Assistant or Junior Working Farm Manager

FarmWell; England; Remote; GBP 22,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Accommodation

Vehicle: Farm truck for work use

Career development: ongoing training

Job summary

FarmWell in Norfolk is seeking an enthusiastic Assistant/Junior Working Farm Manager to join a 1,400ha farming operation. You will work closely with the Farms Director, balancing practical day-to-day farming with staff management and the commercial side of the business.

The role offers a clear pathway into Farm Manager over the coming years, with learning opportunities, real responsibility from the outset and the chance to shape the role as you develop.

Qualifications

• Experience in arable or vegetable farming.
• Good communication, organisational and numerical skills.
• An interest in the commercial side of farming, alongside the practical knowledge to get stuck in.
• The confidence to work with staff, contractors and agronomists.
• A willingness to take on responsibility, ask questions and bring fresh ideas.

Responsibilities

• Farm operations: helping organise fieldwork from cultivations and drilling through to spraying and harvesting.
• Cropping and planning: supporting rotations, deciding what goes where and coordinating cropping enterprises.
• Staff management: helping organise the farm team, self-employed staff and contractors.
• Agronomy and crop inputs: liaising with agronomists and helping manage fertiliser requirements, crop protection and crop performance.
• Irrigation: getting involved with the farm's irrigation system and ensuring it's used effectively.
• Budgets and administration: supporting budgets, farm records and agricultural schemes including SFI.
• Business development: bringing new ideas to improve efficiency and performance.

Skills

Practical farming

Staff management

Commercial mindset

Communication skills

Numerical skills

Education

Agricultural degree

Job description

I'm working with a progressive, family-run farming business in Norfolk to find an enthusiastic Assistant/Junior Working Farm Manager to join its 1,400ha operation.

This is a great opportunity for someone who's ready to take the next step in their farming career, with a genuine pathway into a Farm Manager position over the next few years.

You'll work closely with the Farms Director, getting involved in everything from practical day-to-day farming and crop planning to staff management and the commercial side of the business. There's plenty to learn, real responsibility from the outset and the opportunity to shape the role as you develop.

The Role

With a varied rotation of arable and fresh produce, there's plenty to get stuck into.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Farm operations: Helping organise fieldwork, from cultivations and drilling through to spraying and harvesting, as well as getting out on the machinery when needed.
• Cropping and planning: Supporting rotations, deciding what goes where and coordinating the different cropping enterprises.
• Staff management: Helping organise the farm team, self-employed staff and contractors.
• Agronomy and crop inputs: Liaising with agronomists and helping manage fertiliser requirements, crop protection and overall crop performance.
• Irrigation: Getting involved with the farm's extensive irrigation system and helping ensure it's used effectively.
• Budgets and administration: Supporting budgets, farm records and agricultural schemes, including SFI.
• Business development: Bringing new ideas to the table and identifying opportunities to improve the efficiency and performance of the business.

The balance between practical work and management will depend on your experience and strengths. You will work closely with the Farms Director and the aim is to give you the support to learn, the responsibility to develop and the opportunity to progress.

About You

This role could suit someone a few years out of university with an agricultural degree who's keen to put their knowledge into practice, or someone who's spent the last few years working on farm and is ready to take a step up.

You don't need to be the finished article. What's important is that you're enthusiastic, practical and keen to learn, with the ambition to build a long‑term career in farm management.

You'll ideally have:

• Experience in arable or vegetable farming.
• Good communication, organisational and numerical skills.
• An interest in the commercial side of farming, alongside the practical knowledge to get stuck in.
• The confidence to work with staff, contractors and agronomists.
• A willingness to take on responsibility, ask questions and bring fresh ideas.

Irrigation experience would be a bonus, but it's not essential.

What's on Offer?

• Salary: Negotiable depending on experience.
• Accommodation
• Vehicle: Farm truck for work use.
• Career development: Ongoing training, support and opportunities to broaden your experience.
• Industry exposure: Opportunities to attend agricultural events, conferences and networking opportunities to build your knowledge and connections.
• Progression: A genuine opportunity to develop into a Farm Manager position over the next few years.

You'll be working directly alongside the Farms Director, learning the ins and outs of running a diverse farming business. As your experience grows, so will your responsibilities, with the opportunity to take on more of the management and strategic side of the operation.

It's a business that wants to invest in the right person and help them progress, rather than expecting them to arrive as the finished article.