Lead Gardener/ Horticulturist

Horticulturist / Lead Gardener The Estancia Club — Scottsdale, Arizona

Job Type: Full-Time Department: Grounds & Horticulture Experience Required: Previous professional horticulture or landscape maintenance experience required

About The Estancia Club The Estancia Club is a premier private golf club located in the beautiful Sonoran Desert of Scottsdale, Arizona. We take pride in maintaining exceptional grounds and landscapes that complement our world-class golf course and clubhouse environment.

We are seeking an experienced, motivated, and detail-oriented Horticulturist / Lead Gardener to oversee the landscaping and gardens surrounding the clubhouse and throughout the club property.

Position Overview The Horticulturist / Lead Gardener is responsible for maintaining the health, appearance, and quality of the club's landscaped areas while leading and supervising the landscape maintenance staff.

This is a hands-on leadership position. The successful candidate will plan and organize daily work, direct team members, monitor landscape quality, and actively work alongside the staff to complete maintenance tasks to a high standard.

The ideal candidate has a strong horticultural background, practical plant knowledge, excellent organizational skills, and the ability to lead by example in a professional private-club environment.

Key Responsibilities Landscape & Horticulture Maintenance

- Maintain the clubhouse grounds, ornamental gardens, landscaped beds, and other designated areas throughout the club property.

- Identify, select, plant, prune, and maintain trees, shrubs, flowering plants, and other ornamental vegetation.

- Monitor plant health and diagnose common plant diseases, pest issues, nutrient deficiencies, and irrigation problems.

- Manage weed control, mulching, fertilization, soil improvement, and seasonal planting.

- Maintain attractive, clean, and well-presented landscape beds, pathways, and surrounding outdoor areas.

- Oversee irrigation performance and coordinate adjustments and repairs as needed.

- Recommend plant replacements, landscape improvements, and seasonal enhancements appropriate for the Arizona desert climate.

- Use horticultural best practices to promote healthy plants, efficient water use, and sustainable landscape management.

Team Leadership & Supervision

- Lead, supervise, and coordinate the daily activities of the landscape maintenance team.

- Assign daily tasks, establish priorities, and ensure work is completed efficiently and to established standards.

- Work alongside team members in the field, demonstrating proper techniques and maintaining a productive, hands-on presence.

- Train employees in plant care, pruning, irrigation, equipment operation, safety, and landscape maintenance practices.

- Monitor employee performance, productivity, attendance, and quality of work.

- Communicate expectations clearly and hold team members accountable for their responsibilities.

- Inspect completed work and ensure consistent attention to detail throughout the property.

- Coordinate staffing, materials, tools, and supplies to support daily operations.

Professional Standards & Safety

- Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work environment.

- Operate and maintain landscape tools and equipment properly.

- Follow applicable pesticide, fertilizer, and equipment safety requirements.

- Communicate effectively with club management and other departments.

- Represent the club professionally and maintain a high standard of appearance and workmanship.

Required Qualifications - Previous professional experience in horticulture, gardening, landscape maintenance, or a related field.

- Demonstrated ability to identify and care for a variety of ornamental plants, trees, and shrubs.

- Experience with pruning, planting, fertilization, irrigation, weed control, and general landscape maintenance.

- Previous experience leading, supervising, or training landscape or groundskeeping employees.

- Ability and willingness to perform physical landscape maintenance tasks alongside the team.

- Strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize work independently.

- Reliable attendance, punctuality, and a strong work ethic.

- Ability to communicate effectively, follow instructions, and hold team members accountable.

- Ability to work outdoors in the Arizona climate, including during periods of extreme heat.

- Ability to safely lift, carry, and move landscape materials and equipment as required.

Preferred Qualifications - Formal education, certification, or training in horticulture, landscape management, arboriculture, or a related field.

- Experience maintaining high-quality ornamental landscapes in a resort, private club, commercial property, or similar setting.

- Knowledge of desert-adapted plants, water-efficient landscaping, and irrigation management in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

- Experience with integrated pest management and responsible fertilizer and pesticide applications.

- Relevant Arizona pesticide applicator licensing or willingness to obtain required credentials.

What Success Looks Like The successful candidate will take ownership of the clubhouse landscape and surrounding grounds, ensuring they remain healthy, attractive, clean, and consistently maintained.

They will establish clear expectations for the landscape team, develop efficient daily work routines, and lead by example. They will recognize problems before they become larger issues, take initiative in improving landscape quality, and maintain a strong sense of accountability for both their own work and the performance of their team.

Work Environment This position involves outdoor work in the Scottsdale area, including exposure to high temperatures, sun, dust, and seasonal weather conditions. The role requires regular physical activity and a combination of hands-on horticultural work, team supervision, and planning.

How to Apply Qualified candidates with professional horticulture experience and a demonstrated ability to lead a team are encouraged to apply. Please include a resume outlining relevant horticultural experience, landscape maintenance responsibilities, and previous leadership experience.

The Estancia Club is looking for someone who takes pride in their craft, understands plants, leads by example, and is committed to maintaining exceptional grounds.