General Manager

GENERAL MANAGER - HORTICULTURE SUPPLY

Location: Based in Guelph, ON (preferred) or Kingsville, ON (or open to relocating to either location)

Grasslands Recruitment Specialists is recruiting a full‑time General Manager for an established and growing horticultural specialist company. This senior position is based out of a company office in either the Guelph area (preferred) or Kingsville area of Southwestern Ontario and will involve periodic travel across Eastern Canada and overseas. The position will report directly to the International Commercial Director located in the parent office in the Netherlands and is the ideal fit for a strategic leader with a passion for horticulture, a track record of commercial success and an interest in shaping the horticultural industry in Canada.

This senior General Manager position offers a compensation package consisting of base salary $160,000.00–$180,000.00 DOE, variable opportunity, relocation support, and a full benefit plan. The opportunity also offers high autonomy to run the Canadian business, a strong global reputation, career advancement opportunities, and a collaborative, innovative, and supportive culture.

ABOUT GRASSLANDS RECRUITMENT SPECIALISTS

We are a recruiting company that has been connecting Canadian agriculture since 1996. With well over 80 years of combined experience in the industry, we provide specialized recruiting services for our clients. Our focus is to find the best candidate for our client employers and the perfect opportunity for career seekers. As a search firm, we have dedicated our resources to being an integral part of the continued growth and diversity of the Canadian agricultural economy. Our team is strategically placed throughout the Canadian labor market—understanding the needs of national and international agribusiness employers. We take the time to understand individuals’ career aspirations and then work to match them with our clients’ opportunities. We are not algorithms; we are people helping people!

ABOUT OUR CLIENT

Our client is a 140‑year‑old global family‑owned company serving the horticulture industry. As supplier, installer, and consultant for the professional horticultural industry, they help growers worldwide improve their crops. They pride themselves on strong culture, innovation, and autonomy for local leadership. With offices located in over 15 countries around the world, they are currently seeking a General Manager to lead their established Canadian operations across Ontario and Quebec.

Our client has been the trusted partner in the horticultural sector around the world. As a leading horticultural supplier for greenhouse horticulture, they offer an extensive range of solutions and products for both the greenhouse and the crop. This includes products such as organic pesticides and fertilizers. They also provide greenhouse machinery, transport equipment and sprayers for growers.

As a horticultural wholesaler, our client offers a full range of horticultural supplies for professional growers. They provide a wide range of products for various horticultural crops, including vegetable crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, eggplant, and other types of produce. In addition, they provide products and innovative solutions for the ornamental, flower and potted plant industries, in addition to specific products and services for fruit growers. Our client can be relied upon to provide the right products and innovative solutions for every grower’s needs.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE GENERAL MANAGER - HORTICULTURE SUPPLY

This is a senior leadership role with full responsibility for commercial performance, operational excellence, and team development. As General Manager you will act as a statutory director and drive strategic growth in alignment with global objectives. You will ensure that the branch operates as a stable, high‑performing business with clear processes, strong team cohesion, and financial performance aligned to annual budgets for growth, turnover, margin and EBIT.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead & Develop People: Coach and empower a management team of 7 and foster a motivated, collaborative culture.
• Drive Commercial Success: Deliver strong financial results aligned with annual growth and margin targets.
• Strategic Execution: Implement the corporate global strategy locally and manage investment planning.
• Stakeholder Management: Build and maintain relationships with key customers, suppliers, and partners.
• Operational Excellence: Optimize processes, reduce risk, and ensure scalable operations.
• Financial Oversight: Monitor performance metrics and make data‑driven decisions.

What Success Looks Like

• 3 months: Build trust and establish strong communication channels.
• 6 months: Improve team cohesion and strengthen customer relationships.
• 12 months: Deliver results aligned with growth and profitability targets.

AM I A GOOD FIT FOR THIS GENERAL MANAGER OPPORTUNITY?

You are an accomplished yet empathic leader, striving to connect with your management team and additional staff members. You have a strong commercial drive with change management capability. Your strong communication skills will enable you to establish and foster stakeholder relationships and achieve influence. You always operate with a high level of professionalism, integrity and organizational sensitivity. In addition, you bring:

• 5+ years of management experience in a commercial trading business.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen.
• Experience leading teams and driving organizational performance.
• Familiarity with ERP and CRM systems.
• Background in horticulture or related agricultural sectors.
• Experience in covered horticulture and the horticultural supply chain with knowledge of fertilizers, biocontrol, chemicals, or plant strengtheners is preferred.

READY TO MOVE FORWARD?

We understand your time is valuable, so we have a very streamlined and confidential application process. If you feel that you would be right for this journey of personal and professional growth, to push out of your comfort zone, and to reach your full potential as the company grows and evolves, please click on 'APPLY' and follow the easy self‑serve application process or email your resume to mike@grasslandsgroup.com. Questions can be addressed in confidence to Mike Bachner at 1‑866‑519‑2793.

Individuals who hold Canadian Citizenship or Permanent Canadian Residency need only apply. While we welcome and appreciate your interest in this opportunity, only candidates closely aligned with the ideal profile will be contacted. As per Grasslands Group of Companies’ Privacy Policy, your personal information will be kept in complete confidence. This is a legitimate vacancy for which our client has signed a formal recruitment agreement. Grasslands Recruitment Specialists does not use AI in our hiring or decision‑making processes.

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