Nursery Associate

**General Summary**

Provides friendly and efficient customer service to Southern States Cooperative, Inc. (SSC) retail store patrons shopping in the plant nursery. Relies on knowledge and expertise to assist customers with plant selection and to properly care for and maintain healthy plant material. Provides recommendations for additional products, services and/or equipment to meet overall project needs. Maintains plant nursery to ensure effective merchandising and a safe and welcoming shopping environment.

**Essential Job Functions**
- Maintain the health and overall appearance plant material to minimize inventory loss and damage. Perform deadheading, pruning, regular watering, movement and rotation of plants in optimum sun/shade locations. Communicate regularly with facility leadership regarding issues of plant health including markdown items.
- Accept delivery of plants to the nursery. Verify plants to shipment documents and inspect plants for damage. Unload plants by hand using proper lifting techniques and/or equipment. Request assistance from team members as necessary when unloading large shrubs and trees.
- Effectively merchandise plants in the nursery. Organize plants to optimize space and customer access. Regularly move and rearrange plants to accommodate new shipments. Ensure locations provide proper sunlight and watering based on plant type. Cross-stage plant merchandise with companion products including containers, fertilizer, soil, tools and other plants.
- Proactively greet customers in a welcoming and professional manner. Utilize customer-focused interpersonal skills including smiling, making eye contact, meeting them in aisle when possible, helping lift products as necessary, providing appropriate attention including when assisting more than one patron at time, acknowledging they will be assisted soon if waiting, and thanking each one for their business.
- Discuss plant merchandise needs with customers. Assist customers with quickly locating items in the plant nursery. Rely on knowledge and expertise of a wide variety of plant material, local growing conditions, plant pests and diseases, general care and planting techniques to help with selection and offer recommendations for maximum growing success.
- Answer incoming telephone calls in a professional and courteous manner. Communicate information regarding order status, product availability, current sales, promotions and store events. Contact customers regarding their orders, and arrange for pick-up or delivery.
- Perform daily housekeeping duties according to facility procedures to ensure a neat, clean and welcoming shopping environment.
- May provide assistance with a variety of other functions to support the team, including storefront and/or warehouse inventory, loading customer vehicles, facility housekeeping and maintenance, cashiering and customer support. Functions and frequency will vary by location.
- Perform work safely as to not cause harm to yourself, customers, co-workers, equipment, or inventory. Utilize Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as required. Operate all equipment according to SSC policy and government regulations. Comply with OSHA regulations, Southern States Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) standards, work rules and policies.
- Perform all other job functions as assigned.

**Requirements**:
**Education**: Prefer high school diploma or GED but not required.

**Experience**: Prefer 6 months of experience in a retail setting providing excellent customer service and operating point of sale equipment.

**Requirements**:

- Effective knowledge of a wide variety of plant material, local growing conditions, plant pests and diseases, general care and planting techniques
- Able to consistently demonstrate customer-focused interpersonal skills, communicate in a positive and professional manner and resolve customer concerns effectively
- Able to learn and consistently demonstrate knowledge of facility guidelines and standard operating procedures
- Effective presentation skills for both large and small groups
- Able to add, subtract, multiply, divide and calculate percentages using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals
- Attention to detail
- Able to speak, read, write the English language in a proficient manner
- Able to work extended hours to meet business demands

**Work Environment**

May be exposed to hazards including:

- Drafts, temperature changes, and wet floors due to open doors during adverse weather and seasonal conditions
- Water and dirt due to the continuous care of plant material
- Merchandise, supplies and tools with sharp edges or containing hazardous materials
- Dust, odors, fumes and hazardous chemicals associated with sales and storage of dry and liquid fertilizers, crop protectants and other agricultural, residential, animal care and home care products
- Moving mechanical parts and vehicles, vibrations and electric current
- Noise levels where hearing protection is optional per PPE Plan

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