About

Position Summary:
The Senior Farmhand is a supervisory role, where you will lead and support team members with various duties on farm including milking, attending to livestock, pasture work and farm maintenance while also performing these duties yourself. Your primary role will be the key responsibilities listed below, but as dairy farms are diverse and complex businesses, daily duties may vary depending on farm needs.
Experience needed:
• At least 2 years experience
• Additional training will be provided on-the-job or through external training providers
Qualifications that are useful:
• Certificate 2, 3, 4 or Diploma in Agriculture
Certificates or licences required:
• Driver’s licence
To be successful in this role you will need:
• Problem solving skills
• A history of effectively following instructions and standard operating procedures, to achieve successful outcomes
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team to contribute to farm outcomes
• Experience and a genuine demonstrated interest in the dairy industry
• A track record of punctuality and reliability
• The ability and willingness to positively represent your farm business and the dairy industry in general
• A demonstrated commitment to improvement and learning
• The ability to effectively follow directions, policies and procedures to contribute to farm goals, improve sustainability and the environment and contribute to a safe, positive work environment
• Demonstrated effective communication skills and the ability to effectively and professionally engage and interact with diverse audiences
• Demonstrated effective leadership skills including the ability to provide direction to and support small teams
• Demonstrated ability to make informed decisions
• Health and safety and animal welfare is a priority of our farm business. Health and safety and animal welfare policies, procedures and behaviour MUST always be adhered to
Personal Health
• Appropriate fitness to effectively perform inherent requirements of the position. These include, but are not limited to, working with animals, working with chemicals with the use of personal protective equipment, working in the presence of crops, grains and seeds, walking through paddocks and around the dairy, operating farm machinery and equipment, putting cups on and off cows, lifting, opening and closing gates and working outdoors in all seasons.
• It is recommended that you speak to your doctor about undertaking a Q Fever test and vaccination and discuss your doctor's recommendation with your manager
Dairy Capability Guide
This position aligns with the following level of the Dairy Capability Guide:
Ensure and Advise: you are in a role where you may be responsible for supervising others. You may be required to demonstrate your capabilities in challenging and unpredictable work situations, and you have the capability to make recommendations for alternative approaches when problems are identified.
Key responsibilities:
To achieve successful farm outcomes, you are responsible for the following areas:
Milking, Health and Nutrition – You will demonstrate and ensure staff are following policies and procedures when undertaking the following tasks:
• Coordinating and supervising staff to ensure safe and effective milking operating procedures and policies are followed.
• Monitoring and ensuring the cleanliness of milk plant and the application of safe food practices.
• Applying reproduction practices including identifying reproduction readiness, performing artificial insemination and pregnancy testing.
• Ensuring the safe handling of livestock in accordance with procedures.
• Monitoring the implementation of nutrition plans to maintain cattle nutrition and well-being.
• Ensuring calf rearing processes are implemented according to policies and procedures and that animal welfare concerns are followed up immediately.
Feed-base management – You’ll plan, implement and communicate feed-base management as directed by:
• Ensuring stockfeed levels are appropriate and replenished as required.
• Implementing and communicating paddock rotations, fodder crop production plans and pasture plans.
• Monitoring the implementation of feed plans.
Soils, Water management, and Irrigation – You will ensure effective plans for soil, water management and irrigation are followed by:
• Ensuring effective collection of soil data.
• Ensuring irrigation systems are safety and effectively implemented.
• Evaluating and taking action to repair and improve irrigation systems.
• Implementing plant nutrition programs and making recommendations for improvement.
Vehicles, Machinery and Farm Maintenance - You must comply with Work Health and Safety procedures and ensure that other employees do the same. You are responsible for:
Ensuring the use of all farm machinery and equipment, including quad bikes, in accordance with Work Health and Safety procedures.
• Assessing risks related to farm machinery and equipment and reporting hazards.
• Monitoring and ensuring farm maintenance, improvements and cleanliness is completed safely and effectively.
• Ensuring the safe preparation, application and storage of agrichemicals using correctly fitting personal protective equipment
• Maintaining accurate records of agrichemical use.
Dairy Farm Business Performance – You’ll understand the farm vision, goals and targets and act to positively contribute to achieving these by:
• Monitoring data and reporting areas for improvement in farm operations that you are involved with.
• Modelling financially responsible behaviours and reporting opportunities for cost reductions and improvements to farm operations that you are involved with.
Sustainability and Environment – You’ll ensure the implementation of farm plans to improve environmental impacts by:
• Making recommendations to improve environmental impacts.
• Monitoring the implementation of water management plans to ensure water use efficiency.
• Ensuring biodiversity and conservation behaviours are implemented on farm.
People Management – You’ll assist in building a great work environment by:
• Coordinating workplace tasks and supporting the team to complete day to day operations.
• Monitoring team performance and providing constructive feedback.
• Ensuring farm policies and procedures including Work Health and Safety are implemented.
Digital Technologies – You’ll plan and support the implementation and use of technology on farm by:
• Implementing technology in farm operations and supporting team members with technology application.
• Supporting the collection, analysis and interpretation of data to maintain and improve farm practices.
Professionalism – You will demonstrate and ensure expected standards of behaviour through:
• Demonstrating safe, ethical workplace behaviours
• Ensuring staff are aware of their WHS obligations.
• Leading a small team with guidance and positive communication
• Effectively resolving disputes.
Communicate Effectively - You will communicate effectively by:
• Tailoring communication to diverse audiences.
• Clearly explaining concepts and creating opportunities for others to be heard.
• Utilising communication channels to share information.
Leadership – you will help provide direction and a positive impact on farm business goals by:
• Embracing a leadership role and providing direction to achieve farm and team goals.
• Giving constructive feedback to encourage positive change.
• Prioritise the well-being of yourself and others.
Critical Thinking for Decisive Action - You’ll think critically regarding farm business challenges by:
• Seeking team input to develop and apply innovative new directions.
• Identifying issues that hinder farm performance and seeking appropriate solutions.