Regenerative Organic Farming

Position: Farm Manager
Farm: The New Farm Centre
Term: full-time, year-round, starting in April, 2025

Location: Creemore, Ontario
Housing: Not on-farm. Nearby: Creemore, Stayner, Collingwood, Alliston, Barrie, Shelburne, Orangeville (map)

The New Farm Centre seeks an experienced, dynamic and detail-oriented Farm Manager to oversee the daily vegetable and livestock farm operations. The Farm Manager oversees all farm production, sales, relationships, and staff on a busy regenerative organic farm. Reporting to the Chief of Farm Operations and Policy, the Farm Manager is responsible for successful farm plantings, harvests, and sales as well as ensuring adherence to safety protocols and managing the farm budget. They play a key role in determining vegetable crop mix, livestock, regenerative strategies, and farm business strategies for each growing season. This position requires deep knowledge of regenerative agriculture and farming techniques, experience running or managing a farm business, effective leadership and management skills, and the ability to collaborate with partners and stakeholders. The Farm Manager supervises two full-time staff and six seasonal employees. This is a full-time, year-round position.

The New Farm is a Regenerative Organic Certified farm with 20 acres of premium-quality salad greens, cucumbers, and other vegetables, as well as pastured cattle, pigs, and poultry. It is also the foundational program and a social enterprise of The New Farm Centre, a registered charity dedicated to developing, demonstrating and advocating for a regenerative farming system that mitigates climate change, fosters healthy ecosystems and communities, and improves farmer livelihoods. We operate grant-funded charitable programs and revenue-generating social enterprise programs, including the farm.

Responsibilities:

• Farm Operations
  • Manage and supervise the activities of farm employees
    • Manage 2 full-time and 6 seasonal farm staff, including training and supervising staff, conducting training sessions, and overseeing work performance
    • Manage and track seasonal farm worker paperwork
  • Develop and implement farm planting and harvesting plans, cover crop planting and management, and rotational grazing plans
  • Supervise farm crew in planting, harvesting, shipping and packing
  • Lead animal integration and the care of livestock on the farm
  • Conduct routine maintenance and repair of equipment and machinery
  • Oversee maintenance and upkeep of facilities
  • Manage regular hoop house, irrigation, and livestock needs and find staff coverage when away
  • Plan and order supplies and equipment
  • Troubleshoot problems and challenges, including in growing and production, sales and distribution, and equipment and infrastructure
  • Implement and maintain farm budgets, often involving multiple grants and funding sources
  • Manage and maintain Regenerative Organic Certification, GAP certification, and other regulatory compliance
  • Research appropriate and applicable regenerative growing techniques for use on the farm
  • Plan and implement regenerative approaches on the farm (i.e. cover crop mixes, animal integration, etc)

• Farm Sales, Business, and Relationships
  • Develop and implement farm sales and business plans
  • Estimate time and resource requirements for farm projects, and formulate comprehensive farm project plans
  • Manage client relationships and ordering, including with restaurants, wholesalers, and good food organizations
  • Generate new sales and business opportunities, with a focus on mission alignment and revenue generation to support charitable programming
  • Manage grants in compliance with organizational and sponsor requirements
  • Measure and report on farm impact, production, and profitability
• Experiential Education
  • Present on vegetable and animal production during farm tours, providing educational information about our production methods and environmental impact
• Regenerative Transition Support
  • Contribute to the development of programming to support other area farmers in regenerative transition

Qualifications:

Regenerative and Organic Farming:

• Minimum five years experience working on diversified organic / regenerative farms, including regenerative or organic vegetable production and livestock management
• Experience operating and maintaining farm machinery and basic construction
• Proven problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities, with the capacity to adapt to changing project requirements

Management and Planning

• Minimum three years experience in a management position, including staff recruitment, training, and performance evaluation
• Strong organizational planning and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
• Attention to detail and commitment to maintaining accuracy in project documentation and reporting
• Ability to plan annual business operations

Financial Management and Sales

• Financial management skills, including budgeting, financial reporting, and grant management
• Experience with invoicing and managing customer accounts
• Sales experience, including excellent verbal communication and customer relations skills.

Other

• Comfortable with public speaking, leading farm tours and advocating for regenerative agriculture
• Spanish language skills are strongly preferred
• Excellent organizational skills
• Proficient in Google Workspace and Quickbooks Online (invoicing)
• Physically fit and able to meet the physical demands of farming
• Valid drivers license
• Legally able to work in Canada

Position Details:

This position is a full-time, year-round position starting in April, 2025.

Average work hours of 50 hours per week in the growing season, with some weekend work required. Hours in excess of 40 hours/week from the growing season can be taken as time off in lieu in the winter months.

Working Environment: Primarily on-farm work in person, with some off-season and in-season office work. Requires daily fieldwork and exposure to outdoor elements or temperature extremes. Requires an ability to safely operate machinery, equipment, and work with animals, which may involve an increased risk of injury.

Compensation: $85,000 annual salary, access to health and dental benefits, matching GRSP contributions, 4 weeks paid vacation and a 2 week winter shutdown.

How to Apply:

If you are an experienced farmer who is ready for a challenging, long-term and secure position on an innovative farm, please send a detailed cover letter and resume in an email with the subject line: Farm Manager Application to: sophie@thenewfarm.ca by February 3, 2025 at 9am EST.

If you require accommodation for the job application process, please contact sophie@thenewfarm.ca .

Please mention you saw this at GoodWork.ca.

Applications will be assessed as they are received, so please apply as soon as possible. No phone calls or in-person applications please.

While we will do our best to respond to all candidates, we may only be able to notify candidates who are selected for an interview.

The New Farm Centre is working to create belonging, equity, and justice in our organization and work. We encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, women, LGBTQIA2S+ and persons with disabilities and strive to create an inclusive workplace. We value diverse perspectives and will consider relevant life experience alongside professional qualifications when reviewing applications.