Senior Director, Global Research Nursery

Senior Director, Global Research Nursery

Location:

US - Watsonville, California

Job Family
:
Nursery

Time Type
:
Full time

Job Requisition : R0008571

Experience Years
: 10+ Years of Experience

Employee Type
:
Regular

The Senior Director of Global Research Nursery leads the strategic development and execution of Driscoll’s global research nursery operations, ensuring world‑class enablement of breeding and research programs across multiple geographies. This role oversees a diverse network of internal facilities and external partners, responsible for delivering high quality plant material on time, on spec, on cost, and on purpose.

The Senior Director drives continuous improvement by expanding successful nursery operating procedures through the Global Research Nursery Network, developing a technology roadmap that enhances efficiency and data collection, and ensuring rigorous clean stock and foundation standards. A deep understanding of production systems, plant types, and global research needs is essential, enabling the transformation of strategy into operational excellence while protecting Driscoll’s proprietary materials and information.

With over 12 years of horticultural expertise—including greenhouse, nursery, or tissue culture operations, and multisite leadership—this leader brings exceptional people development skills. They guide cross‑functional teams, manage complex budgets, and collaborate closely with global technology transfer and R&D teams. The role requires an entrepreneurial mindset, comfort with ambiguity, and strong communication and mentoring capabilities. As an active member of the Global R&D Management Team, the Senior Director fosters innovation, develops talent across the enterprise, and helps position Driscoll’s for long‑term growth in an increasingly sophisticated global nursery landscape.

• Develop and implement Research Nursery strategies for all Global R&D breeding and research programs and execute those strategies across a network of organizations and facilities, including internal and external partners.
• Expand successful programs from one research nursery organization to another, continuously improving outcomes and efficiencies to support projected growth.
• Oversee Driscoll’s R&D‑optimized global plant movement, adhering to regulatory directives and maximizing genetic fit across multiple countries, sites, crops, and plant types.
• Manage Cleanstock and Foundation execution for R&D, ensuring robust, efficient hand‑offs to commercial nursery partners that meet the highest clean stock principles.
• Develop and drive a technology roadmap for the R&D Nursery Network focused on efficiencies and relevant data collection.
• Provide leadership and development for regional nursery leaders, site managers, and technical teams, building organizational capabilities through both formal and informal relationships.
• Partner with the Global Technology Transfer Team to support deployment of technologies and information to growers worldwide.
• Maintain a deep understanding of Driscoll’s breeding and research programs, production systems, and environments, identifying plant types and production solutions that augment genetic value.
• Develop strategies to provide foundational knowledge to regional nurseries.
• Actively participate in the Global R&D Management Team.
• Ensure the security of Driscoll’s confidential and proprietary information and materials.
• Oversee operational budgets for research nursery activities and participate in capital planning for nursery infrastructure and systems.

• 12+ years of work experience in the horticultural industry, with a demonstrated background in leading greenhouse, nursery, tissue culture labs or other related operations, and at least 3 years leading a multi‑site operation.
• Robust experience leading people and developing leaders.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and a track record of successfully directing, managing, and motivating employees and project teams.
• Record of managing budgets and annual operational plans, overseeing capital investments.
• Ability to lead complex, cross‑functional projects, negotiate with stakeholders, and establish…