Irrigation Team Leader

Agricultural and Farming Jobs; England; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A specialist recruitment firm is seeking an Irrigation Team Leader to manage and optimize irrigation systems across a farming operation. The ideal candidate should have proven experience with irrigation, strong leadership skills, and competency in relevant software. Responsibilities include managing both automated and manual irrigation systems, leading a team, and ensuring compliance with regulations. This full-time position may require extended hours during peak seasons and demands a passion for agriculture and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Experience working with irrigation systems, ideally in soft/stone fruit production.
• Motivated to develop management and leadership skills.
• Flexible to work weekends during peak growing periods.

Responsibilities

• Manage automated and manual irrigation systems.
• Implement and monitor fertigation programmes.
• Conduct regular inspections and repairs of irrigation systems.
• Lead and supervise irrigation technicians and farm workers.
• Ensure compliance with food safety and biosecurity requirements.

Skills

Proven experience with irrigation systems

Strong communication and leadership skills

Highly organised with attention to detail

Competent using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Education

NVQ Level 2 or equivalent qualification

Tools

Priva irrigation systems

Muddy Boots Farm Management Software

Job description

Job Role Details

You will be responsible for the day-to-day management, operation, and optimisation of all irrigation and fertigation systems across the farming operation. Working closely with the Farm Manager and wider management team, you will ensure crops receive precise and timely water and nutrient applications while developing your capability as a people manager and operational leader. This role is suited to an experienced irrigation team leader or an irrigation technician, senior operative, or supervisor who is ready to step up into a first-line management position, combining hands-on technical delivery with increasing responsibility for team leadership, planning, and decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage automated and manual irrigation systems including drip systems and sprinklers to meet crop-specific hydration requirements.
• Implement and monitor fertigation programmes including managing Electrical Conductivity (EC) and pH levels.
• Carry out regular inspections, maintenance, troubleshooting, and repairs of pumps, valves, filters, lines, and control systems.
• Conduct daily crop walks and soil moisture assessments, adjusting irrigation schedules based on crop growth stage and climatic conditions.
• Lead, train, and supervise irrigation technicians and general farm workers, producing work plans and schedules and ensuring procedures are followed.
• Maintain accurate records of irrigation activities, water usage, fertigation inputs, and maintenance logs.
• Ensure full compliance with food safety, health & safety, and biosecurity requirements, maintaining audit-ready documentation.
• Take ownership of new irrigation projects and work with the wider management team to drive improvements in productivity, crop quality, and sustainability.

Ideal Candidate Skills & Experience

• Proven experience working with irrigation systems, ideally within soft and/or stone fruit production.
• Experience using Priva irrigation systems.
• Highly organised with strong attention to detail.
• Strong communication and leadership skills, including working with multilingual teams.
• Motivated to develop management and people leadership capability.
• Passionate about agriculture, innovation, and operational excellence.
• Flexible to work weekends and extended hours during peak growing periods.
• Positive, proactive, eager to learn, with a clear desire to progress.
• Competent using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Desirable

• PA1, PA2a, PA3a, PA6 certificates.
• Experience using Muddy Boots Farm Management Software.

Working Hours

Full-time, with extended hours required during peak periods of the growing season.

How to Apply

Please click on the "apply now" button. As we are a specialist recruitment business within the Agricultural and Farming industry, all applicants must hold an NVQ Level 2, Scottish NVQ Level 2, or an equivalent qualification relevant to the role.

The Industry (Key Words)

• Irrigation Team Leader, Irrigation Supervisor, Irrigation Manager, Fresh Produce, Soft Fruit, Stone Fruit, Fertigation, Priva Systems, Horticulture, Sustainable Agriculture, Agriculture Jobs.

About Us

Established in 2013, Agricultural and Farming Jobs provide expert recruitment, headhunting, and job advertising services across agriculture, horticulture, food and fresh produce, veterinary, animal health, agrochemicals, machinery, technical and engineering, and specialist education sectors across the UK and internationally.