Garden Centre Operations Manager

• Competitive salary
• Generous staff discount
• Ongoing training and development
• Career progression within a growing national group
• The opportunity to join a major new Blue Diamond development from the pre-opening stage
• The opportunity to build and lead a team from day one
• A supportive, professional environment where your leadership will have a direct impact on the success of the new centre

Join us in 2026, help us build the team and operation, and be part of opening the doors to Elveden Garden Centre in early 2027.

Are you a confident, commercially focused leader with a passion for operational excellence, people development and delivering outstanding customer experiences?

We are looking for an experienced Garden Centre Operations Manager to join us at Elveden Garden Centre, a brand-new Blue Diamond Garden Centre.

This is a key leadership opportunity for someone who wants to be involved from the beginning. You will join the business ahead of opening, giving you the opportunity to help build the operation, develop the team, establish standards and ensure the centre is fully prepared for its first customers.

We are looking for someone to join us during 2026, ahead of our planned opening in early 2027.

Elveden Garden Centre | Suffolk
Full-time | Including alternate weekends
Competitive salary, dependent on experience

Blue Diamond is the UK's leading garden centre group by turnover, with 55 centres across the UK and Channel Islands.

Our success is built on inspirational retailing, exceptional customer service and strong operational discipline. We are committed to developing our people and creating long-term careers within the Group.

Elveden will be a significant new addition to the Blue Diamond portfolio, and this role offers the opportunity to help shape the centre from the ground up.

You will join before the doors open, giving you the time to recruit and develop the team, establish operational processes and standards, and ensure everything is in place for a successful opening.

As Garden Centre Operations Manager, you will play a pivotal role in preparing Elveden Garden Centre for opening and subsequently ensuring the centre operates smoothly, safely and profitably.

Working closely with our Chief Executive, Department Heads, Category Heads, CREMs and the wider Blue Diamond team, you will provide strong operational leadership across the centre.

Before opening, your focus will be on building and preparing the operation. This will include supporting recruitment, developing colleagues, establishing processes and procedures, preparing stock and systems, and ensuring the centre is fully ready for trade.

Once open, you will take responsibility for maintaining high operational standards, developing your leadership team, controlling costs and delivering an exceptional customer experience.

Pre-Opening & Operational Readiness

• Support the preparation and mobilisation of the centre ahead of opening.
• Work closely with the wider project and operational teams to ensure the centre is ready for trade.
• Support the recruitment, onboarding and training of the opening team.
• Establish clear operational standards, processes and expectations across the centre.
• Ensure colleagues are fully trained on Blue Diamond systems, EPOS, stock processes and operational procedures.
• Help create a strong team culture and clear sense of accountability from day one.
• Support opening plans, stock preparation, merchandising and operational testing.

Leadership, Coaching & Communication

• Provide visible, confident leadership across the centre.
• Lead and coach Department Heads and Supervisors, helping them develop their teams and deliver consistently high standards.
• Ensure appropriate staffing levels and effective deployment of colleagues.
• Lead daily team huddles and regular operations meetings.
• Build strong working relationships across departments and with the wider Blue Diamond Group.
• Create a positive, professional and customer-focused culture.

Stock Management & Profit Protection

• Maintain an accurate stock file and ensure stock processes are followed consistently.
• Drive strong stock management, BPI performance and accountability across departments.
• Oversee stock takes, wastage, credits and audits.
• Identify opportunities to minimise shrinkage and procedural errors.
• Ensure margins are accurately reported and protected.

Customer Experience

• Lead by example in delivering exceptional customer service.
• Ensure the customer journey is seamless across every part of the centre.
• Monitor customer feedback, loyalty data and online reviews, taking action where required.
• Build a customer-first culture across the team.
• Ensure colleagues balance operational tasks with genuine customer engagement.

Centre Standards & Presentation

• Ensure the centre is consistently ready for trade and presented to the highest standard.
• Maintain excellent standards across cleanliness, merchandising, POS, replenishment and customer facilities.
• Conduct regular floor walks and address issues proactively.
• Oversee standards across grounds, car parks, pathways and customer areas.
• Work closely with Department Heads to resolve operational and staffing challenges.

Commercial & Cost Control

• Take responsibility for centre performance and support delivery of budget and P&L targets.
• Control staffing, maintenance, training and other operational costs within budget.
• Review performance information and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Monitor potential opportunities and take appropriate action to protect profitability.

People, HR & Payroll

• Support local recruitment and workforce planning.
• Oversee employee relations processes in line with Group HR guidance.
• Ensure accurate and timely payroll submissions.
• Monitor colleague engagement, morale and wellbeing.
• Act as a visible and approachable leader for the team.

Health & Safety

• Lead compliance with Blue Diamond Health & Safety standards.
• Ensure daily checks, audits and risk assessments are completed accurately.
• Promote safe working practices and a strong culture of responsibility across the centre.

You will be an experienced retail leader with a proven ability to lead a complex, high-volume environment.

You will bring:

• Strong commercial and operational awareness.
• Experience leading and developing large, diverse teams.
• A disciplined and detail-focused approach to standards, stock and cost control.
• The confidence to make decisions and hold people accountable.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach.
• A genuine passion for customer service.
• The ability to build a team and establish a strong culture from the ground up.

Experience within garden retail or retail from another high-volume customer-facing environment would be advantageous.