FARM OPERATIONS LEADER

Based at Bonnyton Farm, Leven KY8 5PF
Hours negotiable, to suit the right candidate
Salary £34,000 pro rata (40 hours per week)

Lucky Ewe is a charity which provides work placements for people with additional needs. Interns (young people), volunteers (all ages) and staff work together on the farm, carrying out the tasks needed to care for a small flock of dairy sheep. Lucky Ewe provides a safe and non-judgemental working environment where Interns can increase in confidence and self-reliance. Lucky Ewe Interns learn to work with others and develop the employability skills needed to transition to further education, the workplace, or progress to other volunteer positions. Lucky Ewe has a food producer’s licence and, at a separate location, we make small batches of award winning sheep cheese.

As Farm Operations Leader you will:
• Show strong leadership skills
• Manage the day-to-day requirements of the flock, maintaining high standards of animal husbandry, record keeping and land management.
• Work with small groups of Interns and Volunteers, showing them the basic skills of sheep care and related farm work.
• With the assistance of our Support Worker staff and Volunteers, you will record interns’ progress and help them identify the career paths they wish to work towards

Essential skills and qualifications:
• Good communication skills
• Degree in agriculture, or similar
• Knowledge and experience of livestock production and dairying
• Ability to keep farm animal breeding, production and veterinary records
• Manage paddock grazing systems
• Knowledge and ability to expand farm systems to suit greater acreage (from 6 to 71 acres)

The post requires someone who is confident to lead in safe handling of sheep, is flexible in approaches to work, supports the inclusive ethos of Lucky Ewe, communicates well and who brings their own store of energy and dynamism to a challenging and varied working day. Going forward, a desire to develop organic farming including fruit and vegetable production, low carbon methods and habitat improvement will all become relevant, as will the ability to work with farming contractors.

The post-holder will report to the Chair of Lucky Ewe Trustees. S/he will be responsible for staff and volunteer deployment and for health and safety on farm (ie the post-holder will be the boss on the farm).

Further info www.luckyewe.org.uk and our Facebook page

Application closing date: Monday 31st July 2023

Interviews taking place: Thursday 10th August 2023