Horticulture Manager

Moncus Park is hiring for the Horticulture Manager position in Lafayette, LA. This hands-on role supports the operation's day-to-day production and care work. Reliable execution and early communication matter because the work directly affects plants, animals, equipment, coworkers, customers, or the surrounding property. What you will do • Water, move, space, label, prune, weed, and organize nursery plants according to their needs and supervisor direction. • Assist with receiving, potting, propagation, order preparation, loading, or customer support as assigned. • Identify visible plant stress, pest pressure, irrigation trouble, damaged stock, or label errors and report them promptly. • Develop and maintain the park's horticulture plan, weekly, monthly, and seasonal schedules, bed and irrigation standards, and routine quality inspections while preserving the intended garden design. • Lead, train, supervise, and work beside horticulture staff and volunteers, coordinating assignments with grounds, conservation, intern, and partner teams. • Maintain healthy weed-free beds, mulch and amend soil, troubleshoot irrigation, use integrated pest management, support composting, clear storm debris and drainage, and maintain plant labels and educational signs. How the work fits together Nursery priorities begin with living inventory: irrigation and plant-health checks cannot wait simply because another task is more convenient. Work then moves through production care, accurate organization, order or sales preparation, and cleanup. Careful labels and handling protect months of plant growth and ensure customers receive the correct material. At Moncus Park, the employer also makes these role-specific priorities clear: Develop and maintain the park's horticulture plan, weekly, monthly, and seasonal schedules, bed and irrigation standards, and routine quality inspections while preserving the intended garden design. Lead, train, supervise, and work beside horticulture staff and volunteers, coordinating assignments with grounds, conservation, intern, and partner teams. Maintain healthy weed-free beds, mulch and amend soil, troubleshoot irrigation, use integrated pest management, support composting, clear storm debris and drainage, and maintain plant labels and educational signs. What the employer is looking for • At least five years of professional horticulture or landscape-management experience, or relevant professional certifications, with strong knowledge of soil, plant health, landscape materials, pest management, and native plants. • Hands-on leadership and collaboration skills, ability to operate common horticultural tools safely, lift up to 25 pounds, and work for extended periods outside in heat, cold, dirt, dust, and inclement weather. • Dependable attendance, direct communication, and willingness to follow the employer's safety, quality, and customer- or production-care procedures. • Ability to complete the role's active, in-person work and to ask for instruction before using unfamiliar tools, equipment, products, or animal-handling methods. Schedule, conditions, and compensation This is a full-time grounds-team role reporting to the Grounds Director. The employer describes the work as approximately 10% planning and 90% hands-on horticulture, but does not publish numeric pay, benefits, fixed workdays, or shift hours. The employer does not publish a numeric wage range on this page, so no compensation has been estimated. Applicants should confirm the final hours, overtime treatment, starting assignment, travel or reporting point, supplied equipment, and benefit eligibility directly with the employer before accepting an offer. This is an in-person horticulture and outdoor position with a small operation. Daily priorities can change with weather, plant or animal condition, equipment availability, customer schedules, and the season. The successful person should arrive ready to work, communicate early when a task or condition is unclear, follow the employer's safety and quality procedures, and leave tools, vehicles, production areas, and job sites secure and ready for the next shift. Applicants should expect active work that may include long periods of standing or walking, bending, lifting, repetitive hand tasks, noise, dust, mud, pollen, heat, cold, rain, or work around moving equipment. The exact physical demands differ by assignment. Candidates should discuss any accommodation needs with the employer and confirm the final schedule, overtime treatment, training period, travel expectations, and benefit eligibility before accepting an offer. Only compensation and benefits expressly published by the employer are included here; unpublished terms have not been estimated. How to apply Email a resume and brief statement of interest to mhernandez@moncuspark.org and identify the Horticulture Manager opening.