Project Manager

Job Title:               Project Manager        

Reports to:            Project Supervisor

Classification:       Exempt/Non-Exempt (may vary)

Status:                     Full-time

Date:                     May 2025

Expected Start Date:         June 2, 2025

Job Announcement

Apply using this link.

(Please include both cover letter and resume)

The Watershed Nursery Cooperative Mission:

The Watershed Nursery Cooperative provides exceptional California native plants and services for habitat enhancement throughout northern California. We value and prioritize diversity in the ecosystems of our wild, cultivated, and social landscapes. We provide site-specific, genetically diverse California native plants grown with phytosanitary best management practices and integrated pest management for optimal plant health and to prevent the spread of harmful plant pathogens. We are committed to increasing the accessibility of native plants for the general public through our retail plant stock and the guidance, enthusiasm, and resources provided by our knowledgeable staff. As an employee-owned cooperative business, we embrace equity, language justice, open communication, group decision making, and joy for our work in our business practices.

Position Summary:

The Watershed Nursery Cooperative is now reviewing applications for a talented and innovative Project Manager. We are looking for a candidate who has a breadth of knowledge of local California native plants and robust experience in plant care and project management. The candidate of choice applies a growth mindset both personally and professionally; they inspire others to do the same through optimism, flexibility, and teamwork. The selected candidate should have a desire to help others, a friendly personality and great active listening and communication skills.

The Project Manager position is primarily functioning as a crew leader responsible for overseeing the daily on-site horticultural production related to ensuring the successful fulfillment of contract requirements with optimally healthy native California site-specific plant material. This position is responsible for daily management of the production team. In addition, this position works with the Project Supervisor to manage all aspects of TWN projects; i.e. contract management, production, maintenance, deliveries, and facilities organization and operation. The Project Manager will be given specific training and ongoing supervision in order to accomplish various responsibilities.

Compensation and Benefits:

Starting salary $25-$30/hr (depending on experience). Performance reviews will be conducted in the first year at 90 days, 6 months, and 1-year with an opportunity for pay increase based on performance at each of these reviews. Subsequently performance reviews with the potential for pay increases will occur annually.

Benefits include but are not limited to:

• Health insurance stipend of $175 added to payroll monthly
• 401k with employer match after vesting
• Annual Clothing budget
• Paid Time Off, accruing to 2 weeks/yr

Schedule Requirements:

Mondays – Fridays: 8:00am – 4:00pm

Occasional Weekend Work

Cooperative Status:

The Project Manager will have the opportunity to work at an employee-owned coop and after a waiting period will have the opportunity to apply to join as a member-owner. 

Essential Functions:

Plant management

• Analyze plant needs daily with respect to location, spacing, irrigation, fertilization, maintenance, pruning, transplanting, pests, and general health to ensure readiness for project completion.
• Develop, plan, and delegate project production tasks based on project needs, identified onsite and in project status.
• Post and supervise daily activities of TWNC production team based on analysis.
• Have thorough understanding of The Watershed Nursery Cooperative’s (TWNC) Best Management Practices (BMPs) and ensure application of BMPs in all stages of project production.
• Track and log all maintenance activities including fertilization and pruning.
• Manages crew to execute direct sows, including placement planning, filling of trays, and sowing seeds.
• Build crew community and ensure positive, effective team dynamics.

Project planning and coordination

• Analyze annual contracts to anticipate timing needs and potential challenges and specific production needs.
• Coordinate project needs with Production team.
• Track establishment of project material.
• Enter data (Word and Excel) accurately.
• Report progress toward achieving project requirements to Project Supervisor.
• Participate in communication with project clients (pertaining to items like production status and delivery coordination).

Managing facilities and supplies needs -soil, wood, etc.

• Evaluate infrastructure needs and partner with Site Manager and crew to maintain and repair infrastructure, including improvements to optimize phytosanitary production.
• In coordination with the Site Manager, ensure the timely stocking of essential supplies such as soil, containers, wood, and materials.

Off-site Project Management

• Participate in field collection for TWN contracts.
• Assist with proper processing and recording of collected propagule material.
• Reserve, pick up, pack up, and complete paperwork for up to 24-foot delivery truck.
• Coordinate with crew and Site Manager to ensure efficient packing strategies
• Assist with field crew projects.

Other Duties As Assigned

Qualifications:

Essential-

• Leadership experience, specifically in managing a team.
• Ability to assign tasks and discuss nursery needs in Spanish
• General knowledge and experience in plant care and maintenance (3 or more years)
• Experience working in a nursery setting.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and have the ability to drive larger trucks.

Additional desired-

• Experience with and working knowledge of California native plants and their habitats.
• Ability to exercise good judgment and problem solve as necessary.
• Ability and willingness to work independently to complete tasks and meet deadlines, as well as collaboratively with a team.
• Excellent oral, written, and organizational skills.
• Excellent data management skills and proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Google Suite versions.
• Ability to work variable hours when necessary.
• High School Diploma/GED.

Physical Demand and Work Environment:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a staff member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, sit, reach, stoop, kneel, talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer.
• Light to moderate lifting of up to 50 pounds is required.
• Repetitive fine motor tasks must be performed.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to work outdoors in all weather conditions.
• The job site is located next to a water treatment facility, so it can smell like sewage.

The information in this document is not intended to constitute a contract of employment or create contractual rights of any kind between The Watershed Nursery and its employees.  At The Watershed Nursery employees are employed “at will.”  This means that employees may terminate their employment at any time and for any reason, and that the company has the right to terminate employees on the same basis.  The Watershed Nursery reserves the right to modify, suspend, change or terminate the information in this document at any time, with or without prior notice.