Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Florist

🎯 Role Definition

A Florist (Floral Designer) plans, sources, creates and sells floral arrangements for retail customers, weddings, corporate events and funerals. This role combines plant care and horticultural knowledge with creative design, sales, and operations management. The florist is responsible for conditioning and arranging flowers, advising customers on style and care, managing inventory and suppliers, and ensuring on-time delivery and installation for events. Strong customer service, creative portfolio development, and basic business and inventory skills are essential.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Floral Assistant / Floral Clerk
Retail Sales Associate (with interest in floral design)
Nursery or greenhouse assistant

Advancement To:

Senior Floral Designer
Shop Manager / Store Lead (Retail Florist)
Event Floral Director / Lead Installation Designer

Lateral Moves:

Wedding or Event Planner
Visual Merchandiser / Store Designer
Wholesale floral buyer / Supplier relations

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Consult with retail customers and event clients to assess needs, theme, budget and timeline, then produce written estimates, itemized proposals and visual mock-ups for bouquets, centerpieces, arches and installations.
Design and construct high-quality bouquets, bridal arrangements, corsages, boutonnieres, table centerpieces and large-scale event installations using seasonal materials and according to client specifications.
Source, inspect and condition fresh cut flowers, foliage and plant materials on delivery; perform stem cutting, hydration, recutting, floral food application and refrigerated storage to maximize vase life and quality.
Maintain and manage daily inventory of cut flowers, potted plants, floral supplies, mechanics (wires, tape, foam alternatives), containers and packaging; perform regular stock counts and report reorder needs to minimize waste.
Place and manage purchase orders with local growers and wholesale suppliers; negotiate pricing, monitor product quality, track delivery schedules and maintain supplier relationships.
Prepare and package retail purchases and online orders for pickup and delivery, ensuring secure wrapping, moisture retention and presentation consistency.
Oversee calendar of event bookings and production timelines; coordinate timelines with team members, delivery drivers and third-party venues to ensure on-time setup and teardown.
Lead on-site installations for weddings, corporate events and memorial services: transport materials, assemble structures, secure arrangements at venues and perform post-event breakdown and cleanup.
Price floral products and services using consistent costing methods that account for materials, labor, delivery and overhead; ensure margins meet shop financial targets.
Maintain floral demonstration area, samples and portfolio (digital and physical) to support sales; photograph designs for marketing, website and social media use.
Train and supervise junior florists, floral assistants and seasonal staff on design techniques, flower care, safety, cash handling and customer service best practices.
Implement and follow health, safety and sanitation protocols for knife and tool safety, refrigeration, chemical handling (preservatives), and disposal of compostable and non-compostable waste.
Monitor and control shop environment (refrigeration temperatures, humidity, light exposure) to extend inventory life and reduce spoilage; troubleshoot refrigeration or climate issues quickly.
Manage point-of-sale (POS) transactions, process custom orders, maintain customer records and follow up on special orders, deliveries and client satisfaction.
Create and maintain production schedules for peak periods (Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, holidays) including manpower planning, advance ordering and contingency procedures.
Develop and implement seasonal merchandising and window displays to drive walk-in traffic and reflect current trends; rotate product displays to maximize freshness and sales.
Coordinate delivery logistics: route planning, vehicle loading, item securement, and timely courier assignments while maintaining product integrity in transit.
Participate in community outreach and partnerships (bridal shows, farmers markets, corporate collaborations) to generate leads, partnerships and repeat business.
Keep accurate records for budgets, purchases, labor hours and job costs; prepare basic invoices and budgets for larger event projects and proposals.
Research and experiment with new floral techniques, sustainable alternatives (compostable supplies, reusable mechanics) and trending design styles to keep product offering current and competitive.
Provide aftercare guidance to customers (watering, trimming, floral food) and handle post-sale issues or complaints professionally to ensure satisfaction and repeat business.

Secondary Functions

Assist with daily shop opening and closing procedures, cleaning, polishing vases and maintaining workspace organization and tool sanitation.
Support marketing by producing short-form content (photos, captions) for social media and e-commerce listings; tag products with SEO-friendly descriptions.
Cross-train to cover cashier, phone order and basic bookkeeping tasks during staff shortages or peak seasons.
Participate in and sometimes lead in-store workshops and community classes to drive revenue and customer engagement.
Help plan and execute seasonal promotions, loyalty programs and gift bundling strategies to increase average ticket size.
Maintain delivery vehicle cleanliness and basic checks (fuel, tire pressure); schedule professional maintenance as needed.
Monitor shop KPIs (sales per hour, average order value, spoilage rates) and present observations to the shop manager to improve profitability.
Handle light administrative duties: answer customer emails, confirm bookings, update project timelines and collect client signatures where required.
Support sustainability initiatives by tracking composting, recycling and donation of unsellable plant material.
Assist in product sourcing research to identify new containers, suppliers and materials consistent with brand aesthetics and cost targets.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Floral design techniques: bouquet construction, wiring, taping, corsage and boutonniere assembly, hand-tied and wired arrangements.
Conditioning and post-harvest flower care: recutting stems, hydration solutions, refrigeration best practices and vase life extension.
Event installation skills: large-scale installation assembly, structural mechanics, rigging basics and on-site problem-solving.
Flower and plant identification: seasonal availability, stem grades, cut-flower varieties and foliage selection.
Inventory management: ordering, receiving, stock rotation (FIFO), shrink control and tracking perishables.
Pricing and cost estimation: calculating material, labor, delivery and overhead costs to produce accurate quotes.
Basic POS, order management and CRM systems used in retail flower shops and e-commerce (Square, Lightspeed, Bloomerang or similar).
Photography and basic photo editing skills for portfolio images and e-commerce product listings.
Knowledge of safe chemical handling: preservatives, safe use of floral adhesives and disposal of foam and other non-biodegradable materials.
Vehicle loading and delivery best practices to protect arrangements in transit; basic driving experience with light commercial vans.

Soft Skills

Creative visual design sense and strong attention to detail to translate client briefs into beautiful, consistent arrangements.
Excellent verbal and written communication for consultations, quotes, client follow-ups and vendor negotiations.
Customer-focused salesmanship and active listening to upsell appropriately and manage expectations.
Time management and the ability to prioritize multiple orders and projects under tight deadlines.
Team leadership and training aptitude when supervising assistants and coordinating production teams.
Problem-solving mindset and calmness under pressure during high-volume days and event setups.
Physical stamina and dexterity for standing, lifting (moderate loads), repetitive hand work and fine motor tasks.
Adaptability to seasonal demand swings, last-minute changes and evolving design trends.
Organizational skills for maintaining tidy workspaces, clear schedules and accurate order records.
Professionalism and discretion when working at private events, bereavement services or high-profile client installations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent.

Preferred Education:

Certificate or diploma in floral design, floriculture, horticulture, or a related creative arts program.
Coursework or continuing education in event design, business/retail management or plant science.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Floriculture / Floral Design
Horticulture / Plant Science
Visual Arts / Design
Event Management / Hospitality
Retail or Small Business Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–5 years in retail floristry, event floral production, nursery or related plant/flower handling roles.

Preferred:

2–4 years as a floral designer with demonstrated portfolio of wedding, event and retail work.
Experience supervising staff, managing supplier relationships and handling large event installations.
Proven track record of meeting sales targets, controlling spoilage and executing timely deliveries.