Associate Manager

Description:

Northern Nurseries supports landscape professionals with a true one-stop shopping experience, offering an extensive selection of trees, shrubs, evergreens, perennials, hardscape materials, and landscape supplies. We are seeking a full-time, year-round Associate Manager to help lead daily operations at our West Suffield, CT Location. This is a hands-on leadership role ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, outdoor environment and enjoys working with people, plants, and logistics.

Position Overview

Reporting to the Site Manager, the Associate Manager helps oversee all aspects of the distribution center, including operations, labor management, transportation, customer service, inventory, and facility maintenance. This role combines leadership responsibilities with hands-on work such as loading/unloading trucks, equipment operation, and yard organization.

• Direct daily activities of the nursery labor team, including yard layout, product placement, loading/unloading, scheduling, and workflow accuracy.
• Oversee receiving processes, ensuring quality checks, accurate counts, and timely documentation.
• Maintain receiving records and coordinate with the Office Manager for inventory entry and product signage.
• Manage company truck drivers, including hiring, training, compliance (DOT, physicals, drug testing), and safety.
• Oversee maintenance and recordkeeping for trucks and nursery equipment, including registrations, permits, scheduling, and rentals.
• Ensure proper horticultural care of nursery stock, including fertilization, pesticide, and herbicide applications.
• Manage irrigation system operations to ensure consistent plant health.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe environment inside and outside the facility.

Customer Service & Sales Support

• Support sales and service staff to ensure exceptional customer service.
• Personally engage with customers to support product selection and problem-solving.
• Maintain inventory control processes, including spot counts, turn goals, markdowns, and scrap reduction.
• Support recruiting, training, and employee development.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• 3–5 years of experience in retail, wholesale, landscape, or horticultural operations management or a related experience.
• Strong organizational and planning skills with the ability to prioritize effectively.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, seasonal environment with fluctuating demands.
• Ability to work independently while leading within a team structure.
• Ability to lift 50 lbs. with or without assistance.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to maintain it.
• Experience in horticulture, plant identification, and pest control (3 years each required).
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• English proficiency.
• Spanish proficiency preferred but not required.