A commercial landscape HR manager hires and onboards crews, crew leaders and office staff, and keeps pay, visa and training records in order. The year follows the seasons: crew hiring before spring, then a second push for plow drivers and sidewalk crews before winter.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Lead the human resources functions for a leading Commercial Landscaping company by managing hiring, onboarding, regulatory compliance, and fostering a positive, growth-oriented company culture.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Oversee the full-cycle recruitment process to attract top talent for various operational and administrative roles.
Implement and refine onboarding programs to ensure new hires are quickly integrated and effective.
Maintain strict adherence to compliance standards and employment laws within the commercial landscaping industry.
Develop strategies to enhance employee engagement, performance, and retention.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Review and screen resumes, schedule interviews, and conduct candidate assessments.
Coordinate training sessions and professional development initiatives for staff.
Monitor compliance with company policies and industry regulations.
Facilitate regular team meetings to communicate company updates and reinforce a positive work culture.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Time-to-Fill Open Positions: Target of 30 days.
Employee Retention Rate: Target above 90%.
Onboarding Satisfaction Score: Target average of 4.5 out of 5.
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in HR management or a similar role.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and conflict resolution skills.
Proficiency in HRIS systems, applicant tracking software, and Microsoft Office Suite.
6. Preferred Experience
Prior experience working within the commercial landscaping or home services industry.
Proven track record in developing and implementing effective onboarding strategies.
Familiarity with industry-specific labor laws and compliance requirements.
Experience in managing performance improvement and employee engagement programs.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to travel occasionally to landscaping project sites.
Capacity to navigate busy work environments and outdoor settings as needed.
Ability to operate standard office equipment such as computers and phones.
Minimal lifting required, typically not exceeding 20 lbs.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical work hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Occasional site visits to monitor operational safety and compliance.
Fast-paced office environment with regular interaction across multiple departments.
Minimal on-call duties outside of regular working hours.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Salary Range: $60,000 - $80,000 per year, based on experience and qualifications.
Annual performance-based bonus opportunities.
Comprehensive benefits package including Health, Dental, and Vision coverage.
Retirement savings plan with 401(k) and other fringe benefits.
10. Company Culture and Overview
At [INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE], we pride ourselves on cultivating an environment committed to excellence, innovation, and employee success. Our team values a collaborative spirit and continuous growth, ensuring every member feels empowered to make a meaningful impact. We encourage professional development, reward creative problem solving, and invest in the success of our people to drive our mission in the commercial landscaping industry.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
What changes for an HR manager at a commercial landscaping company
Seasonal crews, visa workers and snow shifts bring rules an office business never meets. Most of them land on HR's desk.
Wet weeks still count toward the H-2B guarantee
Employers of H-2B workers must offer hours equal to at least three-fourths of the workdays in each 12-week period of the job order, or each 6-week period when the order runs under 120 days. Rain days and a slow start don't erase that duty. The rule ends it early only when fire, weather or a similar event makes the work impossible, and only with the Labor Department's approval. Track hours offered to each worker by period, and warn operations early when a crew falls behind. Source: eCFR: 20 CFR 655.20, H-2B employer obligations.
Waiting for snow can be paid time
Under federal wage rules, an employee who has to stay at the employer's place, or so nearby that the time can't be used for personal things, is working while on call. A driver told to wait at the shop for snow is on the clock. One who only has to stay reachable at home generally isn't. Write your standby policy with that line in mind, and check your state's rules too. Source: eCFR: 29 CFR 785.17, on-call time.
Returning crews can reuse their I-9
Federal rules let you rely on a worker's earlier Form I-9 if you rehire them within three years of the date it was first completed, the form is theirs and they are still eligible to work. You update the form with the rehire date instead of starting over. For crews who come back every spring, file the old forms where they're easy to find. Source: eCFR: 8 CFR 274a.2, Form I-9 and rehires.
Snow season needs its own hiring push
Spring hiring fills mowing, planting and irrigation crews. Late summer and fall bring a second search for plow drivers, loader operators and sidewalk crews, many of them part-time or on call. Post those jobs in late summer, before other snow contractors hire the same drivers, and get offers signed before the first forecast.
How much commercial landscape HR managers make
The closest BLS group for commercial landscape HR managers is human resources managers. Human resources managers who work for landscaping companies earned a median of $139,010 a year ($66.83 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s below the $149,280 median for human resources managers in all industries. About 180 of the 220,660 human resources managers in that survey work for landscaping companies.
