Orchard Operations Manager

Agri Talent Pty; Griffith; On-site; AUD 160,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Toyota Hilux

Job summary

Agri Talent Pty is seeking an experienced agricultural operations leader to take ownership of a substantial regional business. You will lead across multiple orchards, drive performance, and ensure financial accountability while upholding safety and quality standards.

Based in NSW, you will travel to sites, manage budgets, translate objectives into actionable plans, and collaborate with central agronomy, procurement and processing teams to deliver strong production economics and long-term asset

Qualifications

• Substantial background managing large-scale agricultural operations with direct accountability for production outcomes.
• Demonstrated P&L and budget management experience in an agricultural context, including cost control, variance analysis and financial reporting.
• Proven ability to lead through managers: setting clear expectations, monitoring execution, following up and addressing performance constructively.
• Strong results orientation and execution discipline - a track record of turning plans into measurable outcomes.
• Experience with permanent plantings, tree crops or intensive irrigated horticulture (e.g. citrus, avocados, macadamias, nuts) is advantageous, though not mandatory
• Understanding of the full crop-to-processing chain, including harvest logistics, product quality and downstream commercial requirements
• Sound judgement, personal integrity and a genuine commitment to safety and operating consistently with organisational values

Responsibilities

• Lead Orchard Managers, accountable for operational execution across both properties, establishing a consistent cadence of reviews, reporting and performance follow-through
• Develop and manage annual operating budgets, report against the regional P&L, monitor expenditure variances and drive cost discipline across controllable cost lines
• Drive, quality, yield and productivity improvement - managing cost per kilogram and overall production economics
• Translate business objectives into clear operating plans and priorities, spending a minimum of three to four days per week across the orchards to verify execution on the ground
• Coordinate orchard readiness, harvest execution and delivery to processing, ensuring harvesting, shaking, collection and quality standards are met end to end
• Work collaboratively with the central agronomy team to implement technical recommendations operationally, and liaise with procurement and processing teams on production and quality requirements

Skills

Leadership

P&L Management

Budgeting

People Leadership

Results Orientation

Irrigated Horticulture

Safety & Integrity

Job description

Job Description

YOUR EMPLOYER Our client is a large, vertically integrated global agribusiness with 15,000 hectares of irrigated almond operations across Victoria and New South. The business operates with centralised technical, agronomy, procurement and infrastructure support, giving its operational leaders access to genuine resources and capital backing. Almonds are the core commodity focus, and the NSW operations represent a significant and maturing asset base with real productive potential. Drainage remediation and infrastructure works are underway, and the business is investing in improving long-term performance. Griffith sits at the heart of one of Australia's most productive irrigated horticulture regions, offering a strong regional community, affordable lifestyle and well-established services.

THE ROLE

• Lead Orchard Managers, accountable for operational execution across both properties, establishing a consistent cadence of reviews, reporting and performance follow-through
• Develop and manage annual operating budgets, report against the regional P&L, monitor expenditure variances and drive cost discipline across controllable cost lines
• Drive, quality, yield and productivity improvement - managing cost per kilogram and overall production economics
• Translate business objectives into clear operating plans and priorities, spending a minimum of three to four days per week across the orchards to verify execution on the ground
• Coordinate orchard readiness, harvest execution and delivery to processing, ensuring harvesting, shaking, collection and quality standards are met end to end
• Work collaboratively with the central agronomy team to implement technical recommendations operationally, and liaise with procurement and processing teams on production and quality requirements
• Identify operational inefficiencies, prepare evidence-based business cases for capital investment and support the completion of drainage remediation and other approved infrastructure works

ABOUT YOU

You're an experienced agricultural operations leader who has run large, complex enterprises with real financial accountability. You lead through people, follow through on commitments and hold your teams to agreed standards. Whether your background is in tree crops, irrigated horticulture or broadscale irrigated farming, you understand that operational discipline and commercial results go hand in hand - and you're ready to take ownership of a substantial regional business.

• Substantial background managing large-scale agricultural operations with direct accountability for production outcomes
• Demonstrated P&L and budget management experience in an agricultural context, including cost control, variance analysis and financial reporting
• Proven ability to lead through managers: setting clear expectations, monitoring execution, following up and addressing performance constructively
• Strong results orientation and execution discipline - a track record of turning plans into measurable outcomes.
• Experience with permanent plantings, tree crops or intensive irrigated horticulture (e.g. citrus, avocados, macadamias, nuts) is advantageous, though not mandatory
• Understanding of the full crop-to-processing chain, including harvest logistics, product quality and downstream commercial requirements
• Sound judgement, personal integrity and a genuine commitment to safety and operating consistently with organisational values

THE BENEFITS

This role offers a combination of genuine leadership scope, financial reward and regional lifestyle that is difficult to find in a single position. You'll have real P&L ownership over a substantial agricultural asset, backed by central technical, agronomy and capital support. The Griffith region provides an established, affordable base in the heart of irrigated horticulture country, with a strong community and the services that come with a well-developed regional centre.

F Base salary of $160,000-175,000 plus superannuation Tool-of-trade Toyota Hilux provided for work across both properties.