Livestock Production Manager

 APPLY HERE: https://form.jotform.com/221968170405153

Wanda Farm | wandafarm.net
Email | joe@wandafarm.net
17419 Hebron rd. Harvard, IL 60033

Wanda farm is a new first generation farm with a big vision to grow and feed 10,000 families a healthier meal by 2030. We currently produce grass-fed beef, pastured chicken, pork, and eggs on our grass-based regenerative farm. We plan to significantly grow production as well as add new enterprises. We are seeking to hire a motivated individual to be the lead manager on our farm in all aspects concerning the production of the livestock from start to harvest time. This is a long term position with great potential for growth as our farm expands. (Willing to develop the right individual if no prior experience)

Below you will find an overview of the character & competencies we’re looking for in this position.

Measurable Areas of Effectiveness

• Overall Health of Livestock & Soil
  • This is determined by livestock death percentage, animal performance, overall herd health, plant and soil testing.
  • Measured by organic matter and nutrients, improvements in soil, animal weight gains, sickness, and death rate.
• Overall Task Efficiency
  • Ability to maintain current responsibilities and looking for ways to improve efficiency of those responsibilities.
  • Measured by ability to take on new responsibilities.
• Leadership
  • Measured by the ability to help future team members to excel in their current tasks. The ability to work with other departments on the farm. Ability to lead others under your supervision.
• Job Completion
  • All jobs are properly completed and on time.
• Ownership
  • The ability to take ownership in the role and treat the role as part of your mission.
  • Measured by the business goals, achievements, and profitability of the farm production enterprises.

Key Responsibilities & Duties:

• Perform and oversee the completion of the daily pasture moves for livestock. (including hogs, cattle, meat chickens, and layers)
• Ensure that livestock are comfortable and are taken care of in accordance with Wanda Farm Standards. (water, food, proper shelter)
• Ensure proper planning for delivery of feed.
• Delivering hog feed, chicken feed, hay bales, bedding animals, and removing manure (Requires equipment operating experience & or expertise).
• Maintain appropriate inventory levels of all grain and feed supplements.
• Oversee fences and waterline maintenance, including repairs and keeping the fence line clean (operating a chainsaw is required).
• Understand and perform daily animal moves, animal sorting and loading of livestock on trailers.
• Ensure all appropriate gates are closed and the fence is always working properly (electrical fence understanding required).
• Ensure appropriate maintenance on all farm equipment (i.e. oil changes, greasing, and simple repairs).
• Collect eggs and assist with making them for sale ready when necessary.
• Perform safe and timely transportation of livestock to the processor. (Requires truck and trailer operating experience)
• Manage regular farm grounds maintenance (mowing lawn, landscaping, snow removal)
• Building fences or ability to learn. (We will be building lots of woven wire and high tensile fence lines)
• Ability to take ownership on farm building projects and complete in a timely manner (i.e. Fencing, construction projects, chicken coop building, etc.).
• Make proper repairs and improvements on equipment and buildings (basic understanding of construction and mechanic trades)

Requirements & Skill Sets:

• Must have at least 2 years farming experience (ideally pasture-based farming)
• Ability to work independently.
• Lead others as our team grows.
• Ability to communicate to vendors and other team members.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize, and manage time effectively.
• Willingness to take responsibility for work performed, oversights, and areas of improvement.
• Ability to work in a highly motivated and growing business atmosphere.
• Ability to use deductive reasoning.
• Willingness to report to the owner.
• Willingness to learn and be open minded to new ideas.
• Ability to do basic fence repairs.
• In-depth understanding of how electric fences work and how-to problem solve shorts.
• Completion of prerequisite training material.
  • Regen Ag 101 by Understanding Ag (paid for by Wanda Farm)

Expected Work Week:

• Typical workday is 7am – 5pm. Chores will make up a portion of the day and the remaining of the day for project based goals.
• Days where livestock need to be delivered to the processor, mornings will be earlier (Typically load broiler chickens at 4am).
• Work weeks could range from 40-60 hours depending on weather or project deadlines that week.
• This role is expected to work 1 weekend day (Sat or Sun) per week. These will be half days unless otherwise projects are due.
• Time off – As a farm, livestock require attention every day. For taking 1 day off, please communicate 1 week prior. For vacation time off, please communicate months in advance (sooner the better so we can plan!).
• We try to work normal hours for the most part, but with farming there are busy and slower seasons. We will maximize our workload when the weather is right, or a project is due. We sometimes work hard long hours but do understand family/personal time is important to re-energize and believe in taking time off.

Compensation:

• $45-65,000/year (Depending on level experience)
• Performance based bonuses
• $3,000 food credit per year
• Housing may be available or can help find housing
• We are willing to train the right individual to develop into this role if you have no prior farming experience, however expect taking on an assistant role to begin.
• Possible equity sharing/buy in to the business for the right individual at a later date.

Continued Education:

• We encourage and will contribute financially to your continued education to improve leadership, management, grazing, soil health, and animal husbandry skills.
• Examples of education: Soil health academy, Ranching for profits, Leadership seminars, and other conferences related to this position.
• As the lead livestock manager, we will expect you to spend a part of your past-time educating and researching farming topics.

Success Criteria

In addition to the job requirements above. The below items are the projects/goals we will implement in the first year of employment in 2024. You will be responsible for taking the lead in these key areas.

• Improve efficiencies, SOP’s, and data tracking on all the farm enterprises to help us make more informed decisions and have overall improved animal performance and profitability.
• Analyze and monitor P&L across all farm enterprises with owners to find ways to improve profitability.
• Double our turkey enterprise on the farm:
  • The goal is to raise 225 turkeys to meet our farm’s demand, potentially more if wholesale accounts arise.
  • Construct a new hoop house specifically for our turkeys.
  • Create a safe and functional housing situation for the turkeys.
  • Monitor their health, growing progress and living situation. Make adjustments as needed to achieve desired weights at butcher date.
  • Take the lead on this enterprise from birth to butchering date.
• Increase our hen flock from 900 hens to 1600 hens by the end of 2024
  • Repair, modify and make hen ready our old hen house coop for a separate hen flock of 300 hens for corn/soy free fed eggs.
  • Implement organization and SOP’s for increased efficiency in our hen operation.
  • Train, hire, and lead new employees to assist you with the hen operation management.

• Help double the beef herd by the end of 2024 (begin fostering and maintaining current relationships with breeders).
• Help design and build another wintering area for feeding cattle hay during mud season.
• Install/setup a cattle head chute and scale system for improved data tracking in beef enterprise.
• Help with planning of a new hoop barn for brooding broilers and housing hens in the winter with construction by the end of 2024
• Help with planning a new hoop barn for raising hogs in the winter.
• Design and implement bale grazing plan of action for 2024-25 winter. The goal is to reduce manure build up in the barnyard area.
• Assist with hiring and training personnel to work under your supervision on the farm.
• By the end of 2024, you have taken the lead to run 90% of the farming operation independently. 2025, you will be taking the main farm lead as we continue to expand current enterprises and possibly implement new ones. Together we will implement new operations on new rented or purchased farmland. The above pay is not limited for the future. Pay raises and bonuses are achievable as the farm succeeds and grows.
  APPLY HERE: https://form.jotform.com/221968170405153
  Wanda Farm | wandafarm.net
  Email | joe@wandafarm.net
  17419 Hebron rd. Harvard, IL 60033