Head Grower, East Haldimand County (Waterdown)

Salary Range: $100,000.00 To $130,000.00 Annually

WestbrookGreenhouses, locatedin Beamsville, Ontario is a leading North American grower and distributor of potted plants. We use an effective combination of human resources and mechanical automation to increase efficiency and reduce our impact on the environment. We’re passionate about enriching people’s lives every day through the beauty of plants.

Join Westbrook as our Head Grower and lead a dynamic, high-performing greenhouse operation where innovation, quality, and compliance come together. In this senior leadership role, you’ll take ownership of end-to-end growing operations—driving exceptional crop quality through advanced horticultural practices, environmental optimization, and cutting-edge Integrated Pest Management strategies. You’ll mentor and inspire a skilled team while collaborating cross-functionally toensure crops consistently meet customer expectations and market demand. With a strong focus on research, continuous improvement, and full CFIA compliance, this is a unique opportunity to shape the future of our growing programs, influence capital investments, and bring new varieties and technologiesto life. If you’re a passionate, experienced greenhouse professional ready to make a measurable impact, we invite you to grow your career with us.

Job Responsibilities Crop Management/Quality

Develop and manage Westbrook’s crop growing program including crop schedules, climate expectations, fertilizer requirements, water treatment, growth-regulation practices, etc.;

Optimize environmental conditions (light, temperature, humidity, CO₂, irrigation cycles) to achieve consistent yield, quality, and uniformity;

Provide guidance to the Growing team on growing techniques to ensure that crops meet quality and size specification and target finish dates;

Review crops on a continuous basis, working with Growers, crop consultants as necessary to identify issues and develop solutions;

Collaborate with Growers to manage effective deployment of labour resources to complete growing/crop care activities (ie., spacing, trimming, etc.);

Ensure close collaboration between Growing team and Production, Logistics, and Sales to align crop timing and quality with shipping requirements and customer expectations;

Analyzes crop/quality waste reports with an aim to identifying causes and reducing waste.

Integrated Pest Management

Develop and implement best-practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program and procedures;

Ensure pest control issues and pesticide applications are recorded in accordance with established procedures.

Support Growers by researching crop issues and liaising with consultants, research facilities to resolve them;

Conduct research, crop trials to identify potential new crops/varieties or improvements to current crops;

Make recommendations on growing-related capital investments (lighting, screening, shading, heating, etc.) to improve crop quality;

Attend trade shows, conferences to identify new crops/crop management technologies.

CFIA Compliance

Maintain overall accountability for CFIA compliance.

Enforcing compliance with CFIA Plant Protection Act and Regulations, regulated pest programs, Greenhouse Certification Program (CGP) requirements, export certification and import requirements for foreign plant material;

Developing and maintaining Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and training materials to reflect current CFIA requirements;

Ensuring accurate and timely recordkeeping for pest monitoring, sanitation logs, pesticide applications, movement permits, and traceability documentation;

Implementing containment protocols for any regulated pest finds, including communication plans, reporting timelines, and eradication plans;

Ensuring staff are trained on phytosanitary best practices, restricted-area protocols, and compliance-sensitive tasks;

Overseeing root-zone sampling, pest identification, and submission of plant health samples as required.

Lead a team of Growers, Assistant Growers, Greenhouse Technicians and IPM Technicians, providing ongoing guidance and direction to produce consistent, high-quality crops;

Manage all aspects of Growing team including hiring and termination decisions, performance management, discipline, training, coaching, professional development, etc.;

General Responsibilities

Promote a culture of safety by maintaining a safe work environment and ensuring team compliance with applicable health and safety regulations;

Participate in the development of crop production budget;

Monitor and analyze utilities, chemical, biological and fertilizer costs versus budget;

Conduct periodic Grower meetings to share information and encourage collaboration.

Qualifications

Post-secondary degree/diploma in Horticulture, Plant Science, Agronomy, or a related field;

Minimum 10 years’ experience in commercial greenhouse operations, including at least 5 years in a management role;

Demonstrated experience in managing CFIA-regulated crops or programs (mandatory);

Demonstrated proficiency/working knowledge in the following areas: botany; IPM and biological pest control; plant nutrition; environmental control systems (Argus, Priva, Hoogendorn, etc.).

Skills&Competencies

Strong analytical skills for diagnosing crop health issues and optimizing production;

Exceptional problem-solving and decision-making abilities in fast-paced, evolving conditions;

Strong verbal and written communication skills;

Excellent leadership skills with the ability to coach employees and build a high-performance culture;

Detail-oriented with strong documentation skills;

Excellent organization and time management skills;

Intermediate proficiency with MS Office (Excel, Word, Outlook);

Technical aptitude to navigate ERP system.

Westbrook Greenhouses Ltd. is an equal opportunity employer. We value workplace diversity and inclusion. Our hiring decisions are made on the basis of candidate qualifications, merit and business need. We are committed to providing accessible employment practices in compliance with the AODA. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process by contacting Human Resources.

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