Crew Lead / Assistant Foreman – Garden Goddess Landscaping & Design
Location: Atlanta, GA
Compensation: Competitive, based on experience. Includes hourly rate, planned overtime and tiered bonus schedule.
**All positions begin as contractors with 3 month training period, then convert to full-time upon completion.**
Schedule: Full-time
Language: English required; Spanish a major plus
About Garden Goddess
We’re Garden Goddess! We’re excited every day to deliver mid-premium residential landscaping and design, serving top Atlanta neighborhoods. We deliver high horticultural standards, precision workmanship, and customized, down-to-earth customer experiences. Our team takes pride in clean lines, proper horticultural technique, and long-term plant health.
We’re also growing! We are hiring an experienced Crew Lead / Assistant Foreman with strong technical skills and deep plant knowledge.
Position Summary
The Crew Lead / Assistant Foreman reports directly to the owner and president and is responsible for daily jobsite operations, quality control, and crew coordination. This is a hands-on role requiring strong horticultural understanding, expert pruning, equipment operation, and a commitment to excellence.
Key Responsibilities
Crew & Workflow Support
- Assist with daily task coordination, property routing, and jobsite organization
- Help train crew members in Garden Goddess horticultural standards and proper techniques
- Communicate efficiently with the team to maintain productivity and high-quality results
- Ability to operate independently, with responsibility for routine operations activities includes (but not limited to):
- Scheduling vehicle maintenance
- Basic day-to-day communication with customers
- Routine check-ins and updates on properties with President
- Other duties as assigned
Horticultural Knowledge & Hands-On Detail Work
Planting Knowledge
- Understand seasonal planting windows for Atlanta’s climate, including:
- Trees & evergreen shrubs: optimal planting in fall through early spring
- Deciduous shrubs & ornamentals: best planted during dormancy
- Perennials: ideal spring/fall planting windows based on species
- Annuals: knowledge of warm-season vs cool-season cycles (pansies/violas vs begonias/coleus)
- Assess soil conditions, drainage, root flare, planting depth, spacing, and backfill composition
- Ensure proper mulching and staking techniques for new tree installations
Pruning Expertise
- Perform skilled hand pruning on shrubs, hedges, and ornamental trees
- Knowledge of correct pruning timing, including:
- Bloom on old wood vs bloom on new wood
- When to prune camellias, hydrangeas, tea olives, gardenias, hollies, loropetalum, boxwoods, abelias, and other Atlanta standards
- Avoiding mid-season or late-summer cuts that encourage tender growth before frost
- Seasonal rejuvenation pruning vs light structural shaping
- Use clean, sharp cuts that protect plant health, airflow, and long-term structure
Plant Health Observation
- Identify early signs of pests, disease, dieback, or improper irrigation
- Advise the team when corrective action is needed
- Maintain clean, beautiful beds with attention to detail: edges, mulch levels, weed control, debris removal
Maintenance & Installation Work
- Operate ride-on mowers and all standard equipment
- Execute high-detail bed maintenance: edging, trimming, shaping, mulching, pine straw installation
- Assist with plant layouts and installation plans based on design sketches or foreman direction
- Ensure properties are left immaculate — no clippings, no debris, no uneven mulch lines
Requirements
- At least 3 years professional landscaping experience
- Strong horticultural understanding: plant identification, planting seasons, pruning timing, growth habits
- Advanced understanding of pruning techniques and schedules
- Confident operation of ride-on mowers and commercial equipment
- Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation
- Able to lift 50+ lbs and work outdoors year-round
- Ability to use a phone, ipad and computer
- English required; Spanish a major plus
Preferred Qualities
- Experience supervising or mentoring crew members
- Experience with CRM tools such as Jobber for routine property updates and communication
- Familiarity with Atlanta plant varieties and microclimates
- Strong customer-service attitude
- Desire to grow into a full supervisory role
Company Description
We’re Garden Goddess! We’re excited every day to deliver mid-premium residential landscaping and design, serving top Atlanta neighborhoods. We deliver high horticultural standards, precision workmanship, and customized, down-to-earth customer experiences. Our team takes pride in clean lines, proper horticultural technique, and long-term plant health.