Penn State Job Catalog

The Farm Operations Manager provides strategic leadership and administrative oversight for the University's comprehensive teaching and research farm system, including multiple operations: Beef and Sheep, Poultry, Swine, Dairy Barns, Equine, