Job Description
Job Type
Full-time
Description
This position is responsible for managing farm operations and production. Duties include overseeing the land, including lawns and public property boundaries, and buildings on The Farm at Willow Run. The individual sustains all infrastructures that manifest growing and production of the market garden. Responsibilities also include maintenance of all farm equipment and irrigation systems, hoop houses and greenhouse and assisting with market garden tasks and responsibilities.
Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Sciences or related field.
Must have 2-3 years' experience in field production, farm management and/or retail sales of produce.
Must demonstrate leadership and supervisory skills.
Must have the ability to work with older adults.
Must have customer service skills
Must comply with regulations related to OSHA and USDA.
Ability to work in a team environment and motivate others.
Must be self-motivated and possess the initiative necessary to work independently with minimal supervision.
Must possess a command of the English language and demonstrate written and verbal communication skills.
Essential Functions
1. Recruits, hires, and trains all farm staff, volunteers, and independent contractors.
2. Supervises and schedules all farm staff.
3. Maintains the fields, buildings, and equipment at The Farm at Willow Run and collaborates with the Main Street Store and Dining Services to foster the goals of VMRC.
4. Procures seeds and supplies to support the open field plantings and ensures plots are successfully planted, cultivated, and well maintained, including pest and disease management.
5. Maintains the irrigation system, farm, lawn equipment, and building infrastructures, completing necessary repairs for optimal usage and coordinating contracted services as needed.
6. Records all equipment and building maintenance activities in computerized documents.
7. Applies safe food growing and handling practices and ensures that crops are harvested at peak freshness, packed, and delivered to VMRC Dining Services.
8. Recruits community volunteers, work study students, and staff for farm and market garden involvement and oversees tasks associated with other departments involved in farm operations or maintenance.
9. Oversees the success of the market garden and assists with all gardening tasks and composting activities.
10. Supports programming and outreach opportunities organized by other VMRC Service Lines.
11. Identifies operational and capital budget projections and monitors controls to ensure farm operations remain within established budgets.
12. Participates in Independent Living (IL) service line meetings and The Forum as requested.
13. Effectively communicates all challenges, issues, and concerns to immediate supervisor.
14. Develops and communicates emergency procedures with staff.
15. Implements infection control program to achieve standard comparable with requirements in a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) facility.
16. Incorporates OSHA requirements for staff exposure to chemicals or other hazards.
17. Reviews operations procedures and policies annually then presents recommendations to vice president.
18. Facilitates incident report log-ins and follow up.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear normal as well as soft tones.
This position is very active and requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, sitting, crouching, grasping, and reaching above head all day.
The employee must occasionally lift or move objects weighing over 80 pounds as well as pushing/pulling up to 150 pounds.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
Requirements for emergency situations are defined by service line expectations and may differ based on the nature of the emergency.
Salary Range: $21.52 - $28.26 Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community
Job Tags
Full time, For contractors, Immediate start,