Nursery Manager

Nursery Manager, Spekboom Restoration Project

Nursery Department, Eastern Cape (Gqeberha), South Africa

Location: Jansenville 

Reports to: Nursery Director

Are you ready to embark on an extraordinary adventure that will revitalise landscapes, combat climate change, and promote sustainable agriculture? Join NatCarbon Africa: a mission-driven, proudly African organisation dedicated to high-quality implementation of large-scale carbon, climate, and biodiversity projects. We embrace the power of innovative technology to enhance project execution. Community engagement lies at the heart of our projects, driven by a genuine commitment to meaningful and inclusive participation and co-benefits, such as biodiversity conservation and socioeconomic upliftment. 

NatCarbon Africa seeks a Nursery Manager in the Nursery Department for the large-scale Spekboom Restoration Project in the Eastern and Western Cape Provinces of South Africa.

With our partner, Imperative Global, our aim is to restore up to 100,000 hectares of degraded subtropical thicket biome. The Project entails planting Spekboom (Portulacaria afra) on privately owned land to improve ecosystem functioning and agricultural productivity over time, promote biodiversity, improve soil filtration, enhance water storage capabilities, and to reduce soil erosion. The Project is estimated to permanently store large quantities of Carbon Dioxide over the Project life, thus positively contributing towards climate change mitigation.

Position Summary: 

The Nursery Manager is the senior operational leader responsible for all aspects of the Spekboom Restoration Project nursery in Jansenville, Eastern Cape. The incumbent will direct the production of 20 - 30 million high quality Spekboom (Portulacaria afra) plants per annum using the Ellepot propagation system. The role is structured around leadership of an Integrated Management Team (IMT) with two coordinated arms: a company-side team comprising IPT administrative, junior horticulturalist, supervisory, and quality control staff supported by the Head of Horticulture, who ensures Standard Operating Procedures are followed and provides technical governance; and a service-provider arm, led by the Service Provider's Operations Manager, who is accountable for all operational staff and day-to-day

operations within the nursery. The Nursery Manager holds overall accountability for integrating these two arms into a single, high-performing operation. The role demands plant nursery expertise, contract management skills, operational management capability at scale, and a commitment to quality systems that support large-scale plant production.

Roles and Responsibilities: 

Production Management

• Plan, direct, and oversee the propagation of 20 million saleable-quality Spekboom plants per annum using the Ellepot system, from cutting procurement through to dispatch.

• Ensure company health and safety protocols are observed across all levels of staff and service provider employees.

• Set and maintain annual, quarterly, and monthly production targets aligned to field planting schedules and IPT restoration programme commitments.

• Oversee that productivity reporting data is collected, analysed and reported on against established norms set out in the service providers management agreement.

• Oversee quality screening and rogueing protocols at all defined intervention points (placing, end of rooting, grow-out, and dispatch), ensuring compliance with the Plant Quality Index (PQI) and all relevant Standard Operating Procedures.

• Work with the service provider to optimise propagation cycles to maximise throughput, minimise losses, and meet saleable plant cost targets.

People and Team Leadership

• Lead the Integrated Management Team (IMT), directing the company-side team IPT administrative, junior horticulturalist, supervisory, and quality control staff in coordination with the Head of Horticulture, who provides technical governance and SOP oversight.

• Provide direct line management to the Service Provider's Operations Manager, setting clear objectives, conducting performance reviews, and holding the service provider arm accountable for all operational staff and day-to-day nursery operations.

• Oversee the Administrative and Data Officer and Quality Controller on the company side, ensuring their outputs, data integrity, compliance documentation, and quality conformance meet IPT standards.

• Build and maintain a high-performing, safety - conscious nursery team through clear communication, coaching, and consistent accountability.

• Ensure all staff are adequately trained and competent in their roles, including induction to Ellepot system operation, biosecurity procedures, and digital data capture systems.

• Manage seasonal labour requirements in coordination with the Service Provider Operations Manager, including planning, recruitment, and onboarding for peak production periods.

Quality Assurance and Compliance

• Serve as the ultimate quality authority for the nursery, accountable for all plants meeting PQI specifications prior to dispatch.

• Implement, maintain, and review all nursery Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), including harvesting, propagation, rogueing, irrigation, fertilisation, and pest and disease management.

• Ensure all quality data is captured accurately and timeously in MyCrops and the KoBo digital field system, and that records are reconciled and maintained for audit purposes.

• Lead the nursery's response to disease outbreaks, abiotic stress events, or production failures, including root cause analysis and corrective action.

Financial and Administrative Oversight

• Manage the nursery operating budget, monitoring expenditure against targets and reporting variances to the Nursery Director on a monthly basis.

• Authorise nursery-level procurement in accordance with IPT delegated authority thresholds, ensuring cost-effective sourcing of media, inputs, equipment, and consumables.

• Work with the Finance and Administration Officer to ensure accurate cost of production tracking, supplier invoice processing, and financial record-keeping aligned to IPT reporting requirements.

• Prepare and submit weekly and monthly operational reports to the Nursery Director covering production performance, quality metrics, financial position, and risk items.

Data, Systems, and Reporting

• Oversee the integrity of all nursery data in MyCrops, including plant inventory, batch traceability, rogueing records, and dispatch logs.

• Direct the Administrative and Data Officer in maintaining the Rogueing Register, scouting forms, and all associated SharePoint documentation.

