Job Description

Job Title: Head Grower, Sitopia Farm
Location: Greenwich, SE London
Position Type: Full-time (open to 4 days a week for the right candidate)
Salary: 30,000 per annum (pro rata)
Benefits: 25 days paid holiday, pension, performance-related bonus (up to 3,000), access to discounted vegetables and flowers

Context: Sitopia Farm is a thriving organic, no-till vegetable and flower farm located on a beautiful two-acre site in SE London, on the wider 89 acres of the Woodlands Farm Trust. As a social enterprise, we are on a mission to improve the food system. We believe we can and should grow more food in the city, for a host of environmental, health and social reasons. Our produce is distributed locally through our vegetable bag and flower subscription scheme, monthly pop-up farm shop/farmers markets and wholesale channels. We also now offer wedding flowers to local couples. We run a range of community engagement activities and other events, including weekly volunteering sessions, food and flower growing courses, and plan to expand our work with schools and other activities in 2024.

Position Overview: Sitopia Farm is seeking a dynamic and energetic Head Grower to join our team and contribute to the growth and success of our social enterprise. The successful candidate will play a key role in advancing our mission, managing day-to-day farming operations, overseeing seasonal/part-time growers and volunteers, and driving the continued expansion of our sales and wider social/environmental impact. This is a new position: freeing up the current Founder/ Chief Grower Chloe to work on developing other aspects of our growing social enterprise.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Oversee all aspects of vegetable and flower crop production, from planning and planting to harvesting and sales.
2. Lead and manage a team of seasonal/part-time growers, and oversee community volunteering, fostering a positive and collaborative work environment.
3. Ensure compliance with Soil Association organic certification standards and other relevant regulations, including record-keeping and managing annual inspection.
4. Develop and maintain positive relationships with customers and help to increase our overall sales.
5. Oversee maintenance of infrastructure and equipment, replenishing stock as needed.
6. Continuously evaluate and improve cultivation processes for efficiency and environmental impact.
7. In collaboration with the Founder/Chief Grower and other team members, support the effective delivery of wider activities including food and flower growing courses, school visits, team days and other events.
8. Play an effective role as a member of the wider Sitopia Farm team, which will develop according to the skills and aptitude of the post holder, but could include working on future fundraising bids or supporting wider partnership work with the Woodlands Farm Trust.

Person Specification:

1. Experienced organic grower- ideally minimum three years experience on commercial farms.
2. Experience managing a team and leading farm operations: proven experience of supervising and motivating a small team of workers (paid and unpaid).
3. Strong organisational and planning skills, with the ability to meet production targets and maintain aesthetically pleasing growing sites.
4. Desire to grow food for a living and the ability to inspire and train others to do so.
5. Experience growing and selling cut flowers is highly desirable, though not essential (willingness to learn is!).
6. Excellent people and communication skills and the ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders- youll have ability and experience in dealing with a wide range of people both on and off the site, including handling conflict, members of the public and customers.
7. Self-motivated and happy working alone as well as in a team.
8. Excellent problem solver: reactive youll be working to tight timescales in an environment which can be challenging; pro-active youll have the ability to develop logistics and systems.
9. Capacity and willingness to do demanding physical, outdoor work all year-round.
10. Responsible and reliable and willing to work some flexible hours.
11. Practical DIY skills to respond to farm requirements eg fixing leaking irrigation systems!
12. IT skills: Word, Excel, Email essential.
13. Commitment to the aims of Sitopia Farm youll have an understanding of the sustainable food and farming agenda and be committed to the role of organic, agroecological production, community engagement and social enterprise.

Additional Information:

1. The position is full-time, 40 hrs/week, but we are open to a 4-day workweek for the right candidate. We would expect hours to vary according to the season, with some longer days in peak season, with time off in lieu in the winter.
2. The salary is 30,000 per annum (pro rata) with a performance-related bonus (up to 3,000) based on overall sales generated.
3. Benefits include 25 days of paid holiday, pension, and access to discounted vegetables and flowers.
4. This is a permanent position subject to a probationary period.
5. For more information about us please check out our website and Instagram @sitopiafarm.

If you are a passionate and experienced individual ready to take our farm and social enterprise to the next stage, we encourage you to apply. Please send your CV and a cover letter, with details of two referees, detailing your relevant skills and experience to chloe@sitopiafarm.com by 21st December. Interviews will be conducted in December/January (we may fill the post early with the right candidate!) Start date will be the first week of March. If youd like to find out more/have a chat about the role please get in touch with Chlo on 07815 069329 or send an email to chloe@sitopiafarm.com .

Sitopia Farm is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We particularly welcome applications from women and ethnic minorities under-represented in horticulture.

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Job Tags

Permanent employment, Full time, Part time, Seasonal work, Local area, Flexible hours,

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