Category Manager

Homestead Gardens•Davidsonville, MD

13d•$65,000 - $70,000•Onsite

About The Position

Are you passionate about plants, knowledgeable about horticulture, and energized by the challenge of turning that knowledge into a successful retail business? We are looking for an experienced Nursery Buyer to lead the sourcing, purchasing, merchandising, and inventory management of our retail nursery department. This is a key role for someone who understands both plants and people—someone who can identify exceptional products, anticipate what customers will be looking for, build strong vendor relationships, and use sales data and market trends to make smart buying decisions. As the Nursery Buyer, you will help shape the look, selection, and profitability of our garden center while ensuring we offer our customers an exciting, high-quality assortment of plants and related gardening products.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Horticulture, Agriculture, Business Administration, or a related field preferred; equivalent industry experience will be considered.
3+ years of purchasing, buying, category management, or related retail experience, preferably within a garden center, nursery, greenhouse, or horticultural business.
Strong knowledge of horticulture, including plant varieties, growing requirements, seasonal availability, and current gardening trends.
Demonstrated understanding of retail purchasing, inventory management, gross margin, pricing, and sales performance.
Strong negotiation, vendor management, communication, and relationship-building skills.
Highly organized with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a seasonal, fast-paced environment.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and experience with inventory or purchasing management systems.
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with a cross-functional team.
Willingness to travel occasionally for vendor visits, trade shows, and industry events.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute seasonal buying strategies for nursery plants, trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, houseplants, and related gardening products.
Source high-quality, unique, and on-trend products that meet customer demand and support the garden center's merchandising strategy.
Establish and maintain strong relationships with growers, nurseries, brokers, and other suppliers.
Negotiate pricing, terms, freight, availability, and promotional opportunities with vendors.
Coordinate purchases and deliveries to ensure appropriate inventory levels throughout the growing and selling seasons.
Attend industry trade shows, grower meetings, and supplier visits to identify new products and emerging trends.
Monitor inventory levels, sales performance, margins, turns, shrink, and product sell-through.
Analyze sales and inventory data to make informed purchasing decisions and maximize profitability.
Develop purchasing plans based on historical sales, seasonal demand, weather, market conditions, and current trends.
Identify slow-moving and overstocked products and develop strategies to improve sell-through.
Balance inventory availability with responsible purchasing to minimize excess product, markdowns, and loss.
Maintain accurate product information, pricing, vendor records, and purchasing documentation.
Partner with retail leadership and merchandising teams to create attractive, well-stocked, and customer-focused nursery displays.
Help determine product assortment, quantities, pricing, and placement based on customer preferences and sales performance.
Stay current on horticultural trends, new plant introductions, gardening practices, and consumer preferences.
Use horticultural knowledge to help ensure the right plants are selected for the right customers, growing conditions, and seasons.
Support a nursery environment that is visually appealing, well-maintained, and reflects the quality and expertise of the garden center.
Work closely with retail managers, nursery leadership, merchandising, inventory control, receiving, and marketing teams.
Communicate purchasing plans, product availability, promotions, and seasonal priorities to the appropriate teams.
Collaborate with management on seasonal forecasts, budgets, sales goals, and category strategies.
Assist with special events, promotions, vendor programs, and other initiatives that drive nursery sales.