Facility
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Closing Date
[jobclosingdate]
Description
General Summary: The Director of Horticulture will plan, direct, and manage all aspects of the Horticulture Department.
Essential Functions:
Primary Function:
• Manage landscaping and horticulture projects to ensure that areas are safe and aesthetically pleasing;
• Design, plan, build, and maintain exhibits and public areas;
• Provide routine maintenance to include, but not limited to, watering, spraying, weeding, fertilizing, pesticide application, pruning, mowing, mulching, edging, blowing, and leaf and debris removal;
• Develop and implement departmental SOP’s pertinent to the effective and efficient operation of the Horticulture department;
• Assess feasibility of all aspects of horticultural collection, growth, and direction;
• Actively participate in the recruitment, hiring, training, evaluation ,and discipline of all staff;
• Cultivate staff and assist staff in the development of goals;
• Plan the reclaiming of areas dominated by invasive plants and document old forest growth;
• Delegate responsibility to Horticulture staff and volunteers;
• Maintain payroll records;
• In collaboration with the veterinary staff, identify plants that are suitable for animal enrichment, consumption, and/or perching;
• Respond to horticulture needs/requests of other departments;
• Research contractual bids and place orders on inventory/equipment/services;
• Make recommendations for tree/plant removal;
• Work with staff to create weekly plans;
• Assist the Capital Project team in reviewing the planting plans for all construction projects;
• Responsible for pesticide use and safety;
• Produce departmental reports as needed for tracking purposes;
• Fulfill on-call duty twenty-four hours a day in order to report as emergency personnel for situations such as snow removal and storm damage;
• Perform routine maintenance of equipment and vehicles;
• Management of third party contractors;
• Create yearly departmental goals;
• Perform other duties as assigned; and,
• Adhere to all policies and procedures of the Zoo.
Communication (Internal and External):
• Participate in keeper encounters, presentations and other educational zoo programs;
• Attend area, department and All Staff meetings;
• Respond appropriately to guests’ questions, comments, or concerns;
• Communicate with fellow employees by a campus wide radio as needed following Zoo radio etiquette and protocol at all times;
• Contact an appropriate staff member necessary to resolve guest issues;
• Interface with contractors;
• Attend meetings and represent the department on various committees; and,
• Represent the Zoo at industry conferences.
Management of Resources (financial, human resources, facilities):
• Train volunteers to perform routine maintenance and special work assignments;
• Work with Human Resources to recruit, hire, train, evaluate, discipline, and terminate staff;
• Execute annual evaluations for direct reports;
• Create schedule for Horticulture staff;
• Schedule volunteers to perform routine maintenance and special work assignments; and,
• Plan and execute annual department budget, ensuring that all employees are adhering to budget guidelines.
Education and Pre-requisites
Minimum Qualifications:
Hospitality:
• Friendly and outgoing;
• Able to work independently and as a team;
• Possess a positive and patient attitude; and,
• Possess excellent verbal communication skills.
Education:
• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, horticulture, or landscape architecture (Experience may be substituted in lieu of a degree);
• Certified Arborist preferred or must be willing to obtain certification; and,
• Public Agency Applicator Certification (for pest control categories of Ornamental Plant – Exterior, Turf, Right-Of-Way and Weed, and General Pest Control) or must be willing to obtain certification.
Experience/Training:
• Seven to ten years of experience in landscape maintenance operations;
• Technical knowledge of woody plants, perennials, annuals, and turf maintenance and culture; and,
• Valid driver’s license.
Traits Desirable:
• Ability to work with a wide variety of individuals from ethnic, cultural and economic backgrounds;
• Extremely well-organized;
• Strong leadership, communication, mentoring, time management, interpersonal and follow-up skills; and,
• Self-directed, collaborative and detail-oriented.
Working Conditions:
• Physical demands are in excess of those for sedentary work- must be able to stand and remain active, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, push, pull, climb and balance for an eight hour shift;
• Must be able to walk large areas of the Zoo as needed;
• Must be able to work in an outdoor weather environment in all seasons and weather, including heat/humidity, cold temperatures, and/or wet conditions;
• Ability to work a flexible schedule to include weekends, holidays, and special events;
• Must be able to exert up to 75 pounds of force occasionally, 50 pounds frequently and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects; and,
• Exposure to Zoonotic diseases and risk of animal attack.
Equipment:
• Must be able to operate a variety of machines and equipment including computers, telephones, two-way radios, vehicles, golf carts, trucks, tractors, skid steers, frontend loaders, tillers, weed eaters, blowers, chain saws, hand tools and motorized tools, gardening/carpentry tools, machinery, etc.; and,
• Must have proficiency with tillers, weed eaters, blowers, chain saws, and other landscape equipment.
Traits Desirable:
• Ability to work with individuals from a wide variety of ethnic, cultural and economic backgrounds; and,
• Self-directed, collaborative and detail-oriented.
Disclaimer:
The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and/or skills required of all personnel so classified. Therefore, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change.
Compensation and benefits
Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Health Advocate Program, Short/Long Term Disability, Life Insurance & ADD, 401 K, Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care Account, Paid Time Off, Holidays, Tuition Assistance, Zoo Membership, Concession Discounts.
Application instructions
To apply for employment, please visit our website at www.marylandzoo.org and click on Zoo Jobs at the top of the page. You will be directed to our on line application system.