Lead - Horticulture

Purpose/Objective

Lead - Horticulture is responsible for the overall management, development and maintenance of the airport's horticultural landscape.
This role encompasses support in strategic planning, team leadership, plant care, landscape design, resource management, and quality assurance to create and maintain a visually appealing and environmentally sustainable airport environment.

Key Responsibilities of Role

Landscape Design and Implementation: Lead and manage all landscape development works, ensuring seamless transitions from development to maintenance stages.
Coordinate with contractors to ensure that horticultural projects are executed as per the developed designs and within set timelines.
Monitor and evaluate contractor performance, conducting technical evaluations of bidding contractors.
Prepare Bill of Quantities (BOQ) and tender documents for landscape projects, ensuring accuracy and compliance with standards.
Horticultural Operations & Maintenance: Oversee the development and maintenance of green spaces, including airside, landside, and public areas, ensuring timely execution of scheduled tasks.
Monitor the health and aesthetic quality of plants, turf, trees, and shrubs through regular inspections and coordinate corrective measures.
Implement best practices in pest management, irrigation, pruning, and seasonal care to ensure the landscape thrives under changing conditions.
Budget Control & Resource Management: Prepare the annual budget for horticultural operations, monitor expenses, and ensure cost-effective utilization of resources within approved limits.
Manage inventory control of horticulture materials such as fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation equipment to avoid wastage or shortages.
Quality Assurance: Ensure that all horticultural works include high-quality softscape and hardscape elements, alongside automated irrigation systems.
Conduct regular quality checks and monitoring of landscape works to ensure compliance with specifications and standards.
Vendor Management: Develop detailed tender documents, including BOQs, technical specifications, and evaluation criteria, to attract and assess competent contractors.
Conduct regular inspections, audits, and reviews to track vendor compliance with schedules, quality, and airport regulations.
Stakeholder Coordination: Liaise with internal stakeholders, including Operations, Safety, and Compliance teams, to ensure alignment on landscape initiatives.
Maintain effective communication with external contractors and regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with environmental standards and regulations.
Reporting and Compliance: Maintain detailed records of landscape activities, project progress, and compliance with environmental regulations.
Prepare regular reports for the Head of Horticulture, highlighting project outcomes, challenges, and recommendations for improvement.
Team Leadership and Development: Leads and supervises the landscape development and horticulture team, providing guidance and support & sets performance expectations and conducts performance reviews.
Provide training and development opportunities for team members to enhance their skills and knowledge.
Key Stakeholders - Internal: Head - Horticulture Finance Department Facility Management Team Environment & Sustainability Team Procurement Team Maintenance Team Security Team Operations Team IT Team Key Stakeholders - External: Landscape Architects and Designers Horticulture Contractors/Vendors Regulatory Bodies (e.
g.
, DGCA, PESO) Plant Nurseries and Suppliers Pest Control Vendors Fertilizer Suppliers Government Horticulture Departments Environmental Agencies Waste Management Companies Community Groups

Technical Competencies

Environmental Impact Assessment and Analysis-AAHL,Environmental Law Compliance-AAHL,Horticultural Equipment & Technology-AAHL,Inventory Management-AAHL,Operational Excellence-AAHL,Quality Assurance-AAHL,Soil and Plant Health Management-AAHL,Sustainable Landscaping Practices-AAHL,Technical Knowledge of Horticulture Practices-AAHL

Qualifications and Experience

Educational Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture, Landscape Architecture, Environmental Science, or a related field; Master’s degree is preferred.
Work Experience: 10+ years of experience in horticulture or landscape management, preferably leading the landscape development/maintenance works in large Infrastructure projects like Airport/Hotel/Commercial buildings