Nursery Sales Manager

Job Description

Sales Manager

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T&L Nursery is hiring a Sales Manager to lead our sales team and shape the future direction of the business. This is a key leadership role responsible for driving profitable growth, setting sales and marketing strategy, managing a team of inside and outside regional sales representatives, and sales operations staff. You’ll play a central role in expanding our market share, deepening customer relationships, and ensuring the level of service our customers expect — while meeting company sales objectives. Expect 6–8 weeks of travel per year to visit customers, attend trade shows, and represent T&L at industry events.

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For 40 years, T&L Nursery has been where the Pacific Northwest garden begins — growing the plant material that stocks garden centers and landscaping projects across the region. From our nursery in the Sammamish Valley, between Redmond and Woodinville, we produce approximately 4 million plants across more than 2,500 varieties each year, making us one of the largest and most diverse growers in the region.

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Despite our scale, we're still a small, privately owned business — and that culture shows. We were recently recognized nationally with the Best Places to Work: Horticulture designation, a reflection of our commitment to building a great place to grow, both for our plants and our people.

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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

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Team Leadership & Development

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•      Build and lead a high-performing sales team — recruiting, hiring, training, coaching, and holding team members accountable to departmental objectives

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•      Champion a team culture built on results, customer focus, and genuine investment in each person's development

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•      Conduct regular sales meetings and establish weekly priorities and objectives

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•      Provide ongoing performance feedback, mentoring, and professional development opportunities

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•      Support sales staff with customer negotiations, conflict resolution, and strategic account management

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Sales Leadership & Strategy

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•      Work closely with the Managing Director and Executive Committee to develop, implement, and execute annual sales plans that support company growth and profitability goals

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•      Establish sales objectives, forecasts, and performance metrics for the team

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•      Monitor performance and take proactive steps to achieve revenue and margin targets

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•      Grow sales with existing customers while identifying and securing new business

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•      Analyze market trends, customer needs, competitor activity, and industry developments to identify growth opportunities

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•      Represent the Sales department in company-wide strategic planning and foster cross-departmental collaboration

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Customer Relationship Management

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•      Own and strengthen strategic relationships with key garden centers, landscapers, and non-traditional accounts, stepping in to negotiate, grow, and protect long-term partnerships

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•      Conduct regular customer visits and sales reviews to identify growth opportunities and address service gaps before they become problems

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•      Partner with customers to build preseason programs, promotions, and purchasing plans that align with their buying cycles

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•      Set the standard for responsive, proactive customer service across the sales team, ensuring inquiries and opportunities are followed up on consistently and without drop-off

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Sales Operations & Marketing

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•      Develop and manage preseason order programs and conduct sales performance reviews

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•      Establish weekly promotions, specials, and sales initiatives to support inventory movement and revenue goals

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•      Collaborate with Growers, Production, Inventory, and Operations teams to align sales commitments with product availability

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•      Participate in trade shows, industry events, customer meetings, and promotional activities

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•      Support the development and execution of marketing campaigns and customer outreach

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Reporting & Analysis

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•      Prepare regular sales reports, forecasts, and market analyses

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•      Monitor key performance indicators and recommend improvements to sales processes and customer engagement strategies

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What You Bring

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•      5–7 years of progressive sales experience, including at least 3 years in a sales leadership or management role

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•      Proven track record leading a high-performing sales team of 5 or more

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•      Experience managing a substantial sales portfolio, with annual revenue at or above $10M annually

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•      Strong working knowledge of plant material, including the ability to speak confidently with professionals about product characteristics, seasonality, and availability

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•      Strong analytical, negotiation, and customer service skills, with the ability to build lasting professional relationships

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•      Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills; bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus

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•      Experience with CRM, ERP, and sales reporting systems preferred

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•      Bachelor’s degree in Business, Horticulture, Agribusiness, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience considered

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•      Background in wholesale or B2B horticulture sales is a strong advantage — familiarity with nursery industry buying cycles and product knowledge will help you ramp quickly. Candidates with strong sales leadership records from other horticulture-adjacent industries are also encouraged to apply

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•      Experience developing preseason order programs, promotional strategies, and volume pricing structures is a plus

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Compensation and Benefits:

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Competitive salary, plus performance bonus, commensurate with experience.

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·        Paid holidays, sick leave, and paid time off

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·        Medical, vision, and dental insurance

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·        401(k) with generous company match

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·        Product discounts

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Relocation: Assistance available for candidates residing more than 50 miles from our Redmond, WA nursery.

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Role Details:

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•      Reports to: Managing Director

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•      Typical Schedule: In-person role based at our Redmond, WA nursery. Sales office hours are Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–4:00 PM; closed weekends and most holidays. Hours may shift seasonally, with occasional evening or weekend work during peak sales periods or special events

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•      Travel: Approximately 6–8 weeks per year for customer visits, supplier meetings, and industry events