A Southern Maine farm is seeking a Director of Farm Operations to manage and work alongside a large staff including long-time employees and seasonal volunteers. The position will be expected to actively participate in all day-to-day activities with employees in addition to applicable administration work. The right candidate will be production driven, but also socially engaged and excited about working with diverse groups of people.
The Position
The successful candidate will work closely with the President/CEO as well as other directors and department managers to implement and carry out the mission of the Farm. Create a seasonal and long-term farm plans while managing time and staffing to efficiently meet production requirements. The right person will enjoy a mentor-ship period alongside current leadership with the goal of transitioning into the Director of Farm Operations. The candidate should be ready to make a multi-year commitment to our organization.
Specific Responsibilities
- Maintain steady harvest flow for all markets, restaurant and wholesale orders
- Ensure consistent and timely harvests of quality produce
- Help with post-harvest processing as needed
- Communicate with sales and distribution staff
- Assist the Produce Manager to Create and submit to President a detailed annual crop plan including rotations, planting map, greenhouse seeding, seed inventory, and plant and seed orders
- Oversee the duties of the Produce Manager including: proper seed inventory/ordering and manage propagation; soil maintenance & health, weed management & cultivation, monitoring for pests and disease, irrigation
- Oversee the duties of the Dairy Manager including: Manage employee/ Apprentices as needed, Maintain accurate record keeping for herds and performance, Maintain herd health and productivity, monitor milking for quality and procedure, oversee breeding & kidding; Prepare farm for state and federal inspections
- Maintain all sites in a clean and orderly fashion
- Address theft and vandalism
- Maintenance of all farm equipment and facilities, supervision of repair and maintenance work
- Maintain accurate records of all farm activities
Staff Management
- Supervise weekly work schedules for farm site and market staff
- Adjust work flow to fit the needs of the farm and staff availability
- With other managers, help plan staff retreats, staff meetings, staff parties, and monthly workshops
- Oversee the work of the sales manager, Farm Supervisors and farm staff
- Ensure that Distribution Coordinator and Farm Supervisors have information, tools, supplies and support to do their jobs effectively
- Create opportunities for staff recognition and appreciation
- Encourage capacity building in all staff members to further organizational development and help staff realize their full potential
- Participate in on-farm training for staff
- Provide support to staff when needed and keep informed of staff well-being, needs, and concerns
Other
- Perform tours or other farm-related public activities as needed
- Work with community partners to support programming for staff members
- With President and other directors, participate in budget planning for current and future years
- Lead and/or work with team members in the development of all existing properties and the acquisition/design/implementation of new properties/locations
- Develop and oversee an effective plan for product distribution and sourcing
- Oversee the management of multiple retail and farm locations
- Work directly with NRCS, USDA and other community partners to ensure the success of the team, utilizing all available resources efficiently
- Uphold company/team values and mission
- Supervise the hiring and training of staff as required.
Requirements
- Minimum of 3+ years of agricultural production experience, with at least one year in a leadership role
- Experience in Livestock, dairy and/or egg/meat production a plus
- Demonstrated understanding of sustainable and organic produce production
- Experience with irrigation, basic farm tools/equipment, and basic mechanics/plumbing/carpentry skills
- Strong organizational skills including: multi-tasking, prioritizing, planning, and effective time management
- Motivated, flexible and able to work independently
- Fluency in written and spoken English
- Demonstrated experience working with diverse populations a plus
- Valid driver’s license and ability to drive manual transmission and larger vehicles
- Access to computer and phone
- Be in excellent physical condition and able to lift 50 lbs
- Patient and compassionate, a good sense of humor and excellent interpersonal skills.
This is a full-time position with opportunity for extension. Workflow will vary according to operational requirements. Must be available to work weekends and occasional evenings. Salary commensurate with experience includes two weeks paid vacation and discounts on farm products.
Please send resume, cover letter and three work related references to info@fieldsofzion.org. Please include Director of Farm Operations in the subject line of the email. Applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate has been identified. Compensation for this position is: salaried, varies DOE, $40,000.00 – $60,000.00