Driscoll's is a global market leader in fresh berries, specializing in strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. The company operates a unique business model built on proprietary plant breeding, strong grower partnerships, and a fully integrated supply chain.
The Senior Director, Nursery EMEA holds full P&L responsibility for the EMEA nursery organization and is accountable for all plant production activities across the region, including both company‑owned nursery operations and approved third‑party nurseries. This role leads the strategic, operational, and financial performance of the EMEA nursery system, ensuring plant supply capabilities, infrastructure, and partnerships are aligned with Driscoll’s long‑term strategic and commercial objectives. Reporting directly to the VP Operations Europe & EMEA Nursery, this role is responsible for profitability, cost structure, capital deployment, and financial discipline across the nursery footprint.
Over the next 3–5 years, the Senior Director will lead a significant nursery transformation across Northern Europe, Portugal, and Morocco, balancing cost efficiency, supply reliability, quality, sustainability, and risk management. This executive leadership role requires technical expertise in plant nursery and fruit production in particular, strong enterprise leadership, and the ability to partner across Operations, Product Leadership, Supply Directors, Planning, Supply Chain, R&D, Finance, Legal, and Sustainability.
Requirements
This role combines strategic leadership, operational complexity, and large-scale investment execution, shaping future plant supply, partnerships, and infrastructure across a highly dynamic international footprint. We would like to get in touch with a candidate who is capable of driving alignment across diverse stakeholders and third-party partners, while safeguarding plant integrity and ensuring long-term resilience in a high-risk, biologically variable production environment.
Required Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture, Plant Science, Agronomy, or Agricultural Business Management (or equivalent).
- Minimum of 10 years’ leadership experience in the international plant production business, preferably within fruit or vegetable nursery.
- Technical expertise across crops, varieties, and plant types, with a strong understanding of nursery‑to‑plant system economics.
- Proven P&L ownership with strong financial acumen, including budgeting, cost modeling, pricing, and capital investment management.
- Demonstrated ability to work with third‑party partners and governmental bodies at local, national, and EU levels.
- Strong problem‑solving, negotiation, and conflict‑resolution skills, with high cultural sensitivity.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Horticulture, Plant Science, Agronomy, or Agricultural Business Management
- Minimum of 10 years' leadership experience in the international plant production business, preferably within fruit or vegetable nursery
- Technical expertise across crops, varieties, and plant types
- Proven P&L ownership with strong financial acumen
- Demonstrated ability to work with third-party partners and governmental bodies
- Strong problem-solving, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
What We Do
Quaestus is a private equity firm based in Zagreb, Croatia, that focuses on growth and early-stage investments in sectors such as telecommunications, food production, and medical services.
