Farm Area Manager - Scotland

Noble Foods Home of the Happy Egg Co. Noble Foods is a family-owned company which began in 1920 and includes successful milling, poultry, agriculture, and consumer foods businesses. Within this, Noble Foods owns several successful brands, including the UK’s biggest free-range egg brand the Happy Egg co., Big & Fresh and Purely Organic. In a recent survey by Best Companies we were rated as one of the Top 10 companies to work for in the Food and Drink industry. What are we looking for? The Farm Area Manager for Scotland oversees the operational performance, productivity, and compliance of multiple poultry farms (both rearing and laying). This role ensures optimal bird health, high production standards, biosecurity compliance, team capability development, and efficient farm operations. The manager provides leadership, technical expertise, and strategic direction to farm supervisors and staff. About the role: Key Accountabilities of the role – IT: What I do (The below is not exhaustive) Operational Management Oversee day‑to‑day operations across rearing and laying farms, ensuring consistent adherence to company production targets. Monitor flock performance, including growth rates, feed conversion, egg production, mortality, and other KPIs. Coordinate the implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) across all farms. · Bird Health and Welfare: Ensure all farms comply with animal welfare standards and veterinary protocols. Work with veterinarians to deliver effective vaccination programs, disease prevention plans, and treatment strategies. Identify early signs of health issues and lead rapid intervention. · Biosecurity and Compliance: · Enforce strict biosecurity measures, ensuring staff adherence at all times. · Conduct regular audits on hygiene, waste management, and environmental standards. · Ensure compliance with national agricultural, environmental, and animal welfare regulations. Production Planning and Performance: Monitor daily and weekly production KPIs including egg numbers, feed consumption, flock health, mortality, and grading performance. Highlight underperformance promptly and work with site teams to implement corrective actions. Ensure all production sites follow best-in-class husbandry and operational routines. Implement continuous improvement programs to increase productivity and reduce cost. · People Leadership: · Provide visible, practical leadership across all farms through regular visits and hands-on support. · Work closely with farm managers to resolve operational issues quickly and effectively. · Ensure consistent execution of standard operating procedures across all production units. · Lead, train, and coach farm supervisors and farm workers. · Ensure labour efficiency and schedule workforce across all farms. · Drive a culture of safety, accountability, and teamwork. Resource and Inventory Management: · Manage farm inputs such as feed, vaccines, bedding, equipment, and other consumables. · Coordinate sourcing and delivery of essentials to avoid shortages or excess inventory. · Monitor equipment performance and schedule maintenance. · Communication and Collaboration: · Liaise with senior management on production, challenges, and improvement actions. · Keep clear, accurate production records and share updates with leadership and site teams. · Work collaboratively with agriculture, supply chain, technical and sustainability teams to ensure smooth operational performance. · Represent production teams in internal discussions with a focus on practical realities from the field. · Continuous Improvement · Identify practical opportunities to improve daily routines, efficiency, and performance. · Share best practice across production sites to ensure consistency and repeatable results. · Support the rollout of production improvements, new procedures, and operational updates. Shared Accountabilities – US: Making it better together Health & Safety responsibilities Ensure that the team members follow the health and safety policies and procedures. Identify and assess the health and safety risks in the work area and implement control measures. Investigate and report any hazards, incidents, or injuries to a manager. Provide the team members with the necessary personal protective equipment and clothing. Monitor and review the health and safety performance of the team and take corrective actions. Conduct health and safety training and induction for the team members. Social & Environmental responsibilities Ensure that your team members understand and comply with the company's policies and guidelines on sustainability, ethics, diversity and inclusion, and health and safety. Provide feedback, coaching, and recognition to your team members on their social and environmental performance and development. Identify and implement initiatives to improve the social and environmental outcomes of your team's work and contribute to the company's strategy and reporting. About You: ME: How I do it Skills, Knowledge & experience · Strong practical understanding of poultry production, welfare, and daily flock management. · Experience managing multi-site operations or delivering performance across large teams. · Ability to monitor KPIs and act quickly to address issues. · Confident in training and coaching teams to follow consistent routines. · Knowledge of assurance schemes, welfare requirements, and compliance processes. · Strong communication and interpersonal skills. · Hands-on, proactive, and comfortable being out on site most of the time. · Good problem-solving skills with a focus on practical solutions. · Able to work at pace and respond quickly to changing operational needs. Personal attributes · Ensures teams come Together for regular briefings · Takes Ownership for holding themselves and the team accountable for the What and the How · Is Courageous and makes difficult decisions in challenging circumstances using data and or sound thought processes · Is an ambassador for Action demonstrating speed and integrity in everything they do · Builds trust in the team by demonstrating genuine care and Respect for each other and for everyone’s point of view. · Strives for Excellence bringing the strategy, purpose and values to life and engaging their team. Key Stakeholders · Senior leadership and management · Farm level teams · Support functions · Upstream providers · Internal departments including supply chain and logistics · Regulatory and compliance stakeholders We believe the most successful teams are formed from a diverse talent pool and we strive to employ a wide variety of individuals in our business, selecting the best qualified person for each role regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristics. What can we offer you? Free hot drinks on shift Service Awards Enhanced paternity and maternity Free life insurance Enhanced Sick Pay Scheme Access to Perkbox with a variety of discounts including a monthly freebie from Greggs or Café Nero Discounted eggs and chicken A Celebration day after 1 years service enjoy an extra day off to celebrate a life event, such as your birthday Access to DigiCare + • Annual Health Check, Digital GP Consultations, Nutritional Consultations, Second Health Opinion and Mental Health Consultations. Discounted Gym Memberships Free Eye Test every two years Discounted mobile phone contracts Share in our success with the People Partnership - after 6 months service you will be eligible for a yearly bonus Additional Allowances for First Aiders and Mental Health First Aiders Wellness programme Employee Charity Matching Scheme If you consider yourself to require reasonable adjustments to any part of our recruitment process, we invite you to share those requirements with us when completing your application. We will make every effort to ensure your needs are met to provide a fair and transparent process of assessment.