What’s it all about then?

As a Farm Director you’ll work with the Farm Manager and ensure that all management and production plans are being implemented in an effective and profitable manner.

You’ll be responsible for the success of the company in all areas of operations.

This role is one which will likely only be available on extremely large farms or estates; in other instances the farmer as owner of the business will undertake the same type of work.

Your level of responsibility as a Farm Director will be dependent on the status of the business – limited company, private partnership and so on.

What might I be doing?

As noted above, your key responsibilities can vary but the following are commonly found:

• Planning and managing all farm activities
• Preparing and implementing budgets and monitoring financial performance against these
• Ensuring that all activities are in strict compliance with relevant legislation
• Dealing with external stakeholders – public relations etc
• Presenting regular updates to the company board/owners
• Updating Companies House with relevant information
• Developing the business strategy and making sure this is implemented effectively 

What will be expected of me?

To secure a senior role such as the Farm Director you’ll have to have a lot of proven prior experience and qualifications including:

• A Degree in agriculture or related subject and possibly a post graduate qualification as well
• Proven experience as a farm manager
• Business, planning and financial management skills
• Human Resource experience, including hiring, supervising, and evaluation of staff
• Experience of working with a Board of Directors and committees
• Excellent  verbal and written communications skills
• The ability to manage and supervise a staff team
• Proven ability to cope with conflict, stress and crises
• Demonstrated ability to share skills and knowledge with others.

What can I expect?

You’ll have a team to manage the day to day operations of the business so your hours may tend to be standard although, as a dedicated farm director you’ll probably want to work longer hours when needed, both to ensure that your team is working effectively and also to lead by example.

Depending on the size of the farm you may also assume some of the tasks of the farm manager (see this job for details)

What about the pay?

This will depend on the nature and scale of the business and its registered status with salaries possible of over £100000 which reflects the seniority of the role.

You may also receive share dividends.

These figures are provided as a guide only – you should always check for local and up to date figures prior to making any decisions.

What qualifications do I need to get in?

As mentioned you will very likely be a Farm Manager with loads of experience before you consider the role of Farm Director. This means you will have taken the same path.

Whilst there are no formal entry requirements for the role of farm manager, many people entering this area have relevant degree level qualifications which might include Agricultural Technology, Agriculture, and Agricultural Engineering etc

Alternatively you may have originally commenced employment in a farm business as a farm worker with an Apprenticeship level qualification in a subject such as Agriculture, specialising in livestock or animal husbandry

Many employers in the sector place much importance on experience so either entry type is equally valid.

Where would I get these qualifications?

Degree level and FE level qualifications are readily available through your local Agricultural College or University and you should check their online prospectuses for further information.

Your local FE College may also have suitable land based courses for you to consider but this will depend on location so you may have to travel to avail of these.

What about further training?

There are loads of post graduate level courses available for those wishing to enhance their learning or potentially specialise and again you should check what is happening at Universities

For someone wishing to become a Farm Director you should consider a postgraduate business qualification such as a Master of Business Administration – you could look for one which is aligned to primary agriculture. These are widely available and examples include the MBA in Agriculture from the University of Exeter and the MBA in Advanced Farm Management from the Royal Agricultural University.

For those new to the post of director, the Institute of Directors provides professional courses which you will find useful such as the Certificate in Company Direction.

Anything else I might need to know?

Yes, with experience under your belt you could travel widely throughout the world.

As an experienced expert in the field you might consider a consultancy role, possibly working on a freelance basis – it’s all up to you!