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Our client runs large-scale winter cropping aggregations across Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia, and plans to add more. Head office looks after payables and the group's budgeting, safety and reporting systems, while each farm prepares its own budget and agronomy reports.

The property crops more than 20,000ha every year across blocks spread over about 85km of the Mallee, two hours from Mildura and two and a half from Adelaide. It runs no-till and controlled traffic as far as the paddocks allow, with variable-rate seed and fertiliser, liquid systems at seeding and a deep-ripping program. Seeding, spraying, spreading, chaser bins and grain storage run in-house, while contract headers take most of the harvest and one contractor does the carting.

The plant includes three air seeders behind 715hp Case IH tractors, three 48m Agrifac self-propelled sprayers, and Mack and Western Star trucks. A retrofit autonomous tractor works on spreading and rolling, and the newest sprayer runs camera-based green-on-green and green-on-brown spot spraying. The business is setting up a new workshop at the machinery yard, and two more mechanics are due to join the farm.

The Role

Reporting to the Farm Manager, you are the second-in-charge on the property. You'll operate machinery across the cropping program and direct the crew day to day, working to the plan the two of you set each week.

Two permanent machinery operators report to you year-round, covering boom spraying, spreading and truck work. Around 13 casuals join for harvest, which has 16 headers on farm this season. The full-time team is close-knit, raises issues face to face and sorts them out without fuss. A Grain Site Manager at the same level as you runs the on-farm storage and the trucks moving through it, and two agronomists from an outside consultancy support the cropping program.

From your first season you'll attend the budget and agronomy meetings and go around the farm with the agronomist each fortnight when timing allows. You'll see the monthly figures too, and by the end of year one the aim is a working understanding of the cash flow and P&L.;

Key Responsibilities

- Daily Operations. Assign and coordinate the day's work across operators, farm hands and casuals, take the operational calls on breakdowns, parts and crew questions,



and send the crew the next day's plan by late afternoon. Act as the first point of contact for the farm when the Farm Manager is away.
- Cropping Program. Organise seed treating, fertiliser loading and trucks ahead of seeding, run the summer weed spraying program, and coordinate grain movement at harvest with the Grain Site Manager and the cartage contractor.
- Crew Supervision. Train the operators, backpackers and casuals, give clear instructions and check the work, and correct unsafe or inefficient practice early. Coordinate seasonal labour around seeding and harvest.
- Plant & Workshop. Keep the maintenance schedule current with the Farm Manager, service and repair machinery, escalate the larger repairs, and have plant ready on time and compliant for road moves. Update the autonomous tractor's job list and mapping so it starts work each day.
- Inventory, Budget & Reporting. Run monthly stocktakes of chemical, fertiliser and parts, keep expenditure to the farm budget, and contribute to the crop plan through the year.
- Safety. Run toolbox meetings and inductions for new starters and casuals, maintain WHS plans, record and investigate incidents, and keep the crew working to safe operating procedures.

What You Bring

This position suits someone ready to step up from a senior operating or supervisory role in broadacre cropping, who can show they have led people, has gone as far as they can where they are, and wants clarity and exposure to the commercial side of the business.

Essential:

- Broadacre winter cropping experience across seeding, spraying, spreading and harvest, on a large or multi-block operation with GPS-guided plant.
- Supervisory experience on a cropping operation, with or without the title: overseer, leading hand, 2IC, assistant manager, or a senior farm hand who has managed casual staff over several seasons.
- Confidence with guidance screens, seeder and sprayer controllers, electronic reporting and Microsoft Office.




- Current driver's licence and at least a Heavy Rigid licence, upgrading to Heavy Combination straight after starting.
- Chemical accreditation (ChemCert).
- A satisfactory National Police Check.
- Australian work rights.

Advantageous:

- Agronomy exposure, through working alongside agronomists or study.
- Mechanical ability to diagnose faults and keep plant going in the field.
- Variable-rate and liquid-system seeding experience.
- Certificate IV in Agriculture, or a degree in agriculture or agronomy.

A nomination transfer may be considered for the right applicant already in Australia.

What You'll Gain

- Package: ~$120k + 12% Super, with a work ute and reasonable private use.
- Incentive: A discretionary share of the farm's annual profit-based bonus.
- Housing: Three or four bedroom family home, with all utilities paid, including power and internet.
- Hours: Around 50 hours a week on average: 60 to 65 through seeding and harvest, on no more than six days a week, and about 40 in the quieter months, when an early finish or a Friday off doesn't come out of annual leave.
- Development: An annual full-staff conference, leadership courses including Marcus Oldham, and assistant manager training days with outside agronomists and financial consultants.
- Growth: The business develops its assistant managers with the aim of them going on to manage a property.
- Lifestyle: A town about 20km away with a Prep to Year 12 school, kindergarten and daycare, plus football, golf, tennis and bowls clubs. A bus runs to the school from the farm.
- Relocation: Support available, depending on your circumstances.
- Start: Early to mid January 2027, after harvest.

How to Step Forward

For more information or a confidential chat, please contact Lemuel Cruz, Talent Specialist, on 0468 093 *** or Nick Marchant, Director, on 0466 333 ***.

Who Are March

March offers permanent recruitment and workforce planning services tailored exclusively to Australian agribusinesses. We're about connecting top talent with great businesses - plain and straightforward.
Additional information

- About 50 hours a week on average, with a Friday off in the quieter months.
- Three or four bedroom family home, all utilities paid including internet.
- Involved in budgets and agronomy from day one. Clear path to farm management.

📌 Assistant Farm Manager (Cowangie)
🏢 March Talent Partners
📍 Cowangie