Full Time Land and Livestock Manager in Waukesha, WI

Position Description

The Gwenyn Hill Farm Land and Livestock Manager is responsible for the day to day operations of organic field crop, organic dairy herd management, and pasture-based livestock production at Gwenyn Hill Farm. The Land and Livestock Manager supervises hourly and/or seasonal employees engaged in the care of livestock, production of row crops, or maintenance of farm facilities and equipment. The Land and Livestock Manager collaborates with custom operators and fellow Gwenyn Hill managers to plan crop rotations, fertility, harvests ,and sales of land and livestock products. The list of key accountabilities below is not exhaustive. The Land and Livestock Manager supports the overall success of Gwenyn Hill Farm by performing any additional duties assigned by the General Manager.

Reports to: This position reports to the Gwenyn Hill Farm General Manager.

Supervises: This position supervises the Land and Livestock Assistant.

Core Responsibilities

Crop Production

• Plant and care for row crops, small grains, pastures and hay.
• Plan diverse rotations using cover crops and organic soil building principles.
• Scout for pests and carry out organic control methods, including and especially, weed control.
• Coordinate with other farm personnel for primary spring and fall tillage and cover cropping in vegetable and fruit plantings.
• Select varieties and procure seeds appropriate for organic systems and markets.
• Develop and maintain appropriate record-keeping systems to comply with organic certification requirements.
• Procure organically allowable fertility inputs based on soil and/or tissue samples.
• Develop and implement harvest and transportation systems that comply with organic standards of recordkeeping and integrity.

Livestock Husbandry

• Direct regenerative grazing practices for multiple species and multiple markets (meat, wool and/or dairy).
• Maintain secure perimeter fence, gates and shelters.
• Plan, develop, and maintain quality animal housing for multiple species.
• Manage herds of multiple species for health, productivity and genetic improvement.
• Procure nutritional, sanitation and animal comfort inputs.
• Assure animal health – partner with appropriate veterinary professionals knowledgeable in pasture-based organic herd management.
• Develop and maintain record keeping systems for herd improvement and organic compliance.
• Oversee meat animal production from birth (or acquisition) to slaughter or sale.
• Support direct market development and meat market expectations through appropriate production methods and goals.

Supervision and Training

• Contribute to recruiting, hiring and evaluation of Land and Livestock team employees.
• Train, supervise, and provide feedback to Land and Livestock team employees.
• Lead team meetings, as needed.
• Conduct regular employee reviews and goal-setting plans.

Facilities Maintenance and Development

• Oversee the maintenance and repair of equipment, vehicles and facilities and keep associated records.
• Contribute to the planning and acquisition of appropriate technology.
• Oversee the maintenance on non-crop areas of the farm such as roadsides, farm access lanes, woodland and building sites.

Organizational Development

• Contribute to marketing development and mission / vision alignment.
• Remain competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses as required.
• Participate in the planning, preparation and execution of Gwenyn Hill Farm activities as a managerial team member.
• Participate in budget development for crops and livestock.

Performance Standards

The Land and Livestock Manager:

• exercises significant discretion on matters related to farming operations and must carry out responsibilities with minor supervision;
• sets priorities, manages time and completes tasks on time even during challenging conditions;
• excels at multitasking;
• communicates clearly, completely, collaboratively and respectfully.
• exhibits engagement and enthusiasm as demonstrated by effective contributions during planning and work tasks, including, but not limited to, the supervision of employees.
• demonstrates an understanding of safe machine operation and workplace safety.

Qualifications

Experience: A qualified Land and Livestock Manager should have experience in grass-based livestock production and organic crop production, preferably in a management capacity, in addition to experience operating and maintaining farm machinery. The ideal applicant qualifies as a mentor dairy grazier by having five or more years of successful grazing experience, or is a grazing apprentice graduate with three years experience.

Skills

• Animal husbandry for ruminants and poultry.
• Agronomic ability for row crops, small grains and forages. Familiarity with organic production practices are essential.
• Knowledge of Management Intensive Grazing (MIG) techniques.
• Experience in the operation and maintenance of farm machinery
• Competence with spreadsheets, word processing and presentation software, a basic understanding of social media and use of internet resources.
• Proficiency with oral and written communication both within the organization and with outside stakeholders.
• Be a productive team member.
• Exhibit the willingness to learn and implement best practices for diverse organic production and a wide variety of species husbandry.
• Satisfactory driving record and valid driver’s license

Salary, Location, and Benefits

This is a full-time, salaried position. The salary range for this position starts at $70,000.

This position also includes a new-construction, 3 bedroom brick farmhouse located at N3W29350 Bryn Drive, Waukesha, WI On-farm housing is a requirement and benefit of this position.

Three weeks of paid time-off in accordance with Gwenyn Hill’s PTO policy and a CSA vegetable or meat share (valued at approximately $50/month) are also included with this position.

To Apply

Send a resume and cover letter to careers@gwenynhill.com using the subject line “Land and Livestock Manager Application [Your Name]”.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and will be open until the position is filled. For best consideration, apply by August 1st, 2024.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $70,000.00 – $78,000.00 per year

Experience:

• Farming: 3 years (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Waukesha, WI 53188 (Preferred)

Ability to Relocate:

• Waukesha, WI 53188: Relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Work Location: In person