Typically salaried with an annual bonus. This template pays less than the BLS figures show for HR managers at landscaping firms, even at the low end. It suits someone running HR alone; a manager who leads staff and owns compliance will cost more.
Landscaping companies
$139,010$139,010 median Middle half $96,970–$145,660 10th–90th $85,770–$202,820
All industries
$149,280$149,280 median Middle half $111,110–$199,290 10th–90th $88,200–$267,810
$50k$100k$150k$200k$250k$300k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Landscaping companies
$85,770
$96,970
$139,010
$145,660
$202,820
All industries
$88,200
$111,110
$149,280
$199,290
$267,810
BLS reports residential and commercial landscaping companies together. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
High-volume hiring for seasonal crews
Working knowledge of wage-hour rules, including overtime and on-call time
Careful I-9 and visa recordkeeping
Plain, clear training and coaching that works for crews in the field
Comfort running an HRIS and an applicant tracking system
Teach these on the job
Your H-2B filing calendar and the agent or attorney you use
Your snow standby and call-out policy
Company safety programs and the training records the field keeps
Pay plans for crews, crew leaders and account managers
Each branch's state and local rules
Expect an HRIS tied to payroll, an applicant tracking system that works on a phone, an electronic I-9 tool and a calendar for H-2B dates. Note which ones you run and whether HR or payroll owns each.
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Pay equity
Two crew leaders are paid differently for the same work, and one complains. What do you do?
A strong answer: Reviews pay data and the reasons, checks equal pay rules, fixes any gap that isn't job-related and documents it.
Behavioral · Wage and hour compliance
Tell me about a time you found a pay practice that broke wage and hour rules, such as unpaid drive time between sites. How did you fix it?
A strong answer: Names the practice (unpaid yard time before routes, drive time between sites, day rates with no overtime), how they confirmed it, the back pay owed, the timekeeping fix and how they trained managers.
The template's targets are samples for you to replace. Set separate ones for seasonal crews and year-round staff, since the two groups come and go on different clocks.
Time-to-Fill Open Positions
Count days from approval of the opening to the signed offer. Track crew roles and office roles apart, and flag roles held open on purpose for the next season.
Employee Retention Rate
Measure year-round staff over the year, and seasonal crews by how many finish the season and how many return the next spring. Leave planned end-of-season layoffs out.
Onboarding Satisfaction Score
Survey new hires after their first few weeks, in the language they read best, with a few short questions on training, gear and pay setup.
Compliance Audit Success Rate
Audit a sample of I-9s, H-2B hour records, training sign-offs and driver files each quarter. Count each file that passes with no fixes needed.
Career path
Recruiter or HR assistantRuns seasonal hiring events and new-hire paperwork.
HR managerOwns hiring, pay rules, visa records and training files for the company.
Director of human resourcesLeads HR across branches and sets policy with the executive team.
A property manager wants background checks on our crews. What should HR do?
Decide whether to check only the crews at those sites or everyone in the role, and treat every worker alike. Under federal law, give the worker a written notice that stands by itself, not buried in the application, and get their written OK first. Should the report push you toward a no, first send the worker that report and the FCRA rights summary. Some states and cities limit what you can ask or use, so check your local rules.
How much does a commercial landscape HR manager make?
Human resources managers who work for landscaping companies earned a median of $139,010 a year ($66.83 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $96,970 and $145,660 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and bonus terms.
How should HR bring back good seasonal workers each year?
Start before they leave. Hold short exit talks at season's end, note who you want back, and send a return offer in late winter with the start date and pay. A raise or return bonus for each season completed shows crews the company wants them. Keep their contact details current over the winter, since phone numbers change.
What should an HR manager look for on a site visit?
Talk with crew members away from the truck about pay, hours and problems they won't raise at the shop. Check that the crew leader's training sign-offs match who is on the crew, that the required safety gear is on the truck, and that the posted injury contact is current. Write up what you find and close each item with the operations manager.
The HR template lists site travel, outdoor settings and some lifting. What should the ad say?
Describe the tasks: driving to job sites now and then, walking properties with crew leaders over grass, curbs and parking lots, and lifting training materials and similar items, never more than the template says. The rest is office work at a computer and phone. Invite candidates to ask about changes that would help them do these tasks.
