Farm Manager at Vert Farms Ltd

Position Summary

• Vert Farms Ltd. is seeking an experienced, hands-on and results-oriented Farm Manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of the farm and ensure efficient, profitable and sustainable production.
• The Farm Manager will be responsible for the management of layer birds, broilers, livestock, farm workers, feed, equipment, biosecurity, production records and general farm operations. The successful candidate must be able to translate production targets into daily actions while maintaining high standards of animal welfare, hygiene, productivity and cost control.

Key Responsibilities

Poultry Production Management

• Manage the daily operations of the layer and broiler units including brooding of broiler and layer DOC.
• Monitor bird health, mortality, feed intake, water consumption, egg production and body weight.
• Ensure birds receive appropriate feed, water, lighting and environmental conditions.
• Monitor egg production, egg quality, bird performance and production trends.
• Identify and respond promptly to production problems, including disease outbreaks, mortality, reduced egg production and abnormal bird behaviour.
• Implement measures to reduce mortality, improve productivity and minimize production losses.
• Coordinate vaccination, medication, deworming and other approved veterinary programmes in consultation with the farm veterinarian.

Livestock Management

• Oversee the management and welfare of livestock including goats, sheep/rams and cattle.
• Ensure proper feeding, watering, housing, sanitation and health management.
• Monitor livestock growth, breeding, mortality and general performance.
• Maintain accurate livestock inventory and production records.

Farm Staff Management

• Supervise, train and coordinate farm attendants and other farm workers.
• Prepare daily work schedules and assign responsibilities.
• Ensure staff follow established farm procedures and biosecurity protocols.
• Monitor employee performance, attendance, discipline and productivity.
• Promote a safe, professional and accountable working environment.

Feed & Inventory Management

• Monitor feed consumption and ensure efficient utilization.
• Maintain appropriate feed and raw-material inventory levels.
• Monitor feed wastage and investigate unusual consumption.
• Coordinate with management on feed procurement and stock requirements.
• Monitor availability of vaccines, medications, disinfectants, packaging materials and other farm supplies.
• Conduct regular stock checks and report discrepancies.

Biosecurity & Farm Hygiene

• Implement and enforce strict farm biosecurity protocols.
• Control access to poultry houses, livestock areas and other critical farm locations.
• Ensure proper cleaning and disinfection of houses, equipment and facilities.
• Manage pest and rodent control programmes.
• Ensure proper disposal of dead birds, manure and other farm waste.
• Immediately report suspected disease outbreaks or unusual mortality patterns.

Farm Records & Reporting

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records covering:
• Daily egg production
• Feed consumption
• Water consumption
• Mortality and culling
• Bird population
• Body weight
• Medication and vaccination
• Egg quality and breakages
• Livestock numbers and performance
• Farm expenses and inventory
• Staff attendance and activities
• Prepare daily, weekly and monthly farm performance reports for management.

Farm Maintenance & Equipment

• Ensure poultry houses, livestock facilities, feeders, drinkers, generators, water systems and other farm equipment are properly maintained.
• Identify equipment failures and coordinate timely repairs.
• Monitor electricity, water and fuel usage.
• Ensure farm facilities remain clean, functional and safe.

Cost Control & Farm Efficiency

• Develop and implement strategies to reduce unnecessary farm expenses.
• Monitor feed conversion, mortality, wastage and other key cost drivers.
• Identify opportunities to improve farm productivity and profitability.
• Ensure farm resources are used responsibly.
• Work with management to establish and achieve production and financial targets.

Compliance & Animal Welfare

• Ensure farm operations comply with applicable agricultural, environmental, animal welfare and occupational health and safety requirements.
• Promote humane handling and proper welfare of all birds and livestock.
• Ensure workers follow safe operating procedures.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The Farm Manager will be evaluated based on:

• Egg production rate
• Egg quality and breakage rate
• Bird mortality rate
• Feed consumption and feed efficiency
• Bird body-weight uniformity
• Livestock growth and mortality
• Vaccination and biosecurity compliance
• Farm cleanliness and hygiene
• Inventory accuracy
• Reduction in feed and resource wastage
• Equipment uptime and maintenance
• Staff productivity and discipline
• Achievement of monthly production targets
• Overall farm profitability

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or HND in Animal Science, Animal Health, Agriculture, Agricultural Science, Agricultural Economics, or a related field.
• Professional agricultural or livestock-management certification is an advantage.
• Minimum 3–5 years of relevant experience managing a commercial poultry or livestock farm.
• Proven experience managing layer operations is strongly preferred.
• Experience managing farm staff and production records.
• Strong knowledge of poultry nutrition, vaccination, biosecurity, disease prevention and farm management practices.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Strong poultry and livestock management skills.
• Excellent leadership and staff-management abilities.
• Good record-keeping and reporting skills.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making ability.
• Ability to interpret production data and identify performance trends.
• Good knowledge of farm biosecurity.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Cost-conscious and results-oriented mindset.
• Ability to work under pressure and respond to farm emergencies.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets is an advantage.

Personal Attributes

The ideal candidate should be:

• Responsible and accountable
• Honest and trustworthy
• Proactive and observant
• Physically fit and willing to work in a farm environment
• Detail-oriented
• Disciplined and organized
• A good team leader
• Results-driven
• Passionate about agriculture and animal production