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A Nursery Manager is responsible for the overall running of a plant nursery. Your everyday tasks will vary but might involve checking stock levels, coordinating the propagation of new plants or organising the sale of your products. You might be in charge of a team of staff and you’ll need to plan everything from cultivation of plants to fertilisation and irrigation. You’ll make sure all equipment is functioning effectively and ensure plants are in good health. You’ll also need to manage the financial side of a plant nursery so you’ll be making budget projections and balancing sales and expenses.
A Nursery Manager role involves a lot of physical work and you will have to work in all sorts of weather conditions. You’ll need good time management skills and have to be organised as Nursery Managers are often tackling several tasks at once. You’ll need good forward planning skills and will have to be good with finances. Leadership skills are important and you’ll have to handle a range of administrative tasks.
There are 6 courses available for people who want to become a Nursery Manager. These are the top 5 most popular courses.
Possible job outcomes:
An Advanced Diploma of Horticulture AHC60216 is great for farming professionals and horticulturalists who need management and leadership skills. This qualification focuses heavily on business administration and students choose up to 8 units from a range of electives in business analysis, strategic planning, and managing climate risk. The Advanced Diploma of Horticulture AHC60216 is a nationally recognised training qualification and part of the official Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management Training Package..
Average duration: 24 months.
Become a site manager at a nursery or garden centre with the AHC50820 Diploma of Nursery Management. This nationally recognised diploma delivers a mix of leadership, nursery operations, and horticulture skills. The course covers: (leadership) managing staff requirements for the enterprise, managing customer service (operations) managing water systems, writing reports, developing operational strategies, (horticulture) diagnosing plant health problems, planning for plant biosecurity, collecting and classifying plants. The course has a wide range of management and operational competencies so please enquire now for the full list of specialisation units (and their availability) as well as course providers offering this qualification..
Average duration: 12 months.
Seeking a leadership role at a retail nursery? The AHC40620 Certificate IV in Nursery Operations (Nursery Production, Retail Nursery) delivers an outstanding mix of leadership, nursery production, and sales skills. Competencies include: staff recruitment and supervision, overseeing onsite safety, developing plant production and propagation plans, implementing pest management strategies, designing plant and merchandise displays, recommending plants and supplements to customers, and much more. Enquire now for the full list of retail nursery career outcomes and course providers near you..
Become a supervisor at a retail nursery with the AHC40620 Certificate IV in Nursery Operations (Retail Nursery). This nationally recognised qualification delivers a mix of leadership and nursery sales skills. The course covers: recommending plants to customers, designing plant displays, assisting customers with information on fertilisers and soil ameliorates, stock control, hiring staff, supervising work teams, maintaining WHS procedures. Enquire now for entry requirements, nursery sales competencies, and upcoming enrolment dates..
The AHC40620 Certificate IV in Nursery Operations (Nursery Production) delivers a mix of leadership, administration, and nursery production skills. This nationally recognised qualification will teach you how to recruit nursery staff and manage work teams, while developing plant growing and propagation programs. Technical skills include: growing and propagating plants at scale, implementing pest management strategies, keeping production records, analysing production data, plant production quality assurance, overseeing onsite safety, and much more. Enquire now for the list of entry requirements, nursery production competencies, and study centres near you..
In Australia, a full time Nursery Manager generally earns $1,350 per week ($70,200 annual salary) before tax. This is a median figure for full-time employees and should be considered a guide only. As you gain more experience you can expect a potentially higher salary than people who are new to the industry.
In Australia there are currently 4,200 people working as a Nursery Manager. This number has dropped over the last five years. Nursery Manager roles can be found in most areas of Australia.
Source: Australian Government Labour Market Insights
If you’re considering a career as a Nursery Manager you could enrol in an Advanced Diploma of Horticulture. This course normally takes two years and you can choose electives based on your career plans.
We’ll find nearby campuses and check if you’re eligible for funding in your state.
Here are some potential career pathways within production horticulture. Click on an occupation to learn more about the role and the qualifications that can help you get started in this industry.
Production Horticulture
Farmhand
$960 weekly pay
Nursery Hand
Nurseryperson
Vineyard Hand
Agronomist
$1,150 weekly pay
Farmer
$1,350 weekly pay
Horticulturalist
Nursery Manager
Organic Farmer
$1,440 weekly pay
Seed Technician
Winemaker
Agricultural Consultant
$1,950 weekly pay
Agricultural Manager
$1,600 weekly pay
Learn more about Nursery Manager courses in your area.