Fine Gardening Lead

Maintenance Team: 

Fine Gardening Maintenance Lead 

Starting Salary: $22-$27/hr dependant on skills and experience, plus benefits: paid time off, health insurance, regular bonuses, continuing education allowance, retirement matching, and discounts on plant materials (note: not all benefits are active from start date) 

We are looking for another hard-working plant nerd to join our team! We seek a motivated, independent, highly organized individual to lead our expanding maintenance team. The maintenance lead will represent the core values of SSG, proactively manage clients and staff members, keep tasks up to date, and consistently define what resources are needed for success. We highly value strong problem-solving skills, resourcefulness and flexibility in changing schedules. This position is about 90% fieldwork and 10% administrative. There is room in this position to expand beyond its current definition. We will train the right person in unfamiliar areas! 

Job Responsibilities: 

• Crew Management: Leading all onsite crews & training new staff members to SSG standards. 
• Ensure crews are set up for the day and clear on their individual responsibilities, perform periodic site visits to answer questions, check quality, and monitor progress 
• Train new maintenance employees on SSG systems and tools.
• Update the SSG building standards sheet with standard materials lists and procedures to train crewmembers. 
• New Client Consultations: For all new maintenance clients, we conduct a 20-min consultation (documentation and photos for future visits, timeline, and budget quotes). The maintenance lead will be in charge of drafting and sending out quotes to maintenance clients & follow up with clients via Jobber. Communicate with team members to coordinate timing, materials, etc. 
• Plant lists/small maintenance design requests: Manage requested plant replacements for maintenance clients. This will often include making short plant lists to review with clients and SSG management team, and then making sure plants get purchased before maintenance visits. 
• Scheduling & Client Communication: The maintenance lead will be in charge of communicating with clients and SSG team members regarding scheduling services as well as managing any schedule changes (longer visits for special tasks, changes in client needs, budget/time restrictions, etc). 
• Conduct regular check in with clients to ensure their needs are being met
• Suggest maintenance projects (mulching, removing dead plants, more extensive pruning projects), 
• Manage service changes/cancellations, re-arrange schedules when necessary. 
• Client Documentation: The maintenance lead will be in charge of keeping all notes and records of maintenance jobs. This includes documenting on-site work as it is done, and notes for future visits. This also includes documenting relevant expenses, etc. and communicating with staff to make sure expenses are recorded in invoices. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Physical Stamina: Ability to repeatedly lift 50-75+lbs, move heavy wheelbarrows, climb ladders, carry and secure tools. We work outside no matter the weather. 
• Enjoy Leading a Team: You like teaching people and helping them succeed.
• Degree or certificate or other specialized training in Horticulture ideal. 2+ years field experience desirable. Knowledge of Plants and Maintenance Tasks: You must be familiar with a wide range of native, edible and ornamental plants, both ID common diseases and care. The Maintenance lead must have a strong base knowledge of seasonal maintenance tasks, plant identification and best organic practices. Ability to identify common perennial and annual weeds, common landscape plants for the PNW region, and knowledge of selective naturalistic pruning. 
• Knowledge of Best Practices for Organic Maintenance: Sheet mulching, hand weeding, naturalistic pruning, mulching, weed and plant ID.
• Task Management: Prior experience managing a team and ideally also managed a project budget. You can anticipate when we are going over budget, write change orders and provide updates to the rest of the leadership team.
• Clear Communication: Clearly communicate the project needs, staff needs, and keep clients updated throughout the construction process, including when things don’t go according to plan. 
• Ownership and Responsibility. There is a fair amount of problem-solving and leadership in this position and we ask that the Maintenance lead be someone who is reliable and will trustfully take ownership of all things maintenance-related. 
• Flexibility. We are a small company that is working on expanding. Because of this, we ask that every team member have some flexibility in their daily tasks and be open to changes and other tasks as assigned. 
• WA Driver’s Licenses and Excellent Driving Record: Experience driving trucks in town, parking in busy urban areas, backing up with heavy loads, occasionally pulling trailers, loading tools securely, etc. 

To Apply: Submit resume, cover letter and references to [email protected]  

Women and underrepresented minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. We are an LGBTQ owned company and welcome and value diversity. This is a Non Smoking workplace. If you smoke (including vaping), please do not apply.