Don't worry if your CV isn't up to date, just send what you have already, and we can sort the rest later