Chief Operations Officer - Anderson's Garden Center

Vice President of OperationsPosition Summary The Vice President of Operations will oversee the daily operations, staff management, and strategic growth of two garden center retail locations in Virginia Beach and Newport News. This role is responsible for ensuring operational excellence, delivering exceptional customer experiences, driving sales performance, and maintaining high standards of merchandising, horticultural quality, and customer service. The ideal candidate will have proven retail leadership experience, industry-specific knowledge of garden center operations, and the ability to manage weekend-heavy business schedules.Reports To: OwnerLocation: Virginia Beach, VA or Newport News, VAPrimary ResponsibilitiesOperational Leadership: Oversee daily operations of both garden centers, ensuring consistency in processes, policies, and customer service standards. Develop and implement operational strategies that improve efficiency, profitability, and customer satisfaction.Staff Management & Development: Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate managers and staff to promote engagement, accountability, and performance. Schedule and allocate staff resources to meet peak business demands, with emphasis on weekends.Retail Sales & Customer Experience: Drive sales performance by ensuring effective merchandising, seasonal promotions, and high-quality customer interactions. Monitor sales data and KPIs to identify growth opportunities and adjust strategies accordingly.Garden Center Operations: Ensure plant health, inventory rotation, and merchandising standards are consistently met. Partner with vendors, growers, and suppliers to maintain quality and availability of products.Financial & Business Management: Develop and manage budgets, sales forecasts, and expense control measures for both locations. Provide regular operational and financial reports to ownership/executive leadership.Compliance & Safety: Maintain compliance with company policies, industry standards, and local/state regulations. Ensure safe working environments for employees and customers.QualificationsEducation: Bachelor's degree in horticulture, agriculture, business administration, or a related field. Or equivalent experience.Experience: Minimum of 5 years in retail management, with multi-location oversight preferred. At least 2 years of direct experience in a garden center, nursery, or related horticultural retail environment. Restaurant experience is a plus as the employee will be overseeing two high-volume restaurants inside of the garden centers in both Newport News and Virginia Beach.SkillsetStrong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to inspire and develop teams.Excellent business acumen with proven ability to meet sales and profitability goals.Solid knowledge of plant care, horticulture, and garden retail operations.Exceptional organizational, communication, and customer service skills.Ability to work weekends and extended retail hours as required.AttributesProactive, adaptable, and able to work in a fast-paced and constantly changing environment.Strong communication skills with the ability to lead and motivate a team.Passionate about providing consumers with an epic experience.Work EnvironmentThis role requires regular weekend work, as weekends represent the busiest periods for retail operations. Flexibility to travel between both locations (Virginia Beach and Newport News) is required.Compensation & BenefitsCompetitive salary commensurate with experience.Performance-based bonus potential when meeting KPI requirements.Benefits package including health, dental, vision. Plan details available.An aggressive 401k with a 4% match.Employee discounts on products.Company Vehicle for traveling to and from sites.