Job Title:               Retail Sales Associate            

Reports to:            Retail Sales Manager

Classification:       Non-Exempt

Status:                     Full-time

Date:                     August 2025                                        

Job Announcement 

Apply Now: ------------/6strwddk

(Please include both cover letter and resume)

The Watershed Nursery Cooperative Mission:

The Watershed Nursery Cooperative provides exceptional California native plants and services for habitat enhancement throughout northern California. We value and prioritize diversity in the ecosystems of our wild, cultivated, and social landscapes. We provide site-specific, genetically diverse California native plants grown with phytosanitary best management practices and integrated pest management for optimal plant health and to prevent the spread of harmful plant pathogens. We are committed to increasing the accessibility of native plants for the general public through our retail plant stock and the guidance, enthusiasm, and resources provided by our knowledgeable staff. As an employee-owned cooperative business, we embrace equity, language justice, open communication, group decision making, and joy for our work in our business practices.

Position Summary:

The Watershed Nursery Cooperative is now reviewing applications for a talented and innovative Retail Sales Associate. We are looking for a candidate who has a breadth of knowledge of local California native plants and robust experience in gardening. The candidate of choice applies a growth mindset both personally and professionally; they inspire others to do the same through optimism, flexibility, and teamwork. The selected candidate should have a desire to help others, a friendly personality and great active listening and communication skills.

The responsibilities of this position include but are not limited to assisting customers in person, over the phone, and via email; executing point of sale transactions; and maintaining plant and retail nursery space. 

Compensation and Benefits:

$22 per hour. Performance reviews with the potential for pay increases will occur on a regular basis, including two opportunities during first year.

Benefits include but are not limited to:

• Monthly health insurance stipend
• 401k with employer match after vesting 
• Annual clothing budget
• Paid Time Off

Schedule Requirements:

Wednesdays – Sundays: 9:00am – 5:00pm

Cooperative Status:

The Retail Associate will have the opportunity to work at an employee-owned cooperative, and after a waiting period will have the opportunity to apply to join as a member-owner. 

Essential Functions:

• Assists customers in person by answering questions accurately, communicating professionally, and performing point of sale transactions.
• Responds and communicates with customers via email and phone, in a timely, accurate, and professional manner.
• Performs point of sale transactions with customers and ensures accurate price is provided and correct payment amount is made.
• Prepares customers’ orders in a timely manner.
• Closes out sales as needed.
• Conducts plant care and maintenance including but not limited to watering, pruning, gardening, etc.
• Performs general nursery maintenance to ensure the environment is up to necessary standards for optimal plant health, and nursery is clean and welcoming for customers.
• Transitions new plants from back-of-house to the correct zone of retail shelves and arranges new plants to be aesthetically pleasing.
• Assists with marketing including but not limited to creating posters, flyers, social media posts, and drafting customer communications.
• Assists with data entry and other production project work seasonally, as needed.
• All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• High School Diploma/GED.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience working with California native plants.
• Working knowledge of California native plant and wildlife species and their habitats.
• General knowledge and experience in plant care and maintenance.
• A high degree of resourcefulness and self-motivation. 
• Experience in sales, customer service, and social media marketing.
• Ability to exercise good judgment and problem solve as necessary.
• Ability and willingness to work independently to complete tasks and meet deadlines, as well as collaboratively with a team.
• Comfortable working outside in all weather.
• Excellent oral, written, and verbal communication.
• Strong organization and optimal prioritization of tasks.
• Excellent data management skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Spanish conversational skills preferred.

Physical Demand and Work Environment:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a staff member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, sit, reach, stoop, kneel, talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer. 
• Light to moderate lifting of up to 50 pounds is required.
• Repetitive fine motor tasks must be performed.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to work outdoors in all weather conditions.
• The job site is located next to a water treatment facility, so it can smell like sewage.

The information in this document is not intended to constitute a contract of employment or create contractual rights of any kind between The Watershed Nursery and its employees.  At The Watershed Nursery employees are employed “at will.”  This means that employees may terminate their employment at any time and for any reason, and that the company has the right to terminate employees on the same basis. The Watershed Nursery reserves the right to modify, suspend, change or terminate the information in this document at any time, with or without prior notice.