Farm General Manager

Warakirri is excited to be in the market for a Farm General Manager for a large-scale institutional cropping aggregation (irrigated cotton and dryland) in south-west Queensland.

The aggregation is ~25,000ha across a number of assets located in the Border Rivers zone of southern Queensland, approximately 100km from Goondiwindi. The farm’s strategic location and operational efficiency aligns strongly with Warakirri’s commitment to being recognised as a best-in-class business, providing meaningful long-term opportunities for our people and a positive impact on the communities and environment in which we operate.

About the Job

You will play a pivotal leadership role in managing and overseeing all aspects of the farm operations. This includes leading a farm team, ensuring efficient operational logistics, devising and implementing strategic initiatives and budgets, and optimising the use of our substantial water resources. Your leadership will be crucial in driving farm performance while upholding our commitment to safety, providing meaningful long-term opportunities for our people and a positive impact on the local community and environment.  Reporting directly to the CEO, this is an exceptional opportunity to drive the operational performance of the farm while actively implementing farm management strategies and embedding regional relationships with service providers.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strong safety leadership, promote and execute a positive safety culture across the farm.
• Foster effective teamwork and collaboration between employees, across farms and with management.
• Leading and developing a team of Area Managers and broader farm team to reach their individual and team potential.
• Complete farm resource plans and work closely with HR in the selection and recruitment farm employees.
• Mentor farm employees and provide the support required for them to grow and develop.
• Manage farm employee performance through identifying high performers, develop succession plans, identifying performance gaps and organise relevant training and development. 
• Operational and strategic management of the farming operations to meet investment performance objectives.
• Senior-level planning and strategy execution, including pre and post-season review and planning days.
• Working closely with corporate and agronomy team to develop and implement approved farm operating and capital budgets.
• Ensure cropping activities are well organised, resourced and production budgets are achieved with consideration to seasonal conditions.
• Manage the substantial water entitlement portfolio in line with licence rules, including the maintenance of accurate records. 
• Ensure accurate Oversee accurate and timing monthly administration tasks.
• Ensure accurate and timely farm management records and data within various management systems, including but not limited to Timesheets (Deputy), Farm Records (AgWorld), Accounts Payable (SAPConcur), Grain Management System (AgriChain), Contractor Management System (Protech) and Safety Management System (Lucidity).
• Review individual paddock / block performance and implement continuous improvement initiatives that maximise return.
• Implement and oversee processes, controls and policies as they relate to the Operations.
• Coordinate and execute farm capital improvement projects and R&M plans in line with approved budgets.   
• Managing relationships with a broad group of service providers, vendors, industry stakeholders, and business partners.
• Overseeing multiple operational and development projects.
• Monitoring and reporting on all facets of the operational and financial performance of the farming enterprise.
• Promote a culture that reflects the organisation’s values, encourages high performance and drives an inclusive and engaged culture.

About you

• You have a successful track record of managing large-scale irrigated cotton farms, ideally with experience in similar agricultural settings.
• You possess strong leadership capabilities with a demonstrated ability to lead and inspire high-performing teams to achieve operational excellence.
• You have a strategic mindset and are adept at developing and implementing plans to optimise farm operations and drive long-term success.
• You have relevant large-scale farm management experience, including knowledge of cotton and irrigation farming.
• You are a dynamic leader who is both a proactive and commercial thinker, with excellent skills in planning, communication, and execution.
• Excellent communication skills are essential, enabling you to liaise effectively with stakeholders at all levels and build strong relationships within the agricultural community.
• Being tertiary qualified will be highly regarded.

What are we offering you

• A competitive salary package commensurate with your experience and the responsibilities of the role, including short and long-term incentives
• Family accommodation provided to ensure your focus remains on leading our operations effectively.
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Remote employee dependent education support.
• Support and development opportunities to reach your full potential.
• A Melbourne-based back office team that will partner with you in finance, HR, analytics, IT, and risk and compliance.

You can apply by selecting “I'm interested” now, but if you have any additional questions, feel free to reach out to Niki Bosman at [email protected] or 0439703866. If you call and don't reach me feel free to send a text so I can get back to you.

Closing Date: Open until filled, so you are encouraged to apply now.