Working Farm Manager

Ready to run a farm like it's your own back garden, with full autonomy, serious variety, and the chance to play a key role in maintaining one of the UK's most respected fruit-growing sites?

We're recruiting for a Working Farm Manager to take on a unique, long-term position managing specialist top- and stone-fruit orchards on behalf of a leading horticultural consultancy. This isn't commercial production, it's a role where quality, precision and long-term stewardship matter far more than volume. Think: proper, hands-on farming with purpose.

You'll be the person keeping the wheels turning, caring for orchards, protecting their longevity, and ensuring the site stays in peak condition for research, trials, DEFRA work and national collections. If you're the kind of farm manager who thrives outdoors in all weather, loves being trusted to get on with the job, and prefers a tractor seat to a desk chair, this one's for you.

What You'll Be Doing

You'll take full ownership of the day-to-day running of the site, planning and delivering all orchard operations with a blend of practical skill, smart decision-making and good old-fashioned graft.

You'll schedule, execute and oversee all key tasks including planting, grubbing, cultivation, irrigation, pest and disease control, machine maintenance and harvest activity. You'll keep the farm compliant, sustainable, safe and running like clockwork.

Most of the time, you'll be working solo (with occasional seasonal labour), so this role suits someone who's confident operating independently, managing their time and staying on top of both practical work and record-keeping.

There's also regular liaison with external partners including DEFRA and industry bodies, plus opportunities to grow the role as long-term contracts continue to expand.

We're Looking For Someone Who Is…

• An experienced top- and stone-fruit grower with deep hands-on orchard knowledge
• PA1/PA2/PA6 qualified (non-negotiable)
• Comfortable spending big chunks of the day on a tractor, including PTO equipment
• Skilled in irrigation, orchard husbandry, IPM and long-term orchard maintenance
• A natural self-starter who's used to working independently and managing a full workload alone
• Strong on organisation, record-keeping, planning and compliance
• Physically fit, weather-proof and happiest outdoors
• BASIS/FACTS, forklift tickets or additional qualifications = a huge bonus
• Calm under pressure, decisive, practical and solutions-focused, someone who just gets things done
  
  

This role needs a seasoned, confident, "seen-it-all" type fruit grower. Someone practical, resilient and ready to take charge of a site that requires real care and expertise.

What's In It For You?

• Competitive salary
• Company vehicle
• Laptop & phone
• Annual salary reviews
• A role with long-term security and room to develop as contracts expand
• The chance to shadow the outgoing Farm Manager, a highly experienced orchard specialist with 30 years on site
• A respected organisation behind you, but full autonomy day-to-day
• Work that genuinely matters to the future of UK fruit growing
  
  

Interested?

If you're an experienced orchard professional looking for a role with freedom, responsibility and long-term stability, this could be the perfect next step.

For an informal chat, please call Emily on 01780 480530, email emily@morepeople.co.uk or message me on LinkedIn. Don't worry if your CV isn't up to date, just send what you have already, and we can sort the rest later.