Annuals Merchandise Manager (Buyer)

Job Summary: Annuals Merchandise Manager/ Plant Buyer

[Full-Time; Sunday - Thursday]

We are seeking a kind, respectful, and strategic Annuals Merchandise Manager (Plant Buyer), to lead procurement, merchandising, and the Annuals department team members. This role is responsible for the full lifecycle of live plant products within our Annuals department, including seasonal planning, purchasing, pricing, presentation, care, and sell-through. In this role, you will drive the selection, sourcing, and purchasing of high-quality annual plants, ensuring a compelling product assortment that meets customer demand and aligns with our brand vision.

This role also leads and supports a customer service team responsible for stocking, maintaining plant quality, and providing knowledgeable, helpful service to customers. The right candidate leads by example with a strong work ethic, kindness, and a genuine commitment to being helpful to both customers and teammates. Someone in this role must be an effective communicator capable of collaborating across departments including marketing, logistics, production planning, and finance. This position offers an exciting opportunity to influence our merchandising strategy while working closely with cross-functional teams to deliver an exceptional customer experience.

This is a hands-on, sales floor-based leadership role. You will work closely with the Procurement Manager and collaborate across departments to ensure strong seasonal execution, high plant quality standards, and extraordinary customer experience. The right candidate leads by example with a strong work ethic, kindness, and a genuine commitment to being helpful to both customers and teammates.

Responsibilities

Product Planning & Buying

• Plan and execute seasonal plant assortments aligned with customer demand,

climate, space, and business goals.

• Select and manage vendor relationships to ensure quality standards, availability, and

cost effectiveness.

• Forecast plant needs using historical sales, seasonal trends, and operational

considerations.

• Place, monitor, and adjust orders to support strong sell-through and minimize

shrink.

Merchandising & Inventory Management

• Oversee plant pricing, margin targets, and lifecycle markdown decisions.

• Set and maintain clear merchandising standards to ensure consistency across the

department.

• Merchandise plants in ways that are visually appealing, easy to shop, and

operationally sound, and is in alignment with company strategies.

• Monitor inventory levels, losses, and product performance; take timely corrective

action when needed.

• Coordinate seasonal transitions and displays in collaboration with leadership and

other departments.

• Partner with Marketing on signage and in-store presentation.

Plant Health & Quality Standards

• Establish and follow receiving inspection and quality control protocols.

• Set and maintain standards for plant care, watering, grooming, labeling, and

rotation.

• Ensure plants are consistently presented at a high level of quality from arrival

through sale.

• Train and support team members in proper handling, care techniques, and product

knowledge.

Customer Experience & Service Leadership

• Lead a customer service team that provides friendly, knowledgeable, and solution-oriented support.

• Set clear expectations for customer engagement rooted in helpfulness, patience,

and respect.

• Respond to customer questions and concerns in a calm, thoughtful, and

professional manner.

Team Leadership & Development

• Hire, train, schedule, and develop team members to meet service and operational

needs.

• Set clear performance expectations and provide consistent coaching and feedback.

• Establish clear daily and seasonal priorities so the team understands expectations

and can work confidently toward shared goals.

• Model reliability, accountability, and a willingness to work alongside the team during

busy or challenging periods.

• Foster a team environment rooted in kindness, cooperation, and shared

responsibility.

Operations & Collaboration

• Work collaboratively with receiving, operations, merchandising, and leadership

teams to ensure smooth product flow.

• Collaborates respectfully and effectively with other departments to support storewide efficiency and customer experience.

• Support company policies, safety practices, and operational standards with

consistency and follow-through.

• Participate in planning, budgeting, and performance discussions related to plant

sales and labor.

• Evaluate and refine workflows to improve operational efficiency and protect plant

quality.

Physical & Work Environment

• Regular work in outdoor and greenhouse environments, as well as some desk-based

planning work.

• Regular standing, walking, lifting, and moving plants and merchandise.

• Ability to lift 20 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Schedule

Schedule varies seasonally based on business needs. For most of the year schedule will be

Sunday through Thursday. Peak season schedules often require overtime to support

successful execution.

What We’re Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Experience in plant buying, horticulture, or live goods retail management.

• Experience leading and supervising customer-facing teams.

• Strong understanding of plant care, seasonal availability, and merchandising

principles.

• Strong computer skills: Outlook, Excel, POS systems.

• Ability to interpret sales and inventory data to guide decisions.

• Clear communication, strong organizational skills, and thoughtful decision-making.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a garden center, nursery, or specialty retail environment.

• Vendor relationship management experience.

Core Competencies

• Strong work ethic and dependability

• Helpful, customer-centered leadership approach

• Kind, respectful communication style

• Team development and accountability

• Attention to detail and quality standards

• Adaptability in a seasonal, fast-paced environment

• Collaborative problem-solving

How We’ll Measure Success

• Healthy sell-through and reduced plant loss

• Consistent plant quality and merchandising standards

• Positive customer feedback related to service and helpfulness

• An engaged, reliable, and well-supported team

• Strong seasonal execution and operational follow-through

Starting wage (hourly): $30.00

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $30.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k) 3% Match
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Profit sharing
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person