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Working Farm Manager

Employer
Ranston Farms
Location
North Dorset
Salary
Competitive Salary
Closing date
2 Jul 2024

Working Farm Manager

The Role

Ranston Farms is looking for an energetic and ambitious Working Farm Manager to join our forward-looking farming business in North Dorset. The right candidate will technologically minded, demonstrate the ability to run the farming enterprise whilst being practically minded enough to roll their sleeves up and get involved in operations themselves.

The role will be primarily responsible for all arable farming across around 2,500 acres, split between its in-hand and client contracted field work.

Reporting directly to the owners, the successful candidate will have experience of machinery management and maintenance, field operations, grain store management, spraying, and record keeping. Agronomy experience would be a bonus. This role works closely alongside our Executive Officer who oversees accounting, property management and overall business performance.

The owners of the business are a forward-looking family who embrace change and are prepared to experiment with new techniques. Previous farm trials have included experiments with 5G technology aligned to our sister full fibre broadband business, and the farm is in both a Mid-Tier Stewardship scheme and active SFI scheme. We are looking for a candidate who is grounded enough to run day to day operations efficiently, but ambitious enough to feed in their ideas for new farming ideas and continuous improvements.

Responsibilities

  • Managing and developing the arable farming business, including implementing new technology and working with emerging farming practices
  • Run field operations, machinery management, crop production and management.
  • Day to day management of farm staff
  • Manage grain drying and storage, liaise with the wider team to run grain movement logistics and purchasing of inputs
  • Contribute to an ambitious strategy for optimisation of environmental and natural capital projects using emerging grants, subsidies and commercial trades. This may involve working alongside local and national environmental groups to maximise the impact of our projects for the estate and its clients
  • Input into the management of the grazing of 450 acres of low input grassland
  • Reporting to business owners against agreed objectives
  • Other estate management tasks as reasonably required from time to time

Background / Skill Requirements

  • Previous experience of arable farm management (even if under a senior manager)
  • Full UK Driving Licence
  • Experience of modern farm technology & software
  • Experience working to a budget and controlling costs
  • Machinery minded attitude and understanding of servicing and maintenance of modern farm equipment.
  • Knowledge of / interest in new SFI and natural capital options a bonus
  • Good knowledge of compliance and farm health and safety
  • Basis qualified sprayer operator a bonus
  • Ability to work with and motivate colleagues/team members

Salary: The salary will reflect experience and be adjusted to include/exclude estate house if required. All applications will be treated with strictest confidence.

Role: Type: Full Time/Permanent – desired start within period of Sept - Nov 2024 (early 25 at v. latest)

Hours: 45 hours per week, Monday – Friday but hours will vary according to time of year, and you will be expected to undertake the hours needed to fulfil the role

Holiday: 21 days plus bank holidays to be taken at appropriate times of the year with prior approval

Benefits: Dedicated estate vehicle for use at work, insurances including private health, death in service and income protection (insurances are opt in, reviewed on annual basis and some may require modest employee contribution). Additional day’s holiday per year in service up to additional 4 days.

Please send covering letter and CV to: admin@ranston.co.uk

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