Farm Supervisor

Pacific AG Management, Inc•Wasco, CA

20h

About The Position

The Farm Supervisor maximizes efficiency across the organization’s farming operations by strategically planning cultural, irrigation, and equipment activities. The role coordinates, plans, and directs operations in designated farm units, ensuring personnel and equipment are capable of meeting company standards, maintaining operational quality, and reducing repair and maintenance needs. The Farm Supervisor works closely with company leadership and farm managers, serves as a technical advisor on operational issues, supports employee development, and participates in managing farm expenditures. The position requires an understanding of farm budgets, accounts payable, profit and loss, and working capital budgets. The role oversees day-to-day irrigation and cultural activities, orchard and equipment operations, work scheduling, equipment performance and maintenance coordination, safety compliance, records, and inventory. It also assists with harvest operations, employee hiring and training, and supervision of company and contract labor. The Farm Supervisor provides coaching and mentorship, responds to employee and operational issues, and collaborates with farm management, other departments, suppliers, and outside labor crews. The position works in both office and outdoor field environments. Office work is generally sedentary, while field work involves substantial standing and walking and may include exposure to dust, temperature extremes, chemicals, airborne particles or fumes, moving machinery, and potentially loud noise. The role includes operating vehicles and farm equipment and has physical demands that include repetitive hand and wrist movements and occasionally lifting up to 50 pounds.

Requirements

High school graduate or equivalent, or five years of progressively responsible field-supervision experience.
Fluent bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish, including reading, writing, speaking, and interpreting.
Valid California driver's license and a motor vehicle record acceptable under the company's auto-insurance guidelines.
Ability to make group presentations using PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.
Basic understanding and work experience with budgets, farm costing, profit and loss, and working capital.
Ability to learn job requirements and work under minimal supervision after initial training.
Ability to develop goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish work.
Ability to maintain current knowledge of applicable federal and state laws and regulations.
Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of company information.
Ability to travel regularly to ranch locations and safely operate motor vehicles and basic farm equipment.
Ability to work around bees without having an allergic reaction if stung.
Ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written form with business partners, supervisors, managers, peers, and subordinates.
Ability to use logic and reasoning to evaluate solutions and approaches to problems.
Reliability, responsibility, dependability, and ability to fulfill obligations.
Ability to work independently with little supervision and to develop one's own approach to completing work.
Willingness to lead, take charge, offer direction, and foster accountability, communication, and employee excellence.
Strong organizational and project-management skills and experience leading and managing people.
Ability to handle considerable variety and change in the workplace.
Ability to meet the stated physical demands, including regular reaching and hand and arm use; occasional standing, walking, climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and operating foot controls; repetitive wrist, hand, and finger movements; and lifting up to 50 pounds occasionally and 20 pounds frequently or constantly.
Ability to meet the role's communication and sensory demands, including speaking, hearing, close and distant vision, and detecting odors such as fumes and fumigation.

Nice To Haves

An associate or bachelor's degree in a related field.
Qualified Applicators Certification (QAL).

Responsibilities

Prioritize and oversee daily irrigation and cultural activities in the designated farm unit, coordinating work with farm crew leads and irrigation employees.
Monitor the timeliness and accuracy of irrigation, fertilization, and chemical application activities, ensure compliance with safety requirements, and report issues.
Calibrate and amend irrigation water, report the work as directed, implement water schedules, and monitor and report irrigation flow-meter readings.
Work with managers to assess weather and soil conditions and plan or adjust fertilizers, herbicides, irrigation, and cultural techniques.
Direct orchard equipment and general labor operations, including mowing, orchard floating, plowing, tree removal, soil amendment spreading, winter sanitation, sweeping, and almond harvesting.
Manage cultural production activities, including pruning, tying, poling, shredding, hedging, replanting, and pest and wildlife control.
Assist farm management in coordinating chemical field sprays, prioritizing timely application, tree health, and safety.
Organize and assist with farm-unit data collection as requested by farm managers.
Inventory farm equipment, inspect its function and operational quality, and request equipment or supplies as needed.
Demonstrate or explain work techniques, practices, and safety regulations to equipment and labor crews.
Communicate and follow cultural budgets; approve designated-farm timecards and material invoices.
Coordinate with farm managers and other departments to estimate labor needs, schedule work, obtain supplies and equipment, and report farm conditions, crop yields, breakdowns, labor problems, or employee issues.
Work with the Farm Manager and Equipment Supervisor to schedule equipment operations and ensure crew leads have current daily work schedules.
Verify the accuracy of crew-lead work reports.
Calibrate or learn to calibrate orchard and herbicide sprayers; set up and operate farm and almond-harvest equipment; and train others in equipment setup and operation.
Help forecast equipment and crew movements, schedule work, and coordinate safe crew travel and equipment movement.
Ensure equipment operations meet quality standards; oversee regular daily inspection sheets; and report repairs and maintenance to the shop, coordinating with maintenance personnel about service locations, repairs, and equipment availability.
Ensure adequate OSHA provisions for crews, including water, ice, restrooms, shade, rest areas, and eye-washing stations when needed.
Collaborate with the Fleet/Warehouse Supervisor to ensure personal protective equipment is available and meets OSHA standards.
Identify and report unsafe equipment or environmental conditions and stop work when hazardous conditions are identified.
Maintain the assigned geographic area in a safe, organized, and aesthetically pleasing condition and ensure company and vendor operations meet company standards.
Coordinate and assist with harvest as needed and perform subordinate agricultural duties when necessary.
Communicate schedule changes with the direct manager and customers, and assign daily work orders to foremen electronically and approve time electronically as needed.
Develop and maintain communication with management, outside resource agencies, and others whose work affects farm equipment operations.
Track daily equipment operations and inventory by job site, equipment type, and use; maintain records of work activities, including acres completed, spray rates, and incidents.
Ensure foremen follow safety standards, company policies, and state and federal regulatory procedures.
Work with the Farm Manager to determine work schedules and rest and meal periods for the division.
Assist with hiring, training, and supervision of company or contract labor; mentor and coach employees and outside labor crews.
Use independent judgment to prioritize farm and employee activities, enforce safety policies, identify inefficient or unsafe work, and initiate corrective action.
Request needed safety training and ensure employees, including new hires, have the appropriate training for their jobs.
Report employee problems and disciplinary issues and request staffing through the Farm Manager or Human Resources; promptly address employee issues, complaints, and time corrections.
Support company processes in the managed area, including agronomic support, billing and cost management, ranch-parts procurement, PPE, and timekeeping.
Collaborate with the Farming Manager and/or Human Resources on employee policies covering hiring, evaluations, wage adjustments, discipline, and termination.
Promptly report incidents involving people or equipment to the safety department and overseeing manager, including relevant details and photographs when appropriate.
Participate in yearly harvest operations and perform special projects and other assigned duties.