Woody Ornamental Technical Advisor - ZipRecruiter : Job Details

Job Description

Status: Full-time, exempt

Department/Division: New Product Development / Woody Ornamental and Edible Department

Reports to: Woody Portfolio Manager or Director of Woody Products

Location: Star Roses and Plants, West Grove, PA - This position has heavy travel expectations

The opportunity: As the Woody Technical Advisor for Star Roses and Plants (SRP), you will serve as an expert and champion for the company's proprietary woody genetics. You will act as a liaison between the woody leadership team, sales team, customers, and suppliers to identify ways to improve, fortify, and grow the success of the woody program across the entire pipeline. Your daily tasks may include walking field trials with growers, providing technical advice, or educating sales team members on presenting the company's genetics effectively. This is a unique position in a rapidly growing program!

Responsibilities include:

• Serving on the woody leadership team and production planning committee, and participating in sales team meetings. Collaborating with the new product development team to select new varieties for introduction.
• Acting as a liaison between the woody leadership and sales teams to align strategies, resource allocation, and to grow market share while nurturing relationships with growers and suppliers.
• Spending time in the field with sales representatives to train and empower them to understand customer needs and how SRP's woody products meet those needs.
• Representing SRP woody genetics at regional and trade events, creating awareness and excitement around existing and future varieties, and leading initiatives to promote proprietary woody products.
• Providing onsite or remote technical support to customers and suppliers, collecting data from plant trials, and using insights to encourage the addition of new varieties to customer offerings.

Work environment:

This role requires working in an office, outdoors, and during travel. It involves sitting, standing, bending, reaching, and manual dexterity for operating office equipment. You must be able to stand and walk long periods during visits to industry events, greenhouses, nurseries, and trial sites, which may expose you to temperature extremes, humidity, weather conditions, and potentially toxic materials.

Travel requirements:

50–70% across North America, including traveling with sales representatives, visiting customers, attending industry events, and frequent trips to Pennsylvania. Candidates must also be able to travel internationally to Canada.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Horticulture or a related field, or equivalent experience. Product knowledge in woody/tree markets is required.
• At least 5 years of experience as a head grower, production manager, or trials manager involved with woody/tree liners or finished plants.
• Hands-on experience with woody plant cultivation, propagation, pest and disease management, and related protocols and challenges.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a focus on collaborative problem-solving.
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite and related software, with strong PC skills.

Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

We offer:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and families
• HSA and FSA options
• Paid time off and holidays
• Company-paid STD and life insurance
• LTD and additional life insurance options
• 401(k) plan with company match and profit sharing
• Employee growth and development opportunities
• Tuition reimbursement

About Us:

With 128 years of horticultural history, our unique structure as both an IP company and wholesale plant distributor allows us to innovate and contribute to research, breeding, and the introduction of novel plant genetics that help growers succeed.