Assistant Farm Manager

About Montague Farms

Montague Farms is one of Australia's leading fresh produce businesses, with more than 1,000 hectares of productive orchards and significant packing operations across Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales. Our orchards stretch from Legana in Tasmania to Batlow in New South Wales, with operations in Narre Warren North, Harcourt, Ardmona, Dilpurra and Mildura.

We grow premium apples, pears, cherries, stone fruit, grapes and citrus, supplying customers throughout Australia and internationally. Behind every piece of fruit is a team committed to producing quality produce safely, sustainably and efficiently.

About the Role

As Assistant Farm Manager, you will play a key leadership role in supporting the Farm Manager with the day-to-day management of orchard operations. This is a hands-on position where you'll lead by example, coach teams, and help deliver safe, productive and high-quality outcomes across all farming activities.

Working closely with the Farm Manager, you'll contribute to workforce leadership, operational planning and continuous improvement while ensuring our people, orchards and equipment are cared for to the highest standards.

Key Responsibilities

- Champion a strong safety culture by leading safe work practices, ensuring compliance and promoting the wellbeing of all employees, contractors and visitors.
- Support and lead farm teams to achieve high levels of engagement, productivity and performance.
- Assist in planning and coordinating daily, seasonal and annual orchard operations, including irrigation, pruning, thinning, spraying and harvest.
- Monitor tree health, crop development and orchard performance, identifying opportunities to improve yield and fruit quality.




- Assist with labour planning, supervision and development of permanent, seasonal and contract employees.
- Contribute to budget management by monitoring costs, improving efficiencies and supporting sound commercial decisions.
- Ensure farming activities are carried out responsibly, minimising environmental impact and maintaining positive relationships with neighbouring properties.
- Protect company assets through effective maintenance, security and responsible use of equipment and infrastructure.
- Build positive working relationships with internal stakeholders, suppliers, contractors and service providers.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance productivity, quality and operational performance.

About You

You are a practical and approachable leader who enjoys developing people and working alongside your team. You thrive in a fast-paced workplace and take pride in producing quality outcomes while maintaining high safety standards.

To be successful you will have:

- 3–5 years' experience leading teams within a horticulture or agricultural environment.
- Experience working with apples, pears, cherries or other tree crops (highly regarded).
- Sound understanding of orchard operations, irrigation, pest and disease management, crop husbandry and harvest activities.
- Strong leadership and people management skills,



with the ability to coach and motivate diverse teams.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong planning, organisational and problem-solving abilities.
- Financial awareness, including budgeting, cost control and operational reporting.
- A proactive approach to continuous improvement and risk management.
- A genuine commitment to workplace safety and environmental responsibility.

Essential Requirements

- Current Australian Driver Licence.
- Safe Chemical Handling Certificate (or willingness to obtain).
- Current unrestricted Australian working rights.

Experience with project management, contractor management and procurement will be highly regarded.

Only applicants with unrestricted Australian working rights will be considered.

Successful applicants may be required to undergo a Criminal History Check, provide evidence of unrestricted working rights, supply professional referees and complete a pre-employment health declaration as part of the recruitment process.

Why Join Montague Farms?

At Montague Farms, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We value diverse perspectives, encourage innovation and foster an inclusive workplace where everyone has the opportunity to grow, contribute and succeed.

We are committed to creating an environment where our people feel supported, respected and empowered to build rewarding careers.

Benefits

- Supportive and collaborative team culture.
- Opportunities for professional development and career progression.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

- Work with one of Australia's leading horticultural businesses.

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📌 Assistant Farm Manager (Shepparton)
🏢 Montague Farms
📍 Shepparton