Lead Merchandiser Nanaimo Outdoor Retail Garden

The Lead Merchandiser Representative is an outside sales position situated in a retail garden centre and is responsible for the merchandising and promotion of TSC Nursery Sales live goods products. The lead merchandiser will provide an exceptional level of customer service and support to our customers while working efficiently and effectively in the best interests of the nursery. This includes but is not limited to maintaining our products and ensuring display areas represent TSC Nursery Sales and their vendor partners in a creative, professional and well-maintained appearance at all times.

Do you thrive while working outdoors? Do you love plants? Do you enjoy working independently? Are you skilled at communications and nurturing rapport with colleagues? Are you a proven leader with the ability to formulate a plan in an environment that is sometimes fast paced and sometimes slow and steady?

We offer generous wages, above the industry standard rates and offer a performance bonus at year end and other perks through the season. This position is typically from mid-February/early March through to September/mid-October. The weekly hours can range from 0 to 60, depending on weather and on sales. The peak season (and busiest time) is April through July. The months of March, August, September and October are quieter, which makes this role ideal for post-secondary students. We offer training both online and in person.

Want to learn more about plants and hone your customer service and visual merchandising skills while getting in a great workout outdoors? Ready for a professional challenge? Reach out to us; we're keen to talk with you.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

MERCHANDISING & OUTSIDE SALES

Merchandising product in accordance with plan-o-grams, using established best practices for creating inviting and highly saleable displays of nursery products.

Merchandising can include:

- Unloading plants from shipping racks onto benches and pallets
- Pushing / pulling shipping racks through garden centre sales areas
- Utilizing various merchandising techniques (e.g., colour blocking) to create engaging retail displays
- Ensuring retail prices are clearly posted
- Clearing, condensing, and moving products to make room for new shipments of plants in the garden centre sales areas
- Culling, cleaning, and dead-heading plants to ensure plants are always attractive and saleable
- Assessing if plants are being watered effectively and following up with management if retail associates have not been watering
- Replenishing product that supports sales targets
- Photographing the display areas and your creative work throughout the garden centre

Sales activities will also include:

- responding to retail customers’ and store management’s special requests for additional items and/or different varieties of plants
- reporting to the TSC Regional Manager when / if any product inventories are low.

TIME MANAGEMENT & REPORTING
- Signing in and out (digitally) when visiting the retail garden centre
- Using the Basecamp app each day: engaging in consistent, effective and timely communication (i.e., requests, confirmations, queries, photos, etc.) with TSC Regional Manager and nursery administration team
- Meeting deadlines and assigned timelines for completing tasks; planning your work in advance each day/week
- Reporting hours worked digitally each workday

CUSTOMER RELATIONS & PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS
- Developing a working rapport with the store managers and assistant store managers on each visit
- Fostering a productive relationship with store staff, including retail associates
- Assisting retail garden centre customers with plant-related questions on occasion
- Promoting TSC Nursery at all times in a professional, responsive, and co-operative light while working in the garden centre
- Reaching out to the TSC Regional Manager with any questions, concerns, suggestions and successes
- Being reliable, responsible, and approachable so that problem solving skills can be used effectively
- Training and supervising assistants and helpers when/if required

QUALIFICATIONS

TECH PROFICIENCY: High level of comfort using Smartphone and app's effectively is required.

Note: we will train you on 2 app's/platforms: Basecamp and digital payroll system.

MS Office Suite is an asset.

MERCHANDISING: previous merchandising experience is a definite asset.

PLANT IDENTIFICATION: basic knowledge of plant identification is an asset but not essential.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

- Must be able to lift 50 lbs alone or team lift up to 100 lbs.
- Must own a smartphone and be proficient with basic app’s
- Must own and wear STEEL TOE BOOTS AT ALL TIMES when in the garden centre.
- Must be able/willing to work OUTDOORS during hot sunny weather and cool rainy days.
- Must have reliable transportation to/from the retail garden centre; including appropriate vehicle insurance.
- Must be able to work independently and as a team member.
- Must observe and follow safety protocol a