• Produce regular management information for the Nursery Director, including production dashboards, quality trend analysis, and forecast updates.

Health, Safety, and Environmental Compliance

• Ensure the nursery operates in full compliance with applicable South African occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation.

• Maintain and enforce biosecurity protocols, including phytosanitary procedures for incoming cutting material, visitor access controls, and hygiene standards across all propagation environments.

• Champion responsible environmental practices, including water use efficiency, waste management, and avoidance of prohibited chemical inputs. 

General: 

• This role requires supervising teams in remote outdoor environments and involves physical activity
• Embrace a culture of continuous learning by adapting to evolving job responsibilities, driven by NatCarbon Africa’s commitment to innovation, personal growth, and shifting operational priorities.
• Some travel within the Eastern and Western Cape may be required, including to remote locations, with occasional weekend or holiday work to accommodate schedules.
• Work hours may be irregular.
• This outline of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive. The employer reserves the right to assign additional duties or responsibilities at any time, provided they are reasonably aligned with the scope of the role or necessitated by operational requirements. The functions and responsibilities detailed within this job description may be subject to modification at the employer’s discretion, based on evolving operational requirements, while remaining consistent with the parameters of the employee’s position.

Qualifications: 

• A relevant tertiary qualification in Horticulture, Agriculture, Plant Science, Forestry or a related field at NQF Level 6 or above (BTech, B.Sc., or equivalent).

• A postgraduate qualification will be advantageous. 

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Minimum of eight years of experience in a commercial nursery or large-scale propagation environment, of which at least three years must have been in a senior management or nursery manager role.

• Demonstrated experience managing annual production volumes of no less than five million units, with direct accountability for quality, throughput, and cost targets.

• Experience at ten million units or above is strongly preferred.
• Hands-on working knowledge of the Ellepot propagation system, cutting preparation techniques, rooting of cuttings. Candidates without direct Ellepot experience must demonstrate analogous plug or modular propagation systems experience and a clear ability to transition.

• Proven track record of managing multi-disciplinary nursery teams including operations, administrative, and finance functions.

• Experience with digital nursery management systems (MyCrops or equivalent) and field data capture applications.

• Familiarity with South African OHS legislation and nursery biosecurity requirements is essential.

• Valid South African driver's licence.
• Willingness to be based in Jansenville area, Eastern Cape.
• Ability to work flexible hours during peak production and dispatch periods.
• Requires standby duty in rotation with other senior staff.

Skills

Technical Competencies

• Propagation systems mastery - deep practical understanding of cutting propagation, rooting physiology, and the Ellepot system.

• Experience in health and safety management systems and the implementation of these.

• Quality management - ability to design, implement, and enforce quality systems at scale, including PQI assessment, rogueing, and traceability.

• Integrated pest and disease management - capability to identify and manage nursery disease and pest pressures using appropriate and compliant methods.

• Data and systems literacy - proficiency with nursery management software, digital data capture tools, and standard business productivity applications.

• Financial management - ability to manage an operational budget, interpret cost reports, and identify efficiency opportunities.

Leadership and Behavioural Competencies

• Results orientation - a strong drive to meet production and quality targets with appropriate urgency and follow-through.

• People leadership - ability to inspire, develop, and hold a diverse team accountable in a high-output environment.

• Problem solving - analytical approach to diagnosing production failures or quality issues, with a focus on practical, lasting solutions.

• Communication - clear, professional written and verbal communication with team members, peers, and senior leadership.

• Resilience and adaptability - ability to maintain focus and composure during peak periods, adverse weather, or disease events.

• Commitment to sustainability - genuine alignment with the ecological and restoration mission of the Spekboom IPT project.

Working Conditions

• Frequent travel within the Eastern and Western Cape anticipated, including to remote locations.
• Travel may on occasion cross weekends and holidays to accommodate schedules.
• Work hours may be irregular

You will join a great team! We are:

• From diverse locations and backgrounds, but all experts in our respective fields. We bring together a wide range of cross-sector experiences, ideas, and skills.
• Relentless in our pursuit of excellence and innovation, always pushing the boundaries and challenging the status quo. But it is not all work for us – we also believe in celebrating our successes, recognising individual contributions, and taking time to support each other’s growth and development.
• At our core, explorers, constantly learning, evolving, and seeking new ways to deliver impactful solutions. We are not afraid to dream big, take risks, and step out of our comfort zones because we know that together, we can achieve great things.

Compensation

To help us attract and retain top talent, NatCarbon Africa pays employees competitively to the market, depending on experience. Salary is one component of NatCarbon Africa’s total compensation package which also includes health care and life insurance, contributions to each employee’s retirement plan, paid time off and funds to support professional development. We will recognise employees who go beyond expected performance with salary increases and/or promotions.

In return, we expect each employee to, at a minimum:

• Meet expectations in terms of work effort and performance.
• Take the initiative to build the skills and knowledge needed to do their job effectively; and
• Embody the values of NatCarbon Africa.

How to Apply

To apply, please send us the following:

• Cover letter (not to exceed one page).
• Resume/CV (not to exceed three pages).

Please add app.bamboohr.com to your contact list to ensure you receive emails from us

NatCarbon Africa provides equal opportunity for all job applicants and employees and is committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination.

Only applications received online via the NatCarbon website or LinkedIn Page will be considered