Horticulture Team Leader, Indoor Plant Care in Leeds

Circa £34,000 per annum | Full-time | Leeds HQ
Regional travel from Birmingham to Newcastle | One overnight stay per week

The Opportunity

Do you have team leader or supervisory experience, good practical plant knowledge and an understanding of common plant pests and diseases?

We are recruiting for a Horticulture Team Leader to join an established business providing indoor planting and maintenance services to commercial clients.

Previous indoor plant maintenance or interior landscaping experience is not essential. Our client is happy to provide training in indoor plant care and company procedures, provided you bring previous team leadership or supervisory experience, practical plant knowledge and an understanding of pests, diseases and plant health.

Your plant knowledge could come from gardening, garden centres, nurseries, grounds maintenance, estate gardening or another relevant horticultural background. Your leadership experience may have been gained in horticulture or another sector.

Based at Leeds HQ, you will lead a team of three maintenance technicians working across a region extending from Birmingham to Newcastle, with one overnight stay each week.

This is a varied, hands‑on role combining indoor plant maintenance with team leadership, service planning and client management. Your typical week will include two to three days carrying out practical maintenance and two days in the office completing scheduling, reporting and administrative duties.

You will help ensure indoor plants, live and replica planting displays and living walls are maintained to a consistently high standard, while supporting your team and building positive relationships with clients.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and support a team of three maintenance technicians

• Plan weekly maintenance visits, coordinate client bookings and organise daily schedules

• Monitor service delivery and arrange cover for technician absence

• Carry out hands‑on care of indoor plants, including watering, feeding, cleaning and pruning in line with training and maintenance procedures

• Monitor plants for pests, diseases and signs of poor health, taking appropriate action in line with training and company procedures

• Maintain live and replica planting displays and living walls

• Provide practical maintenance cover where required

• Carry out site quality audits and follow up on corrective actions

• Build professional relationships with clients and respond promptly to concerns

• Coordinate plant replacements, maintain accurate records and liaise with procurement and suppliers

• Monitor replacement stock, avoid duplicate ordering and identify opportunities to control costs

• Escalate site access issues, incomplete work and outstanding replacements

• Ensure service reports are accurate and completed on time

• Track team productivity, quality and performance against agreed targets

• Provide daily and weekly updates to the team and management

Requirements

• Previous experience as a team leader, supervisor or manager, with responsibility for guiding and supporting colleagues

• Good practical plant knowledge and an understanding of how to maintain healthy plants

• Knowledge of common plant pests and diseases, with the ability to recognise symptoms and understand when action is needed

• A willingness to develop your knowledge of indoor plants, living walls and their maintenance requirements

• A proven record of delivering excellent customer service

• A full, valid UK driving licence

• Confidence using Microsoft Office and field-service management software

• Strong organisation and the ability to manage competing priorities

• Confidence communicating with clients, colleagues and suppliers

• Willingness to combine hands‑on plant maintenance with office‑based planning and administration

• The ability to work from Leeds HQ and travel across a region extending from Birmingham to Newcastle

• Willingness to stay away overnight once a week and travel to London for training

Previous indoor plant maintenance or interior landscaping experience would be advantageous, but is not essential. Training will be provided to help the successful candidate apply their existing plant knowledge to indoor planting and company maintenance standards.

Skills & Qualities

• Approachable and supportive leadership style

• A genuine interest in plants, horticulture and plant health

• Professional and confident when dealing with clients

• Organised, dependable and punctual

• Proactive approach to resolving problems

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to service quality

• Flexible and able to adapt to changing priorities

• Hands‑on and willing to support colleagues

• Comfortable taking ownership of team performance

Working Hours

The usual working hours are 7.30am to 4.30pm, with 30 minutes of breaks.

The role combines two to three days of practical plant maintenance with two days in the office each week. Regular regional travel and one overnight stay per week form part of the position.

Location & Travel

This position is based at Leeds HQ and covers commercial client sites from Birmingham to Newcastle.

You must be able to attend Leeds HQ for your office-based duties, travel across the region and stay away overnight once a week. Travel to London will only be required for training.

What's On Offer

• Circa £34,000 per annum

• Full-time position based at Leeds HQ

• Usual working hours of 7.30am to 4.30pm

• Leadership responsibility for a team of three technicians

• Training in indoor plant care and company procedures

• A varied combination of practical plant maintenance, team leadership and office-based duties

• Opportunity to use and develop your leadership and horticultural skills

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