Tree Nursery Manager (Container Grown) in Chichester

Location: Newey Ltd, Butterlees Tree Park, Newlands, Pagham Road, Lagness, Chichester, PO20 1LL

Salary: £35-40k (depending on experience)

About Newey Ltd

Newey Ltd is a leading supplier of ornamental plants and trees to high-street retailers, DIY chains and garden centres. We invest in the future of UK horticulture with a focus on innovation, sustainability and long-term growth. Newey is part of the greosn group, investors in leading brands globally across fresh produce and horticulture delivering innovation, sustainability and security.

Butterlees New Tree Park is a purpose-built 20-acre development located behind Newey’s existing 22-acre glasshouse site - a combined 42 acres of production. The facility is designed for scale and sustainability and will accommodate up to 100,000 container-grown trees across a wide A–Z of ornamental varieties plus a “Grow Your Own” fruit tree range (apples, pears, cherries, plums) for retail and wholesale markets.

Role Description

As Tree Nursery Manager (Container Grown), you will lead the day-to-day nursery operations at Butterlees Tree Park, with responsibility for container-grown tree and production. This is a hands-on managerial role combining practical horticulture, operational planning, and team leadership. You will ensure plant health, quality control, stock planning, and compliance standards meet both retail and wholesale delivery schedules.

You will work closely with Despatch, Procurement, Sales and Technical teams, and support customer and partner engagement, including audits, open days, workshops, and site visits.

Key Responsibilities

• Take overall responsibility for day-to-day production and cultural activities across the Tree Unit, including container-grown ornamental and fruit trees.
• Plan, manage, and oversee potting, irrigation, feeding, cultural pruning and crop scheduling to meet production targets and delivery commitments.
• Formulate and implement medium- and long-term tree production plans, including sourcing maidens, rootstocks, and intermediate products to meet business volumes and develop the product range.
• Develop and maintain individual product worksheets for each product line, detailing husbandry requirements, formative pruning, nutrition programmes, irrigation, and specific pest and disease considerations.
• Maintain accurate stock records, inventory control, forecasting, and crop planning to meet retail, wholesale, and project delivery schedules.
• Manage and implement Integrated Crop Management (ICM) programs, including pest and disease monitoring, crop protection, and biosecurity practices.
• Operate, monitor, and optimise automated irrigation systems, drip-line feeding, and rainwater-harvesting infrastructure, ensuring efficient reservoir use and water management.
• Work closely with external organisations (e.g. Defra, Consultants and agrochemical distributors) to ensure full compliance with crop protection legislation, plant health standards, and best practice.
• Plan and oversee daily work schedules, allocating tasks to permanent and seasonal staff to meet production peaks and operational priorities.
• Supervise, train, and develop nursery staff, fostering a positive, productive team culture and supporting additional hours and weekend working during peak periods.
• Liaise closely with the Despatch Manager to plan labour requirements, maximise efficiency, maintain plant quality, and ensure despatch schedules are achieved.
• Work collaboratively with the Despatch Manager to identify and implement productivity improvements and smart working practices.
• Manage tree supplier relationships and source high-quality plant material for maiden and intermediate tree production.
• Work closely with growing media manufacturers, establishing supply chains, trialling new products and formulations, and managing input costs and budgets.
• Liaise with internal procurement, sales, and project teams to align production with customer and project requirements.

Compliance, Health & Safety

• Ensure full compliance with OHAS, LEAF, and Plant Healthy schemes, supporting customer audits alongside the Retail Technical Manager by providing accurate specification and compliance data.
• Ensure all nursery operations are carried out safely and efficiently in line with company policies, Health & Safety procedures, WSW, and COSHH assessments.
• Operate and maintain nursery machinery, irrigation systems, and site facilities to a high standard, reporting defects or issues promptly to your line manager.

Administration & Representation

• Ensure accurate, up-to-date operational and production data is recorded, monitored, and accessible.
• Represent the business at customer open days, seminars, supplier meetings, and partner events as required.
• Maintain a consistently positive, proactive attitude, supporting both the nursery team and the wider business.

Skills, Experience & Requirements

• Minimum 3 - 5 years’ experience in containerised tree production.
• Proven supervisory or team-lead experience in a production environment.
• Strong practical knowledge of tree production, propagation, substrates, fertilizer programs.
• Experience operating automated irrigation and water-management systems.
• Competent in stock control, forecasting, record-keeping, and basic IT systems.
• Practical machinery experience (tractor, forklift, loader advantageous).
• Strong communication, organisation, and problem-solving skills.
• Qualifications in horticulture or a related field are advantageous.
• Full, valid driving licence - essential.

How to apply:

Please submit a CV and a short covering letter outlining your relevant experience and why you’re a good fit for this role.

In accordance with the Equality Act 2010, Newey Ltd is an equal-opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported. Selection for employment will be based solely on merit, skills, and experience relevant to the role.