Post Title: Farm Manager

Reporting to: Assistant Principal

Salary: Competitive salary and package reflecting your experience and skills including quality accommodation  

Status: Permanent, full time, 48 hours per week

Reaseheath College farm carries a high index 230 cow diary unit, youngstock, utilising both traditional rapid exit parlour and state of the art robotic milking technology, and a flock of 400 highlander breeding ewes. Forage crops include grass, forage maize and cereals for wholecrop, arable silage. The farm aspires to work to the highest of industry standards and best environmental and conservation practice.

Reaseheath College is one of the leading land-based Colleges in the country with an enviable reputation for quality and partnerships with industry. The College recruits the largest number of further education students studying Agriculture in the country. The college farm over the past few years has had major financial investment into its facilities, with further planned investment as part of the new Institute of Technology which will provide the latest precision and environmental technologies, robotics and data analytics, allowing exemplars of best industry practice as well as providing an excellent platform for skills and educational development. 

Reporting directly to the Assistant Principal of Land based education, the Farm Manager will be responsible for managing and developing all aspects of the farm business to ensure that full use is made of all available resources and that optimum profitability and industry credibility is achieved.

Each of the main farm enterprises has its own unit manager reporting to the Farm Manager. The Farm Manager is required to oversee all of the farming activities and manage the farm team ensuring that adequate staffing and skill levels are maintained at all times. Budgeting and financial monitoring of the farm business together with the implementation of LEAN management and precision farming is a key requirement.

In addition to the farming activities, the Farm Manager plays a key role in ensuring that the farm is central to student learning and he/she will liaise closely with curriculum staff to provide the best possible educational resources and hands on experience for students.

The successful candidate is expected to network and develop effective relationships within the industry to support the College’s knowledge exchange and transfer strategy. The post holder will be expected to work enthusiastically to promote the profile and reputation of the College.

The role requires willingness to engage actively and enthusiastically within the College and show a flare for working with students, educational staff, farmers and the wider industry. It is also important to achieve highest standards in respect of health and safety, equality and diversity, safeguarding and child protection matters.

Please note that this role will require an Enhanced DBS with barred list information prior to starting employment. You must have the right to work in the UK and will be required to provide evidence to support this.