Cultivation Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary
The Cannabis Cultivation Manager oversees all aspects of plant production from clone/seed to harvest, ensuring consistent quality, compliance, and operational efficiency. This role manages cultivation staff, maintains environmental and fertigation systems, and executes the company's production plan to meet yield and quality targets.

Key Responsibilities

Cultivation Operations

• Lead daily cultivation activities: propagation, transplanting, pruning, IPM, defoliation, trellising, irrigation, and harvest scheduling.

• Monitor plant health, diagnose issues, and implement corrective actions to maintain optimal growth.

• Manage nutrient programs, fertigation schedules, and environmental setpoints (lighting, HVAC, humidity, CO₂).

• Oversee canopy planning to ensure consistent production cycles and maximize facility throughput.

• Maintain detailed records of all cultivation activities per regulatory requirements.

Team Leadership & Training

• Supervise cultivation technicians and leads; assign tasks and monitor performance.

• Train staff in best practices for plant handling, sanitation, IPM, and equipment use.

• Foster a culture of safety, accuracy, and continuous improvement.

Compliance & Quality

• Ensure all cultivation activities meet state regulatory standards and internal SOPs.

• Maintain METRC accuracy, including plant tagging and movement.

• Collaborate with QA to uphold product quality, cleanliness, and consistency.

Facility & Equipment Management

• Monitor and maintain cultivation equipment, environmental controls, lighting systems, and irrigation networks.

• Coordinate equipment repairs, calibration, and preventative maintenance.

• Maintain strict sanitation standards for rooms, tools, and workspaces.

Planning & Reporting

• Track KPIs such as yield, potency, labor efficiency, and waste.

• Report production metrics to leadership and recommend process improvements.

• Collaborate with post-harvest, manufacturing, and sales teams to meet production goals.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of hands-on cannabis cultivation experience (commercial preferred).

• 1–3+ years in a supervisory or management role.

• Strong understanding of plant physiology, nutrient management, IPM, and controlled-environment agriculture.

• Experience with METRC or similar compliance systems.

• Ability to troubleshoot environmental, mechanical, and plant health issues.

• Excellent communication, organization, and leadership skills.

• Ability to work in humid, warm environments and lift 40+ lbs as needed.

Preferred Skills

• Horticulture, Botany, Agronomy, or related degree/certification.

• Experience with automated fertigation, lighting controls, or greenhouse/indoor

• Familiarity with lean cultivation practices and data-driven decision making.