Horticultural Solutions Manager

Salary - £45,000 - £55,000 depending on experience, knowledge & skills 

Are you ready to shape the future of horticultural services for UK businesses?

Join the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) to manage the development of our business services and certifications to support productivity and sustainability in the horticultural supply chain.  You will work with member businesses and colleagues to deliver world-leading support services that drive productivity, biosecurity and sustainability in the UK plant and tree supply chain.

Why join us?

At the HTA, we support and champion the horticultural sector across the UK.  You’ll join a purpose-driven organisation at the heart of a dynamic industry, with the opportunity to lead change, shape a flagship product, and make a tangible difference to businesses, sustainability, and plant health across the country. You’ll work with and learn from world-leading experts within the association and our members, making a real and lasting impact on the industry that produces the UK’s plants, trees, and green spaces.

We offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Hybrid and flexible working options
• Generous holiday allowance (30 days + bank holidays)
• A supportive, inclusive working environment
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression

About the HTA

This is a hugely exciting time for the sector and for the HTA.  Gardens and managed green spaces and landscapes have never been more important to the UK – for the economy, for the environment and for the nation’s well-being.   

The HTA has 1,350 members, including garden retailers, growers, landscapers, and suppliers to the garden industry.  The HTA lobbies and campaigns for its members within the horticulture industry and has an excellent reputation.  We provide our members with the opportunity to learn, innovate, and network with others in the industry. 

We have an effective political lobbying team working to enable the best conditions for our members to flourish across the UK and our research and insights team provide impactful data to help our members run productive and resilient businesses.

We have been running the National Garden Gift scheme since 1962. These garden gift cards can be bought and redeemed at HTA Garden centre members sites throughout the UK and can also be purchased online and in some supermarket gift card malls.  It is the biggest garden gift card scheme in the country – locking in around £40 million of consumer spend to horticulture and our members’ businesses.  

Our culture 

Our culture is built on our values of being Member Focused, Collaborative & Inclusive, Trusted, and Innovative.  We put our members at the heart of everything we do, ensuring their needs and aspirations guide our decisions and actions.  We foster a collaborative and inclusive environment where every team member’s voice is valued, and diverse perspectives drive creativity and success. Trust is central to our relationships, both internally and externally, and we are committed to acting with integrity and transparency in all that we do.  We embrace innovation, continuously seeking new ways to improve and push boundaries, ensuring that we stay ahead of the curve in delivering exceptional service and results. If you’re looking for a workplace where these values are lived every day, and where you can make a real impact, we’d love you to have you join us.

What you’ll be doing

As Horticultural Solutions Manager, you’ll take full ownership of the services – currently workshops, knowledge transfer events, online content and advisory for members, as well as our flagship certification scheme OHAS. You’ll be responsible for these services’ business strategy, product roadmaps, financial performance, and for their overall impact on member engagement with the association.  Reporting to the senior leadership team, you'll shape these services into best-in-class benefits for HTA members.  You’ll ensure that these services align with emerging industry standards, are responsive to member needs, and evolve to support the future of sustainable horticulture.

As a subject matter expert on horticultural production and associated standards for sustainability and biosecurity, you'll support colleagues, influence policy and practice, and develop new ideas that add value for our members.

You’ll line manage a small but high-performing team and foster a collaborative, engaged, and forward-thinking culture among colleagues and members.

This role offers hybrid working, but there is an important need for regular in-person collaboration and visibility across our offices and with members.

Key responsibilities:

• Leadership, management, delivery and development of the HTA's horticultural solutions for its members, including the OHAS certification scheme
• Provision of horticultural subject matter expertise to colleagues, members, and external stakeholders
• Measure and critically evaluate, and increase the value delivered to members by the HTA's horticulture solutions to ensure value for money is provided for members, working with our member engagement, media, and marketing teams to achieve this
• Line management of one direct report, as well as participation in and leadership of cross-company project teams fostering a collaborative, high-performing team culture

What you’ll bring 

Essential Experience & Skills

• A background in horticultural crop production (ideally with some experience in a commercial plant or tree production business and/or a retail or amenity customer of such a production business)
• Proven experience in working with certification schemes, assurance programmes, or technical standards, ideally in the horticulture, agriculture, food, or environmental sectors
• Strong commercial awareness, with experience managing budgets, P&L responsibility, or product/service development
• A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent vocational qualification) in horticultural science or a related discipline
• Experience of working with and working knowledge of environmental and social governance frameworks and methodologies, for instance lifecycle assessment methodologies, or environmental management standards such as ISO 14001
• Demonstrable experience in stakeholder engagement and partnership management, including with suppliers, auditors, or certification bodies
• Excellent communication skills – able to engage credibly with technical and non-technical audiences, including HTA members, auditors, and senior stakeholders inside and outside the HTA
• Strategic thinker with the ability to develop, articulate and deliver a compelling product vision and roadmap.
• Financially literate – able to manage budgets and make data-informed decisions on pricing, costs, and investments
• Strong organisational and planning skills – capable of juggling operational delivery with longer-term development work
• High standard of written communication for the preparation of standards, guidance documents, reports, and briefings
• A logical approach with the ability to develop effective and efficient business processes, with strong attention to detail
• IT literate with demonstrable knowledge of MS Office including Outlook  
• Full UK driving license and prepared to drive for meetings and events which might require occasional overnight stays

Desirable

• Knowledge of sustainability and environmental & social governance frameworks 
• Experience of working on research trials or design and delivery of research projects
• Experience in a product or category management role
• Experience in membership or trade associations, or working within a member-driven organisation
• Knowledge of the principles of and considerations in research design
• Project management experience and/or formal training (e.g. PRINCE2, Agile, etc.)
• BASIS qualification
• Previous experience of line management and/or managing a team
• Experience of working with government officials or policy makers

Behavioural Attributes

• Member-focused – committed to delivering products and services that bring real value to members and improve their market position. Positive, with a professional, can-do attitude.
• Innovative and curious – actively seeks out opportunities to improve and modernise schemes, services, and systems. Continuously updates own professional knowledge and skills,
• Commercially minded – balances quality and integrity with commercial viability and long-term sustainability
• Collaborative and inclusive – works effectively across teams, values input from others, and builds strong relationships internally and externally
• Accountable and delivery-focused – takes ownership, drives performance, and sees initiatives through to completion
• Resilient and adaptable – responds positively to change and is comfortable managing competing priorities in a dynamic environment

How to apply 

Ready to lead a national certification scheme and shape the future of horticulture?

Please send your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role to: [email protected].  Closing date for applications is 5pm on Tuesday, 30 September 2025.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early applications are encouraged.

The HTA is committed to embedding diversity, equity and inclusion into our culture and our talent processes.  We believe in creating a workplace where our people are treated with dignity and respect, a workplace free of barriers or discrimination.  We will make accommodations upon request for candidates wherever needed and practical throughout the hiring process.

This role is open to direct applicants only. No agencies please. All applicants must have the right to work in the UK.