Collections Curator / Horticulture Manager

Job Description

The Collections Curator / Horticulture Manager serves as the chief steward of Rotary Botanical Gardens’ living plant collection and leads horticulture operations with a long-term, museum-aligned perspective. This role is responsible for ensuring horticultural excellence, strategic collections planning, and the care, development, and interpretation of the Gardens’ internationally themed, perennial-focused living collections.

This position is both strategic and hands-on, balancing leadership, planning, and stewardship with collaborative institutional work. The Curator/Manager plays a central role in shaping the Gardens’ horticultural identity, ecological resilience, and long-term vision.

About Us

Rotary Botanical Gardens is a 21-acre, internationally themed public garden in Janesville, Wisconsin, operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit since 1989. The Gardens steward a living collection of more than 4,000 plant species across 26 distinct garden areas, with a strong focus on perennial systems, sustainability, education, and community engagement. The organization welcomes approximately 150,000 visitors annually and is guided by a mission of Enriching Lives Through Natural Beauty, Education, and the Arts.

As a public garden with a deepening museum-aligned approach, Rotary Botanical Gardens is committed to long-term collections stewardship, thoughtful interpretation, and meaningful visitor experiences that connect people to plants, ecology, and place.

Duties & Responsibilities

Collections Stewardship & Planning

– Guide collections development and stewardship with an emphasis on perennial systems, native and regionally appropriate plant species, biodiversity, ecological resilience, and best practices in plant health and conservation.
– Oversee the living plant collection across all garden areas.
– Establish horticultural standards, priorities, and long-range collections plans.
– Lead seasonal visioning, plant succession planning, and curatorial decision-making.
– Personally curate select signature garden areas.

Leadership & Supervision

– Supervise horticulture staff, seasonal horticulturists, gardeners, and volunteers.
– Set clear priorities, workflows, and expectations for horticulture operations.
– Lead with clarity, approachability, and professionalism.
– Communicate expectations, priorities, and feedback in ways that build trust, accountability, and morale.
– Foster a positive, collaborative, and safety-conscious work environment.
– Represent horticulture leadership confidently in cross-department settings.

Institutional Collaboration

– Collaborate closely with the Executive Director, Associate Director, Operations, Development, Education, and Community Engagement staff to align:
– Interpretation themes and exhibitions
– Grant proposals, reporting, and donor narratives
– Capital projects and long-term garden improvements
– Contribute curatorial insight to cross-department planning and seasonal alignment.

Operations & Program Support

– Coordinate horticulture efforts with Operations related to facilities, hardscape, and infrastructure projects impacting the plant collection.
– Provide horticultural expertise to education programs, events, and public initiatives as needed.

Education and Experience

– Bachelor’s degree in horticulture, botany, landscape architecture, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
– Demonstrated experience managing plant collections or complex horticultural environments.
– Supervisory or leadership experience preferred.
– Strong planning, communication, and cross-department collaboration skills.
– Experience in public gardens, museums, or mission-driven organizations preferred.

Additional Information

Reports to: Executive Director
Works closely with: Associate Director, Operations Manager, Development, Education, and Community Engagement
Salary Range: $56,106 – $62,400 annually

Physical & Work Environment Requirements
– Ability to work outdoors in a range of weather conditions.
– Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and perform physical garden work as needed.
– Combination of office-based planning and on-site horticultural work.

This role is strategic, collaborative, and systems-minded. Public engagement is selective but meaningful, with emphasis on stewardship, leadership, and long-term institutional vision rather than daily interpretation or routine public programming.

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter to development@rotarygardens.org.