Harvest Manager

Job description

Angus, Scotland

Lead people | Drive performance | Grow exceptional Scottish fruit

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and commercially minded Harvest/Fruit Manager to take responsibility for the day-to-day management and performance of a successful soft fruit farming operation in Angus. Based at the foot of the Sidlaw Hills, our client is a family-owned farming business operating in one of Scotland’s prime soft fruit producing areas. The farm produces a range of premium soft fruit including strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries, alongside other agricultural enterprises. The business also has a strong interest in sustainable food production and the integration of renewable energy into its farming activities.  Reporting directly to the Managing Director, the Fruit Manager will play a central role in ensuring the farm operates efficiently, safely and to the highest possible standards.

The Role

This is a broad and hands-on management position with responsibility for people, production, site operations, maintenance and fruit movement.
The successful candidate will provide clear leadership across the site, ensuring that teams are well organised, motivated and supported while delivering against operational targets.
Key responsibilities will include:

• Taking overall responsibility for the day-to-day management of the site
• Providing strong leadership, direction and communication to the workforce
• Managing recruitment, induction, training and ongoing employee performance
• Planning and coordinating labour and workloads to maximise efficiency
• Overseeing fruit picking, packing and delivery
• Communicating effectively with the packhouse, including production predictions
• Ensuring all Health & Safety procedures and requirements are fully implemented
• Managing employee relations issues and working with HR where appropriate
• Maintaining a high standard of site presentation and organisation
• Ensuring the farm is prepared for relevant audits
• Maintaining risk assessments, training records and staff accommodation records
• Organising site maintenance and preventative maintenance programmes
• Monitoring equipment and operational systems
• Taking responsibility for irrigation, heating, cooling and ventilation systems
• Overseeing irrigation and fertigation, including accurate recording
• Working closely with the Group Agronomist on plant health, disease prevention and nutrition
• Managing fertiliser, chemical and biological product stocks and deliveries
• Undertaking regular crop walking and monitoring
• Ensuring spraying and COSHH records are maintained accurately

The Person

Our client is looking for someone who combines strong people-management ability with practical horticultural knowledge and a genuine desire to achieve high standards.
Previous experience within commercial horticulture or soft fruit production would be highly desirable, together with the confidence to lead a busy agricultural workforce.
The successful candidate will be:

• An experienced and confident people manager
• A natural team builder who can motivate and support others
• Organised, thorough and highly attentive to detail
• Comfortable making decisions and taking personal ownership
• Able to prioritise competing demands and keep operations moving
• A clear and effective communicator
• Adaptable, flexible and willing to take a hands-on approach
• Strongly focused on Health & Safety
• Commercially aware and committed to continuous improvement
• Comfortable working across both operational and production-focused activities

Forklift and spraying experience would be advantageous, although training will be considered according to the candidate’s existing skills and experience.

Why Join ?

This is an opportunity to take a key leadership position within an established Scottish soft fruit business, with genuine responsibility for people, production and operational performance.

For the right individual, the role offers the chance to make a visible difference — developing teams, improving systems, maintaining high production standards and helping drive the continued success of the farm.

If you are an experienced agricultural or horticultural manager looking for a role where leadership, initiative and practical expertise are genuinely valued, this could be an excellent opportunity to join this great family fruit farm.

Reference 225666902