Location: North London/ Hertfordshire/ Essex

General Responsibilities

Management of the aftercare and horticulture department.

This role is to manage the day-to-day running of the aftercare business, including organising the rounds and materials, dealing with staff queries, incoming enquires and quotations, liaising with accounts over invoicing. You will be expected to help run the department efficiently and meeting both profit and revenue targets. Customer satisfaction is at the heart of this post. You will be expected to regularly review customer satisfaction.

Management of the business.

To some extent, the post entails broader responsibilities which extend across all business areas. This requires the job holder to actively promote best practice throughout the company, work effectively as part of the management team and take a “whole company” perspective to managing issues.

Key Responsibilities

Organising aftercare rounds
Drawing up rotas to make sure that service is delivered as efficiently as possible, minimising miles and travelling time, but using staff to the best of their abilities.
Adjusting this as necessary as new work is added.
Making temporary adjustments to the rotas for holiday or sickness cover.
From time-to-time picking up tools and working with staff where sites or deadlines require this.
Organise start-ups and winter services for irrigations systems
Client liaison and service monitoring
Visit sites regularly – most sites should be visited at least every quarter, bigger contracts more often. Check that work is to a high standard. Note whether the appropriate number of hours are allowed. Also note where there are opportunities for upselling.
Meet and communicate with clients regularly (either on your own or with a senior manager/director to make sure they are satisfied with the service they are receiving. Discuss any plans they might have for the site and whether we can help with those.
Give advice to customers on horticultural matters and offer further, best practice, recommendations when required.
Keep an eye out for ‘child projects’ where there is a possibility to sell further design and build or other services.
Where service levels are below acceptable standards, act immediately to remedy the situation before clients complain.

Ordering materials

Making sure that staff have the materials and tools that they need to complete the service efficiently and to a high standard.

Communicating or meeting with clients to ascertain seasonal planting needs. Ordering the necessary plants and making sure these are delivered and planted accordingly.

Service quotations

Deal with enquiries for new work as they arise, without delay. Visit the site, meet with clients where possible and draw up quotations for the work as soon as you can, but at most within a week of visiting the site.

Transport and machinery

Schedule aftercare vehicle services, repairs MOT etc.
Organise machinery and tool repairs, replacements and services
Administration and invoicing
Make sure that administration has the information it needs in time to issue monthly invoices without a rush. Information needs to be both timely and accurate.
Regularly checking the ‘Debtors Report’ and following up Aftercare customers who are behind on payments in an organised and professional manor.
Work with finance and administration to make this system as efficient as possible, suggesting alterations or improvements where you think it will help.

Human Resources

Ensure that the department always has the appropriate level of staff to run profitably, but with enough capacity to allow for holiday and sickness cover, and allowing for new projects so that growth can be smooth. This will involve being proactive in recruiting staff where necessary or occasionally stepping in yourself.
With Administration and Human Resources, add more staff when necessary including interviewing and following appointment, a full company induction process.
Carry out regular appraisals of your staff with the Head of Horticulture.
With support from Admin and HR, deal with any staff issues that arise promptly and professionally.
Give advice to staff on horticultural matters and offer further, best practice, recommendations when required.
To identify and report on training needs for staff.

Personal Management

You are expected to arrive promptly for work
Emails should be filed regularly and responded to in an efficient and professional manner
We expect all staff to join in with company events and socials where possible to help build relationships with fellow team members and to build team morale
All staff are expected to uphold the company Values as outlined in the employee handbook

Fresh Horticultural Careers

New Jobs

Aftercare Manager