Job Description

Impendle Area – KwaZulu Natal: Our client is looking for a Farm Manager to join the team.

Only candidates with the relevant experience will be considered.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Matric/ Grade 12 certificate
• 3 Years farm management experience
• Diploma in Wildlife conservation and Farm management would be an advantage
• Computer literate
• Firearm and anti-poaching experience
• Experience with Nguni cattle
• Experience with game and commercial game hunting
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong proven management skills
• Valid drivers license

DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES

Business Management

• Preparation of annual budgets and business plan for review by the managing member of the company
• Quarterly reviews of actual vs. budget and business plan for presentation to and discussion with managing member of the company
• Endeavour to manage the business to achieve or improve upon the approved business plan
• Accurately quantify and explain deviations to the business plan to the managing member of the company
• Update existing 5 year business plan annually

Business Development

• Explore opportunities to increase turnover and profitability from existing business activities
• Evaluate complementary business opportunities
• Continually evaluate how current business activities can be made more effective and opportunities to reduce costs where appropriate
• Improve the sustainability of the business and ecosystem

General Management

• Functional management of daily farm activities.
• Active participation in execution of agreed and scheduled work tasks on the farm.
• To endeavour to ensure that the farm operates within budget
• Control and management of the staff will include as a minimum :-

• Daily definition of tasks to be undertaken by the workers.
• Planning of work activities.
• Preparation of coming week’s planned tasks, and record of previous week’s tasks achieved
• Registration of any grievances and disputes.
• Education and instruction in safe working practices.
• Adherence to the current Labour Relations Act, Health and Safety Act; Farm Workers Sectorial Determination Act and any other relevant acts that may apply to the workers on the farm or the working practices.

• Close liaison for the accurate processing of staff salaries
• Preparation and payment of monthly, weekly, daily wage schedules.
• Liaison for EFT payments and payment requisitions via the approved system
• Protection of company and personal assets including game, livestock, equipment, vehicles and machinery, fences, buildings, fittings and fixtures, lodge contents, tools and any other assets on or off the farm property.
• Effective quarterly game counts to be undertaken with the game guards and monitoring of the game and livestock population. This must include as a minimum :-

• Quantity and species of animal.
• Sex and age of animal (male, female, adult, adolescent, infant)
• Location where observed.
• Group size and composition.
• Condition and behaviour of animals.
• Any identifying marks or appearances.
• New born animals.
• Fatalities and cause of death.
• Location of remains of dead animals.
• Preparation of annual game stocking report and recommendations for the owner
• Management of the Biodiversity Stewardship programme with Ezemvelo KZN, and liaison with NGO facilitator
• Oversee the effective management of the cattle, incorporating;-
• Annual and 5 year herd projections and forecast, taking into account forecast births, purchases and sales, for quarterly review with the owner
• Updating and maintenance of the Studbook register as and when required on the Logix system
• Timeous tagging and branding of animals
• Timeous inoculations and vaccinations
• Tick and parasite management
• General well-being and health of the herd
• Paddock and grazing management
• Record keeping of herd in “Logix” Software Unguni Breeders Society register.
• Manage the genetics and fertility of the herd to achieve the business plan
• Comprehensive planning of firebreaks and farm block burning programme. No firebreaks or burning to be undertaken without the attendance of at least one of the farm management at the site. KZNFPA and Lions River FPA rules and regulations are to be adhered to:-
• Firehawk control or LRFPA Fire Officer is to be contacted to ensure that weather and environmental conditions are suitable prior to commencing any burning.

• External firebreaks are to be carried out in conjunction with the appropriate neighbouring farms.
• The duty manager must ensure that there is suitable water and fire fighting material and resources to control the burning process before commencing.
• Tracers must be sprayed and burned before commencing burning of firebreaks.
• Internal firebreaks are to be agreed with the owners before commencing and only once the external fire breaks have been completed.
• Maintenance and construction of roads, tracks and footpaths.
• Maintenance of dams, weirs and waterways. Maintenance of all water on the farm for trout fishing is to be undertaken including access to banks, bridges and paths.
• Ultimate responsibility for regular anti-poaching, fence line and internal patrols, which include:-
• Daily horse or foot patrols by game guards
• Daily fence sector patrols by game guards
• Regular and appropriate anti-poaching patrols
• Immediate repair of fence breaks or problems
• Monthly check of full fence perimeter
• Control and eradication of invasive plants such as wattle, Gum saplings, American bramble, Bracken, Bug weed, Scottish Thistle and others that may be identified from time to time. Treated areas must be mapped and documented.
• Co-ordination of improvements as directed by the owners. Any such work must be approved by the owners prior to commencing.
• Regular or prescribed maintenance of all farm vehicles, machinery and equipment.
• Erosion control on roads and general property e.g. erosion channels, paths, tracks, land slip etc

Reports, reconciliation and registers

Registers must be kept of the following:-

• Daily temperatures and rainfall
• Damages, breakages and theft
• Issuing of tools and equipment to labour
• Equipment maintenance logs
• Fuel record sheets
• Game counts
• Fish catch register, stocking and condition of fish
• Guest register book and indemnity
• Hunting records for submission to Ezemvelo
• Cattle purchases, births, deaths and sales as required by Stud Book/Logix system
• Project task list
• Attendances register of all workers and contractors.
• Register of all leave days.
• Register of all absenteeism due to sickness or whatever reason.

Weekly report

A report as per the agreed format to be submitted to the owner, including the work/task completed for the prior week and planned for the coming week. This is to be provided to the Managing Member of the company one business day prior to a weekly meeting via Skype or telephone.

ONLY short-listed candidates will be contacted

To apply CLICK THIS LINK and upload your CV https://webapp.placementpartner.com/wi/application_form.php?id=farm&vacancy_ref=FM001413-SH&source=webapp