South Africa Nursery Manager - South African Restoration Project

Nursery Manager - South African Restoration Project

About Us

Imperative is a global carbon project development company that aims to be in the top decile for quality in the carbon projects market. We have a build-own-operate model and specialise in the design, development and operation of carbon credit projects that help combat climate change while promoting biodiversity conservation, economicgrowthand social development in the countries in which weoperate. With a strong commitment to environmental and social responsibility, we areseekinga highly skilled and experiencedNursery Managerto join our dynamic team.

Position Summary

We areseekingan experienced, resilient, and resourceful Nursery Manager to lead the operation of ourcommercialSpekboomnursery nearJansenvillein the Eastern Cape, South Africa. You will direct the production of 20–30 million high-qualitySpekboom(Portulacariaafra) plants per annum using theEllepotpropagation system. This is a foundational role in a pioneering native forest regeneration project that aims to produce over 300 million nativeSpekboomplants to restore a planting area of 100,000 hectares, spread over a total project area of more than 1 million hectares.

This is not a traditionalstand-alonenursery management role. You willbe part of anIntegratedProjectTeam(IPT)that brings together a company-side team of administrative, horticultural, supervisory and quality-control staff, supported by the Head of Horticulture, and a service-provider arm,who is accountable for day-to-day nursery operations. As Nursery Manager, you will hold overall accountability for integrating these two arms into a single, high-performing operation. You will report directly to the Nursery Director and will be a key leader in achieving the project’s ambitious goals.

Key Responsibilities

1. Leadership and Team Management:

• Provide strategic leadership to thenursery team, fostering a collaborative and positive work environment.
• Oversee the recruitment, training, and development of staff, ensuringexpertisein plant propagation, cultivation, and quality control.
• Lead theteam, providing direct line management to the Service Provider’spersonneland directing the company-side team of horticulturalists,propagationand quality-control staff.
• Implement robust communication and management systems to effectively lead an integrated team across the company andservice-providerarms.
• Empower and mentor supervisors to build their capacity for independent site management.

2. Plant Production and Quality Control:

• Implement standardized, efficientEllepotpropagation and cultivation processes, from cutting procurement through to dispatch, to ensure consistent quality and meet production targets.
• Maintain a robust Plant Quality Index (PQI), applying screening and rogueing at all defined intervention points to ensure the health, vitality, and uniformity of plants.

3. Inventory Management:

• Utilisinga best-in-class digital platform (MyCrops),manageplant inventory, including batch traceability, tracking stock levels, conducting regular audits, andoptimizingstock turnover.
• Implement effective inventory control measures to minimize losses and waste.

4. Compliance and Environmental Stewardship:

• Ensure compliance with relevant regulations, permits, biosecurity requirements, and environmental standards governing plant nurseries in South Africa.
• Promote environmentally sustainable practices in plant production and nursery operations.

5. Budgeting and Financial Management:

• Manage the nursery operating budget and, with the support of the project controls team,trackand report costs against it.
• Implement cost-effective measures without compromising the quality of plants and services provided.

6. Infrastructure Maintenance:

• Oversee the maintenance and operational readiness of all on-site infrastructure, including water and irrigation systems, power supply, security, and staff facilities.
• Implement a maintenance schedule for all infrastructure and equipment, ensuring operational continuity.

7. Health, Safety, and Security:

• Enforce robust health and safety protocols to ensure a secure working environment for all staff and service-provider employees.
• Regularly review and update safety and biosecurity procedures tocomply withnational standards.

Experience

• The position requires approximatelyfive (5)years’ experience in a commercial nursery or large-scale plant propagation environment, of which at least twoyears must have been in a management or nursery manager role.
• Hands-on working knowledge of theEllepotpropagationsystem, or an analogous plug or modular propagation system,would bebeneficial.
• Significant experiencemanaging teams and serving in leadership roles is critical.

Skills

• A self-starter who can lead a significant scope of work with a high degree of independence.
• Demonstratea high levelof personal integrity and be passionate about making a positive difference to the world.
• Ability to lead, with strong operational planning and execution skills for large-scale plant production.
• Haveextremely well-developed communication skills at both the executive level and in the field.
• Sound contractual administration abilities.
• Strong digital literacyfor inventory, reporting, and operational management systems.

Desired Attributes

• Pioneering Spirit: A forward-thinker who is not afraid to challenge the status quo and introduce innovative methods to improve nursery operations and project outcomes.
• Resilience and Adaptability: The ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and navigate the unique challenges of a large-scale, remote project.
• Passion for Conservation :A genuine commitment to environmental restoration and the mission of the project.

Language

• Fluency in spoken and written English is a requirement.

Education

• A relevant tertiary qualification in Horticulture, Agriculture, Plant Science,Forestryor a related field (NQF Level 6 or above) isrequired.
• A postgraduate qualification will beadvantageous.

Position Location

Botterblomfarm,Jansenvilledistrict, Eastern Cape, South Africa, with occasional travel to field restoration sites, head office, and partner facilities.

Values

At Imperative, we are passionate about our values are encourage all team members to embrace them.

• Integrity: We act honourably and are guided by a strong moral compass. If things go wrong, we put our hand up, admititand adapt.
• Momentum: Speed matters. We have a bias to action. We think quick, we plan tirelessly, we mitigate risks butabove all, wetake action.
• Purpose: We are driven by our desire to make the world better, with every interaction,processand project.
• Accountability: We do what we say, and we deliver. Weseekto be the best at what we do.
• Collaboration: We celebrate diversity of thought, values and backgrounds andseekto harness the strength of our people and partners to achieve more than we individually can, through teamwork and creativity.
• Tenacity: We arehighly ambitious,drivenand hardworking. We persist until we deliver impact.

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