Manbulloo

Manbulloo is a family-owned Australian horticultural business specialising in growing, packing, marketing, and distributing the highest quality mangoes and avocados, with seven farms across NT and Northern Queensland

Manbulloo is proud to deliver premium mangos to customers within Australia and overseas each year. Manbulloo takes as much pride in being a fair and compassionate employer, with most seasonal workers returning year after year to work with us.

The Opportunity

We are currently seeking a Senior Farm Manager to direct and oversee operations at our iconic Manbulloo Farm, near Katherine NT. This is a senior leadership role within one of Australia’s largest and most recognised mango operations. The Farm Manager has substantial responsibility for translating business and production strategy into consistently strong farm performance across a large, complex horticultural operation.

Working closely with the Managing Director and Horticulture Consultant, you will contribute to annual business, production and budget planning, then take ownership of turning those plans into effective weekly and seasonal operations.

This is a role for an experienced farm manager who can see the whole operation while remaining closely connected to what is happening on the ground. You will plan ahead, anticipate risks, set clear priorities, delegate effectively and hold people accountable, while also being visible across the farm, supporting and developing staff, recognising strong performance and ensuring work is being completed to the required standard.

Key responsibilties include:

Planning, crop management and performance

Take responsibility for translating the annual business and production plan into disciplined weekly and seasonal activity across the farm. Working closely with the Managing Director and Horticulture Consultant, you will plan, implement and monitor programs covering canopy management, irrigation, nutrition, pest and disease management, weed and inter-row management, fertigation and other seasonal farm operations.

You will need to understand what should be happening across the farm, recognise when conditions or performance are moving away from plan, and act early. Accurate operational records, crop monitoring, soil and leaf sampling, irrigation and bore monitoring, chemical applications and sprayer calibration are all part of maintaining control of the operation.





People leadership and day-to-day operations

Lead the farm team so that people understand what is expected, have the skills and resources to do the job properly, and are held accountable for agreed standards and outcomes. This includes planning labour requirements, allocating work, setting priorities, supervising performance, developing and training people, recognising achievement and addressing problems when they arise.

This is a hands-on leadership role. You will be expected to spend significant time around the farm, talking with people, inspecting work, getting your hands dirty at times, understanding what is happening and helping remove obstacles to performance while retaining the perspective to manage the operation as a whole.

Harvest, assets and farm infrastructure

Ensure the farm, equipment and infrastructure are ready when they need to be. Working with the Harvest Manager, you will coordinate farm preparation for harvest and contribute to the effective management of the mango harvest.

You will also oversee vehicles, machinery and maintenance requirements; buildings, structures and storage areas; chemical, fertiliser and fuel stocks; materials and deliveries; and the contractors, local suppliers and others needed to support farm operations.

Safety, compliance and commercial management

Manage farm operations within approved financial parameters and maintain the disciplines expected of a major commercial horticultural business. This includes contributing to annual budgeting and business planning, monitoring expenditure, maintaining appropriate records and inventories, reconciling deliveries and reporting clearly on operational performance and emerging issues.

Working with the WPHS Manager, you will also be responsible for ensuring safe day-to-day practices across the farm and maintaining appropriate standards for chemicals, fertilisers, fuel, machinery, contractors and visitors. Compliance with company policies and the Code of Conduct is expected as a normal part of how the farm is managed.

You





You will have at least 3+ years' experience managing a significant agricultural operation. It does not need to have been a mango farm, provided you bring strong horticultural experience and are willing to learn.

You will be a comfortable taking real responsibility for farm performance, while remaining visible and hands-on across the operation. You will think ahead, plan well, communicate clearly, delegate effectively and hold people accountable, while also supporting, training and recognising your team.

You will also bring:

- Sound financial management skills, including budgeting, cost control and reporting.

- A good understanding of horticultural production, crop cycles, harvesting and post-harvest requirements.

- Robust organisational skills and the ability to turn plans into clear day-to-day priorities.

- Good judgement, attention to detail and the ability to identify problems early.

- Competence operating farm machinery and equipment, including basic repairs and maintenance.

- Good verbal and written communication skills.

- Confidence using Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook, and the ability to learn other industry-specific systems.

- A minimum Class C driver's licence.

- A Farm Chemical User Training Certificate.

Above all, you will want to take ownership of the farm's operations, productivity, safety and standards, while also caring about the wellbeing and development of the people around you.We all succeed together.

Benefits

With a salary range of $150,000 to $190,000, this is a highly paid role for a farm manager of equally high calibre.

A comfortable house is also provided, offering plenty of space and privacy. For someone who enjoys a genuinely rural lifestyle, it is an opportunity to live and work in a part of Australia most people rarely experience.

Manbulloo has a family-friendly culture, and there may also be opportunities for a partner to work on the farm in areas such as packhouse supervision or crop monitoring. If that is important to you, we are happy to discuss what might be possible.

If you would like the opportunity to manage one of Australia's most respected mango farms, while continuing to build your skills and experience, this could be an exceptional next step.

Apply

Just click on the APPLY button, and then add your resume and you can also add a cover letter if you wish. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

📌 Mango Farm Manager (Katherine)
🏢 21 Triangles
📍 Katherine