Assistant Farm Manager

Reed Farm is seeking the right person to fill a year-round, long-term position as Assistant Farm Manager. The ideal candidate has several years of poultry production and processing experience, enjoys hard work with integrity in a fun and dedicated team dynamic, and is passionate about local food systems and sustainable & regenerative agriculture. This is an entry-level management position supported by professional development and has potential for upward mobility with increased responsibility and financial compensation.

Compensation: $25-28+/hour ($52.2k-58.2k+/year) depending on experience, paid overtime, ongoing education and financial assistance for relevant conferences and educational programs, performance-based bonus after Thanksgiving, plus chicken. Increases based on performance. Additional compensation possible for highly experienced candidates.
After 6 months: 2 weeks paid vacation time and 40 hours paid sick time.

Full-time, 40 hours/week (# of days/week schedule flexibility), year-round
Minimum of 1-year commitment, ideally long-term

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Job Description
The Assistant Farm Manager assists with managing all operations on the farm (poultry production, processing, and packing) in accordance with our farm’s standards of high-quality products, work, and services, and does so with integrity. They work closely with owners/managers Peter and Kat on all aspects of the farm. This is a leadership position with encouraged space for input into our rapidly growing farm operation. They will help lead a diverse crew and learn all the jobs within the team. The Assistant Farm Manager will help teach and nurture a supportive and hardworking crew.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Promote and support a fun and dedicated work environment and team dynamic
• Poultry processing work:
      - Oversee & assist with set up and clean up
      - Assist in overseeing processing crew and adherence to safety protocols
      - Humane treatment of livestock
      - High product quality control
      - Kill side stations: cones, scalding, plucking
      - Clean side stations: crop, vent, evisceration, rinsing
      - Chilling stations: monitor & recordkeeping, stir and add ice as needed
• Packing and Value-Added work:
      - Oversee & assist with set up and clean up
      - Maintain high product quality control and food safety standards
      - Assist with organizing and tracking inventory, recordkeeping
      - Parting poultry
      - Packing and operating vacuum sealer
      - Value-added products: sausage, ground meat, etc
• Work with Peter and Kat to develop, update, and oversee adherence to HACCP and SOPs and relevant recordkeeping
• Oversee & maintain clean, organized work/storage spaces
• Basic equipment maintenance, repairs, and tracking
• Assist in livestock management and care (poultry and some rare heritage fiber sheep)
• Assist in compost management

Required Experience, Skills, & Abilities

• 2+ years experience commercially raising and processing poultry
• Treat animals and fellow crew with utmost care, compassion, and respect, always
• Reliability
• Sense of humor
• Ability to work well independently and with a team
      - Strong communication skills
      - Willingness to learn, take direction, and be proactive
      - Willingness to receive and offer constructive feedback
      - Know when to ask for help
• Multitasking, flexibility, adaptability
• Strong attention to detail
• Problem solving, resourcefulness
• Perform repetitive tasks efficiently and thoroughly
• Knife skills and excellent manual dexterity
• Willing to work outside in all weather conditions and inside walk-in coolers and freezer
• Lift and carry up to 40-60lbs, repeatedly lift 4-20lbs for several hours
• Basic understanding of proper use of power tools and safety
• Valid driver’s license and good driving record
      - Willingness to drive refrigerated van and refrigerated box truck, off-farm
      - Willingness to operate farm vehicles, on-farm
• Reliable transportation for commuting to farm

Preferred Candidates

• 5+ years experience commercially raising and processing poultry
• Demonstrated ability in leadership positions
• Able to drive standard truck, tractor, skidsteer, loader
• Knowledge of and passion for:
      - Sustainable & regenerative agricultural practices
      - Pasture management, rotational grazing
      - Education and outreach
      - Composting

Schedule
40 hours per week, processing days required (currently Sun/Tues/Fri) and flexibility otherwise
Expected for most turkey processing days during Turkeygeddon (1.5 wks before Thanksgiving)

Example schedule (may change):
March-early June: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. Other hours flexible.
June-October: Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday. Other hours flexible.
November 15-22: all hands on deck for Turkeygeddon, with a day off.  

To Apply
Please email us at crew@reedfarmpoultry.com and use “Application - Assistant Farm Manager” as the subject line, with a letter of interest, resume, and 2-3 work references.
No phone inquiries, please.
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About Reed Farm
Reed Farm is a family-owned and operated, innovative, small-scale pastured (as season allows) poultry farm and on-farm state-inspected poultry processing facility in Western Massachusetts. We raise poultry for wholesale and provide the local farming community with custom poultry processing services. We are progressing towards a USDA Grant of Inspection, after which we will be the sole USDA poultry processing facility in MA. We are always learning and improving, and striving for work-life balance. We value integrity, inclusivity, having fun while working hard, education and outreach, and the strength of community.

Reed Farm is an equal-opportunity employer.