Farm Manager

Farm Manager

Possibly the most exciting Farm Manager role available in the UK.

If having just turned organic on 1,200 acres of farmland and permanent pasture, bringing farming operations in hand and our new herd of Pedigree Red Sussex cattle is not enough, then read on to discover why we need an excellent and ambitious Farm Manager to refine and deliver the next stages of our exciting farm and estate plan.

Wasing Estate has been in the same family for over 250 years and covers 3,500 acres of Berkshire countryside.  Over the years the estate has diversified to become, amongst other things, one of the leading exclusive use venues in the country, delivering weddings, events, retreats, festivals as well as numerous world-class fishing lakes.  The push to turn the farm organic over the past few years has been the key to unlocking our exciting future of creating a true “Estate to Plate” concept at the heart of everything we do, consciously focusing on sustainability and regeneration.

You would join us at a very exciting time and pivotal moment, able to review and refine the plans and put your stamp on them.  A background in and a passion for organic farming will be essential, as will the ability to work with multiple stakeholders, including our chef, venue managers and external facilitators.  The role will oversee the development and diversification of the farm in line with the estate’s ambitious plans which you will be able to help shape, they could include agroforestry, companion cropping, food processing and rewilding, amongst others.  Careful business planning, project management, the ability to adapt, endless creativity and a can-do attitude will also serve you well.

Key Responsibilities:

• Overall responsibility for 304ha of organic arable land, 174ha of organic permanent pasture and a pedigree Sussex suckler herd.
• Managing the woodland enterprise
• Accountability for the formulation a delivery of a medium and long term farm plan in conjunction with the wider estate plan.
• To identify ways that the farm can provide for its growing hospitality business.
• Formulation of farm enterprise budgets and reporting of farm progress and analysis to the business owner and estate CEO.
• Continual liaison with other departmental managers including finance, leisure and sporting.
• Management of full-time staff, agricultural contractors and related health, safety and training.
• Agronomic decision-making including arable crop rotation design, variety selection and weed control.
• Sourcing of inputs for the arable enterprise including seeds, fertilisers, organic manures etc.
• Record keeping for all enterprises using Gatekeeper, Greenlight and Excel software.
• Marketing of both crops and livestock, including the building of relationships with key customers.
• Management of the suckler herd enterprise including sourcing of inputs, liaison with veterinarians, integration of livestock into the arable enterprise and record keeping.
• Management of the estates permanent pasture and temporary grass leys including forage provision planning, weed control and grazing plans incorporating external sheep graziers.
• Management of BPS and CSS schemes, including the completion of BPS and Higher Tier CSS Revenue and Capital claims, including woodland works.   Monitoring and record keeping to ensure adherence to BPS and CSS scheme requirements.
• Carrying out all administration and attending inspections required for Soil Association, Pasture for Life and Red Tractor assurance schemes including continual monitoring of adherence to standards.
• Relief machinery operation including drilling, combining and management of grain store operations.
• To manage parkland trees, replanting programmes, which also include hedge, fence and ditch maintenance.
• Help oversee Estate security
• To manage Estate Public rights of way and permissive paths.

Contract: Permanent

Salary: Competitive, including profit related incentives

Accommodation:  Provided onsite

Closing Date: 25th January

To apply for this role, or for more information, please click the apply button or email emma@wasing.co.uk