Parks and Horticulture Supervisor (Internal Posting) (18 Month Term)

Company Description

Merritt is centrally located and nestled in the beautiful Nicola Valley. Our strategic orientation is to pursue growth as a progressive, attractive, economically viable city that is socially responsible and environmentally sustainable. Our strength comes from our skilled and dedicated employees and together, we continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates the diverse voices of our employees. It fuels our innovation and connects us closer to the community we serve.

Our Public Works team delivers essential services to the community that we all rely on as part of our daily lives and maintain the City's infrastructure for these services. The team maintains our parks and public spaces, sidewalks and road systems, the cemetery and the airport. They are responsible for activities such as solid waste collection (garbage, recycling and compost), street signs and snow removal and ensure we have clean and safe water. As well, the team maintains the system of underground pipes to collect sewer and wastewater and respond to emergencies at all hours such as water leaks.

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Job Description

The Role

We currently have an exciting opportunity for a Parks and Horticulture Supervisor with our Public Works team. This is a 18 month term position.

The Opportunity

As a member of the Public Works leadership team, this Supervisor applies industry knowledge of processes and equipment, provides day-to-day leadership and participates in the activities of the Department while contributing positively to the safety culture of the department and the quality and service excellence provided by the department.

As the Parks and Horticulture Supervisor, you will organize and implement operational plans for the care and maintenance of the City’s gardens, parks, lawns, athletic fields, the cemetery and other public landscaped environments in the City of Merritt and coordinate the growth and use of plants for landscaping and ornamental purposes. During the spring, summer and fall season, you will lead/ supervise a crew, create a high level of safety awareness and compliance and participate as a working supervisor, in the landscape maintenance, gardening and planting activities. During the winter months, you will continue to lead activities concerning the City’s landscaped environments and also contribute to the general Public Works activities such as snow removal.

Qualifications

• Completion of a post-secondary program in arboriculture, horticulture, landscaping or landscape horticulturalist ITA trade certification or professional certification as a landscape and horticultural technologist or technician supplemented by a minimum of three years of recent related and comm work experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Knowledge and ability to apply chemical fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides in accordance with relevant regulations.
• Ability to lead and support an organizational culture that promotes a safety culture and customer service excellence.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to deal with others effectively.
• Ability to coordinate resources and materials and monitor operations and progress towards goals.
• Artistic sense and ability to visualize completed landscaped environments.
• Ability to troubleshoot and problem solve related issues.
• Ability to operate related equipment.
• Ability to work at heights.
• Ability to work outside in all types of weather conditions.
• Physically ability to carry out the duties of the position.
• A valid BC Class 5 drivers’ license and satisfactory police information check will be requested from the successful candidate as a condition of employment.

Additional Information

Join Our Team

It is an exciting time to be a part of our team! We’re looking for people to bring creative ideas, fresh thinking and motivation to join the City of Merritt leadership team. We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits for health, vision, dental, group insurance, pension and well-being along with meaningful work in a respectful environment.  This position is within the CUPE local 900 bargaining unit with a rate of pay is $41.90 (2026 rates) per hour.

If your experience and education have prepared you for success in this role and you are committed to working in a manner that supports a respectful, healthy, and safe environment, we invite you to apply. 

This position closes on June 12 and is currently posted with preference to internal candidates.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however; only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.