Vegetable Crop Operations Manager

Top Choice Produce Vegetable Operations Manager Job Description

Top Choice Produce is a diversified farm operation growing pumpkins, sweet corn, watermelons, peppers, and squash in Connersville, IN. We strive to implement progressive farming practices and work towards providing the highest quality products to our customers. Our top priorities are our landowners, customers, team members, and the sound stewardship of the land we operate.

Join our team of innovative producers in specialty crop agriculture.

In this role as Vegetable Operations Manager, you will be responsible for managing multiple aspects of the planning, production, harvest, packing, and shipping of multiple vegetable crops. This is an opportunity for an individual that thrives at being a working manager. You will be expected to work with and supervise multiple working crews, some of which speak Spanish.

Essential Job Functions

• Safely and efficiently operate all farm machinery including planting, harvest, and application equipment.
• Correctly operate spray equipment to ensure that crop protectants are appropriately applied.
• Accurately manage irrigation systems and applications of fertilizers on all crops.
• Work in a fast-paced packing facility to ensure product is sorted, packaged, and shipped to customer specifications.
• Coordinate and manage working crews to accomplish necessary tasks each day.
• Oversee the season-long crop health and meet production quotas.
• Establish SOPs and KPIs for planting, irrigating, and harvesting of all crops.
• Maintain key documentation pertaining to all aspects of operations, both digital and hand written.
• Willing to work 7 days a week with extended hours during the production and shipping season.
• Continually work with owners to find ways to improve operations, gain productivity and reduce costs.
• Assist in all areas of the operations depending on the need.
• Interact with all customers, stakeholders, and employees with professionalism and integrity.

Qualifications – This is a partial list of the knowledge and abilities need to acquire this position. We work with all employees to provide training and guidance where needed.

• Communicate effectively with owners, managers, and other employees.
• Ability to adapt to changes, unexpected events, and weather-related issues.
• Possess the ability to lead by example and treat all others with respect.
• Willingness to work with others from different cultures.
• Experience in production agriculture is preferred but not necessary.
• Experience in specialty crop agriculture is preferred but not necessary.
• Experience in speaking Spanish is preferred but not necessary.
• Must be able to pass a drug test.
• An Indiana pesticide applicators license will be required after hire.

More detailed jobs

• Plan and procure supplies for all irrigations systems
• Plan irrigation and implement all irrigation and fertiligation schedules
• Procure and implement plans for plastic
• Manage seed and plant program
• Develop plan for evaluation and ordering of all needed vegetable seed
• Review with owners and procure needed seed
• Develop schedules for plant of all seeds and plants
• Order plants from supplier

• Be the direct contact on all production food safety aspects
• Work with owner to develop crop plan
• Develop plans for packaging supply procurement
• Evaluate current packaging plans and costs
• Order and manage inventory of all packaging products

• Work with ownership to improve all packing and shipping processes
• Manage packing lines for reduced costs and improved quality control and efficiency

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $35,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Paid time off

Schedule:

• 10 hour shift
• Weekend availability

Supplemental pay types:

• Bonus pay

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Connersville, IN: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Education:

• High school or equivalent (Required)

Experience:

• Farming: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: One location

Salary : $35,000 - $75,000