Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater Inc. (FOHH) is a passionate, community-led conservation organization dedicated to saving Victoria's critically endangered avifauna emblem and restoring its vital habitat.

We are seeking a practical, hands-on Nursery Manager to lead the Yellingbo Indigenous Nursery. This vital community hub propagates high-quality local provenance plants to support large-scale habitat restoration across Yellingbo and surrounding catchments. Proudly funded by our native plant sales, this role directly supports a self-sustaining biodiversity loop. The nursery is currently entering an exciting period of transition and development. This offers a fantastic opportunity for a structured, collaborative leader who enjoys building strong workflows, growing community capability, and shaping nursery operations for the future.

Key Responsibilities

• Nursery operations & production: Oversee day-to-day operations, plant propagation, biosecurity, hygiene, and strict quality control of indigenous flora.
• Volunteer & community leadership: Lead, mentor, and support a diverse, enthusiastic volunteer workforce, casual staff, and local work experience placements.
• Sales & administration: Manage retail and wholesale sales, quoting, invoicing, and order fulfillment using Xero (with an exciting transition to EvergreenConnect underway).
• Record keeping: Maintain meticulous seed, provenance, stock tracking, and production records.
• Safety & systems: Maintain robust WHS practices (including active participation in the WorkSafe Victoria OHS Essentials program) and develop simple, sustainable operational documentation.
• Governance: Report directly to, and collaborate closely with, our dedicated, volunteer-run Nursery Subcommittee.

What We Are Looking For

• Green thumbs & eco-insight: Proven experience in production nursery management, indigenous horticulture, bush regeneration and/or ecological restoration.
• Exceptional people skills: A natural ability to supervise, train, and support a diverse volunteer team of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
• Tech & organisation savvy: Solid computer literacy with experience managing digital stock records, spreadsheets, and point-of-sale/order systems.
• Practical mindset & approach: An adaptable, hands-on, problem-solving approach to day-to-day community nursery challenges.
• Compliance: A current First Aid qualifications (or willingness to obtain) and a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC).
• Local plant & ecological knowledge: Extensive knowledge about the indigenous flora and ecological landscape of the Yellingbo/Yarra Valley region highly regarded.

Why Join Us?

• Make a real impact: Your work directly secures the survival of the Helmeted Honeyeater and revitalizes local catchments.
• Supportive community: Work alongside an incredibly passionate, welcoming network of volunteers and environmental advocates.

How to apply:

We want to hear about your passion for community-led conservation and your practical nursery experience!

Please email admin@fohh.org.au to request a copy of the full Position Description, which includes the Key Selection Criteria. To apply, your application must include:

• A current resume/CV detailing your relevant horticultural work experience and transferable skills (as appropriate).
• A cover letter (maximum 2 pages) that introduces yourself, addresses the Key Selection Criteria in the position description and briefly answers these two questions:
  • What is your experience working with Victorian indigenous flora or ecological restoration?
  • How have you previously supported, trained, or managed volunteers or diverse community groups?.

Applications must be received by the nursery subcommittee at admin@fohh.org.au no later than midnight on Sunday 4th October 2026.

Please note: Applications that do not include a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria and two questions above will not be considered.