Glasshouse Section Manager

The Glasshouse Section Manager is responsible for leading, coaching, and mentoring a team of Operatives responsible for harvesting tulips within a glasshouse environment. This is a hands-on role requiring strong people management skills, a commitment to health and safety, and a focus on quality and productivity. The role includes overseeing the efficient operation of specialist equipment such as the Bench System and Furora machinery, ensuring adherence to customer-specific quality standards, and enabling operational success by identifying and resolving challenges proactively. This position is ideal for a proactive and driven individual who can lead by example, ensuring the team meets and exceeds expectations while maintaining a safe, efficient, and high-performing working environment.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrates strong leadership by fostering a positive and collaborative team environment where members feel supported and motivated.
• Ensures team members are trained, equipped, and coached to deliver high-quality harvesting operations and adhere to safety procedures.
• Ensures all harvesting operations consistently meet or exceed customer quality expectations through careful monitoring and proactive improvements.
• Resolves quality issues by accurately identifying gaps, implementing necessary changes, and providing further training where required.
• Maintains efficiency in the harvesting process by optimising workflows and making full use of machinery such as the Bench System and Furora tools.
• Monitors performance metrics and proactively addresses any deviations from the targeted production schedule.
• Embeds a safety-first culture within the team, ensuring that all operatives adhere to health and safety standards at all times.
• Identifies and resolves potential risks in the glasshouse environment to ensure a safe working space.
• Maintains open and effective communication across various stakeholders, including operatives, management, and support teams, to ensure clarity on objectives and expectations.
• Provides timely escalation of critical issues, ensuring proper resolution without compromising operational flow.
• Operates specialist equipment such as the Bench System and Furora machinery to achieve safe, efficient, and productive harvesting processes.
• Monitors daily and ongoing performance of glasshouse operations, ensuring plans are met and taking corrective action where necessary.
• Manages and oversees the harvesting of tulips, ensuring the team adheres to specifications and achieves high standards of accuracy and quality.
• Ensures the team understands and adheres to quality standards outlined in customer-specific quality guidelines.
• Conducts regular checks on harvested flowers to ensure compliance with required specifications.
• Identifies and addresses training and operational gaps when quality standards are not met, implementing corrective action promptly.
• Regularly monitors the glasshouse environment, escalating concerns regarding pest control, disease, or other potential challenges.
• Facilitates efficient operations by ensuring the glasshouse remains well-organised and clean, maintaining high housekeeping standards.
• Collaborates with the Operations Manager to implement and improve systems that drive efficiency and overall performance.
• Supports the team with other activities as required, including covering for annual leave where necessary.
• Assists with tasks relating to growing and maintaining the smooth running of the glasshouse, which may include operating a forklift when needed (subject to appropriate certifications).
• Promotes a collaborative and productive culture within the team while addressing conflict effectively when required.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a leadership or supervisory role, ideally within an operational or horticultural environment.
• Strong understanding of health and safety regulations and their practical application.
• Hands-on experience operating machinery and tools relevant to glasshouse operations, such as the Bench System and Furora machinery (training provided if required).
• A clear focus on delivering high-quality output, with an understanding of customer expectations and quality standards.
• Previous experience delivering training and coaching to teams, ensuring continuous improvement and knowledge sharing.
• Proactive in identifying and resolving operational challenges, with sound problem-solving skills.
• Forklift operation experience or valid certification.
• Knowledge of pest and disease management within a horticultural setting.
• Understanding of tulip harvesting processes or similar horticultural specialisms.