Assistant Poultry Manager – Bury St Edmunds- RR1828/ JTR1

Full Time Experienced Assistant Poultry Manager required for successful, family run farm, nestled in the heart of East Anglia. The Farm has been thriving for nearly 100 years across four generations and continues to grow. The farm houses 44,000 high welfare, free-range hens, providing a continuous supply of premium eggs to their dedicated, on farm, egg packing facility.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, experienced, passionate new team member to assist the Poultry Manager with the day-to-day management of three high welfare, British Lion assured, free range egg laying poultry units. You will be joining a friendly, hard working and driven team. Three of the farms pivotal staff members have been in situ for between 10-25 years, which in itself speaks volumes. There is a chance here to grow, develop, learn and become an integral member of this exciting company.

The successful person will be required to work in collaboration with the Poultry Manager and support the henhouse production staff to look after the health and welfare of the birds, as well as keeping the poultry units clean, well maintained and fully operational.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to join an established team and be part of an ever-growing business. It would suit an enthusiastic, proactive team player with a passion for farming and poultry. You will be joining a team of 15 plus staff members who all work to maintain the high standards the farm expects. Staff management is therefore key.

This is a very hands-on position that would suit a bit of a ‘Jack of all trades’, someone who is happy to muck in and turn their hand to most things, in an active farm role. Approximately half of the work is within the henhouses monitoring the hens and operating the egg packing equipment, whilst other roles require the operation of farm machinery, the use of tools for maintenance and repairs, and supporting the administration of the enterprise with feed orders and keeping the farm audit ready, at all times. The commercial operations are immaculate and run efficiently, with structured routines and practices in place. The facilities are impressive and the position offers a lovely working environment.

If you enjoy the farming life, have experience of commercial poultry, in addition to a real positive, proactive, can-do approach to rolling up your sleeves in a busy working environment, then please apply. It would be a real advantage if the Assistant Manager had mechanical interests with an ability to identify problems and the knowledge and experience to fix them although this is not essential.

The Position:

• Providing the best care for the hens through visual checks and monitoring, ensuring welfare is at the top of the agenda
• Monitoring the henhouse equipment to ensure the hen’s environment is up to the standards required
• Carrying out daily and more regular checks and keeping accurate records
• Checking for sick or injured birds and taking appropriate action
• Operating the egg packing machinery to ensure careful handling of  high quality eggs
• Reporting and resolving breakdowns, equipment failures and incidences as necessary
• Assisting in other areas around the farm when necessary, with the opportunity to learn new skills

Required skills and attributes:

• Reliable, punctual with a really good work ethic
• Positive and professional attitude, willing to go the extra mile
• Ambitious and driven to progress
• Approachable, friendly, good leader and able to cope well under pressure
• Unflappable and knows what needs doing and when
• Able to use your own initiative, being forward thinking, practical and a good problem solver
• Great attention to detail, including cleanliness and be dedicated to performing your duties to ensure the best outcome possible
• Physical and mental fitness with stamina is essential to carry out the daily tasks safely and correctly
• Able to use mechanically operated tools for day-to-day maintenance.  Mechanical skills would be an advantage to carry out immediate repairs.
• Used to routines, but able to show flexibility to meet day to day challenges
• Literacy and computer skills
• English speaking and right to work in the UK

 Qualifications and Experience supportive of and suitable to the role:

• A proven track record of working with poultry would be preferred although it is not essential, as long as the person is keen and willing to learn
• A genuine interest in agriculture is a real must
• Lion Training Passport courses
• Completion of Poultec training stage 2
• Up to date Poultry Passport
• Clean full UK driving licence
• Telehandler, tractor or forklift licence/certificate
• First aid certificate

What will be offered:

• Full time, permanent employment
• 7am – approx. 4.30pm, with half an hour lunch break, shorter Friday hours subject to rota.
• £32,000 – 34,000 per annum based on an average 48 hour working week
• Potential for a vehicle/van included
• Every other weekend on (7.00 – approx.13.00)
• Occasional anti-social hours
• Company pension
• Scope to progress to a managerial level in time

If you the drive and ambition required for this exciting role, then we would love to hear from you.

To apply, please email Rebecca – info@ruralrecruitment.co.uk