Arable Farm Manager

Redfox Executive Selection Ltd; Stowmarket; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading agricultural recruitment firm is seeking an experienced Arable Farm Manager to control a significant arable business in Stowmarket, England. You will manage strategies, financial performance, and operational excellence in a diversified farming enterprise. The ideal candidate has proven leadership experience in large-scale agricultural operations and is comfortable with compliance and people management. This role offers genuine influence over strategy and competitive remuneration for the right individual.

Benefits

Competitive remuneration

Autonomy and trust in decision-making

Influence over strategy and investment

Qualifications

• Proven leadership of operations exceeding 1,000 ha.
• Strong technical grounding in modern agricultural practices.
• Commercial acumen with experience in financial management.

Responsibilities

• Own and deliver the arable strategy aligned with board objectives.
• Manage budgets, forecasts, and financial performance.
• Drive operational excellence across cultivation and harvest.

Skills

Leadership of large-scale arable operations

Technical grounding in combinable crops

Budgeting and cost control

People management

Job description

We’re recruiting an Arable Farm Manager to take strategic and operational control of a well-invested, and significant arable business at the heart of a long-established, family-owned farming enterprise in Suffolk. Reporting directly to the Managing Director, you’ll have real autonomy, board-level exposure, and the mandate to shape the future of a large-scale arable operation integrated with livestock and contract farming activities.

The Opportunity

You’ll lead the arable enterprise end-to-end. From strategy and budgets through to crop performance, people leadership, and compliance, within a diversified business that values professionalism, long-term thinking, and doing things properly.

Cropping includes wheat, barley, sugar beet and oilseed rape, supported by modern machinery, robust systems, and a business that is financially stable, forward-looking and commercially very ambitious.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Owning and delivering the arable strategy, aligned with board objectives
• Managing budgets, forecasts, and financial performance
• Driving operational excellence across cultivation, drilling, crop protection, irrigation (where relevant) and harvest
• Embedding soil health, cover cropping, and environmental margins into profitable rotations
• Integrating arable and livestock operations to maximise nutrient use, straw value, and efficiency
• Leading, developing, and motivating an experienced arable team
• Managing contract farming relationships and delivering against agreed outcomes
• Ensuring full compliance with Red Tractor, H&S, and environmental regulation

What We’re Looking For

Essential

• Proven leadership of large‑scale arable operations (1,000 ha+)
• Strong technical grounding in combinable crops and modern systems
• Commercially sharp, with experience of budgeting and cost control
• Confident people manager with high standards
• Solid understanding of assurance schemes and compliance

Desirable

• Experience integrating livestock manures and nutrients into arable systems
• Contract farming or multi‑site management exposure
• Environmental stewardship and conservation delivery experience

The Person

You’re strategic but hands‑on. Commercial, organised, and calm under pressure. You value process, safety, and people — and you’re comfortable making decisions and being accountable for outcomes.

Why This Role?

• Senior position in a respected, multi‑enterprise farming business
• Genuine influence over strategy and investment
• Long‑term role with autonomy and trust
• Very competitive remuneration package for the right individual

Interested?

If you’re ready to step into a senior arable leadership role with real scope and responsibility, we would be very keen to hear from you