Director of Production (Nursery & Horticulture)

About the role

Lead plant production for Botanica Red Sea, overseeing a 180‑hectare nursery with an annual capacity of 8 million plants. The role is responsible for plant quality, biosecurity, safety, cost control and delivering material to internal Red Sea Global clients and external developments.

Key responsibilities

• Translate demand plans into production, import and growing schedules and achieve volume, readiness and survival targets.
• Lead all nursery activities including propagation, greenhouse and shade‑house production, native‑species programme and seed‑bank operations.
• Own the biosecurity protocol, manage integrated pest‑management (IPM) programmes and drive R&D on propagation techniques and climate‑resilient species.
• Control the direct‑cost budget, monitor labour, material, water and equipment utilisation and report productivity weekly.
• Lead a team of managers, supervisors, horticulturists and operatives, ensuring HSSE compliance and competency development.
• Enforce Botanica and Red Sea Group policies, ISO standards (9001, 14001, 45001, 37301) and continuous‑improvement initiatives.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture, Agriculture, Landscape Architecture or Agricultural Engineering; Master’s preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of large‑scale nursery or horticultural production experience, with at least 7 years leading operations of 100+ staff.
• Proven expertise in arid‑climate horticulture, native species, biosecurity and irrigation management, preferably in KSA or the GCC.
• Experience supplying plant material to large‑scale landscape developments, including imported and specimen stock.
• Fluent English; Arabic preferred.

Required skills

• Production planning and capacity management for live plant products.
• Inventory control and labour productivity measurement.
• Cost control and operational KPI management.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and biosecurity procedures.
• Phytosanitary compliance and HSSE leadership.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 37301 standards.