Grower Manager in Hereford

Working Hours: Competitive, dependent on experiences (DOE)

Primary Purpose of the Role: To lead, direct, and oversee all agronomic, crop protection, and growing operations across the Fruit Department, with primary focus and expertise dedicated to substrate raspberries and cherry orchards. The Grower Manager holds full operational accountability for crop protection, fertigation program design, seasonal water allocation, compliance audits (e.g. Red Tractor, LEAF Marque), government agricultural schemes and capital grants, budget tracking, and direct line management of the growing and spraying team.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

• Agronomy & Crop Protection Management: Conduct regular bi-weekly crop walks alongside external agronomists to monitor crop development, pest pressures, and disease risk. Formulate comprehensive weekly spray programs strictly adhering to agronomist recommendations, statutory label rates, and Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs). Generate, issue, and manage all spray plans and agronomic records accurately using Gatekeeper (GK) or similar farm management software, leading future software transitions as needed. Procure and manage inventories of Plant Protection Products (PPP), bio controls, and crop protection inputs. Formulate seasonal fertigation recipes and nutritional strategies in collaboration with external crop nutritionists across 8.5 ha of substrate raspberries and soil-grown cherry/top fruit orchards. Direct daily and weekly irrigation parameters based on Soil Moisture Deficit (SMD) models, morning squeeze tests, and real-time Agri-tech probe metrics (pH, Electrical Conductivity, run-off percentages). Manage estate water allocation and monitor abstraction license compliance across reservoirs and boreholes.
• Government Schemes, Stewardships & Capital Grants: Oversee and ensure day-to-day compliance with active UK government agricultural and environmental agreements, including Countryside Stewardship (CS) and Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) actions. Actively identify, review, and evaluate potential new government schemes, environmental land management opportunities, and horticulture/agriculture capital grants (such as the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund [FETF] and productivity/water management grants) to improve farm infrastructure, sustainability, and commercial efficiency.
• Auditing, Compliance & Health and Safety: Serve as the lead agronomic representative for all external audits, including Red Tractor, LEAF Marque, and retailer technical standards. Ensure strict adherence to COSHH assessments, pesticide storage regulations, machinery safety standards (NSTS MOT certifications), and environmental protection policies. Maintain fully reconciled and auditable electronic spray, nutrition, fertilizer, and stewardship records.
• Financial & Budgetary Control: Manage and monitor the growing department's operational budgets. Generate, approve, and track purchase orders and verify departmental supplier invoices using farm accounting systems (e.g. Key Prime / Swift). Conduct annual harvest reconciliations, stock valuations, and year-end performance reporting.
• Team Leadership & Operational Coordination: Provide direct line management, mentorship, and daily/weekly work allocation for the Spray Operator and Irrigation Operatives. Coordinate peak-season operational rotas and ensure seamless coverage across spraying windows and 7-day irrigation cycles. Identify professional development needs and coordinate statutory staff training (e.g. PA certifications, machinery tickets, health and safety courses).

Essential Requirements:

• Experience: Proven track record in commercial substrate soft fruit production (specifically substrate raspberries / protected cropping).
• Agronomic Acumen: In-depth understanding of closed/semi-closed substrate fertigation, moisture deficit planning, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
• Technical & IT Skills: Strong proficiency with Gatekeeper or comparable farm management/agronomy recording software, with adaptability to learn new platforms. Commercial experience with cherries or top fruit orchards; familiarity with UK government schemes, Countryside Stewardship, SFI, and agricultural/horticultural capital grants. Practical familiarity with automated fertigation dosing systems and Agri-tech substrate/soil probes. Working knowledge of agricultural accounting software (e.g. Key Prime / Swift).