Leading commercial nurseries, Wyevale is searching for new employees, including a sales and marketing director and amenity sales executive, to help meet demand as the business grows. It is also inviting candidates to apply for its graduate trainee programme.

Wyevale Nurseries managing director Andy Johnson explained: “We’ve had a marvellous year so far, having had the best May ever in our recorded trading history with sales up by 14%. We’ve also seen year-on-year (2017-18) growth of 17% in shrub sales and 19% in herbaceous and 60% in the sales of ferns.

“Our early summer sales continued at record levels and it looks set to be another successful year for us all-in-all.

“Now we’re looking to embrace these results and take the business further in 2019. We’re looking for a sales and marketing director to co-ordinate the development of our sales, marketing and trading activities across all our product and market sectors, promoting the Wyevale Nurseries brand, driving up customer satisfaction and profitability across the board.

“Keeping our customers’ happy is key to our success and we have forged many wonderful relationships down the years, so we’re keen to interview people with great interpersonal skills and industry contacts.

“We are also currently seeking an experienced sales executive to join the amenity sales department. They too will need to be customer-focused and facing, have a good knowledge of the industry and be an experienced plantsperson. Communication is key with both roles, so we’ll expect to interview people who have plenty to say and are excellent at getting their message across.

“As these roles are so vital to the business, I’d like anyone interested in applying for them to contact me direct via andy@wyevale-nurseries.co.uk. I am more than happy to chat to people about the roles or to simply receive covering letters and CVs. The closing date for applications is Friday, October 19.”

Wyevale Nurseries’ new sales and marketing director will also be expected to manage, motivate and develop the company’s seasoned sales team, while identifying new opportunities and innovative ways to delight its customers.

“We’re looking for people who love our ethos and culture, embrace the heritage, but can also come in and give us plenty to think about, help us to expand further and move forward with a 21st century environment very much in mind.

“It’s paramount our new sales and marketing director works in conjunction with all the other sections of the company to ensure the business continues to offer a market-leading product range and service that’s fit for the future.”

Meanwhile, the company is also inviting graduates from all degree disciplines to consider applying to for its graduate trainee programme. The two-year in-house programme covers all areas of the business and is not only open to those wishing to go into nursery production, but any element of the business including finance, IT, sales or marketing.
Andy Johnson explained: “What we are looking for from our potential graduate trainees is a positive ‘can-do’ attitude and that they enjoy being challenged to come up with solutions.

“We want them to be innovative, using not only their ideas, but also assessing and supporting others’ ideas. Successful applicants will be responsible for their own learning and should be able to demonstrate a proactive attitude towards learning opportunities. We want candidates to also be career-minded, ambitious and flexible in their approach.”

The programme will be delivered through on-the-job training, attending plant identification training, visiting other nurseries, attending trade shows and conferences, attending any external courses if required, project work shadowing managers/supervisors, and observing and participating in meetings.

Assessment will be through regular reviews and assessing performance against agreed objectives. Each trainee will meet with the programme co-ordinator Steve Pandeli on a regular basis. This will be to support the trainee and to conduct regular constructive reviews.

Mr Johnson added: “Upon successful completion of the programme, it is anticipated that we shall be able to match trainees to a suitable role with the company, which would benefit from their particular strengths.”

Applicants should forward a copy of their current CV with a covering letter describing why they are the right candidate for the programme to stevep@wyevale-nurseries.co.uk.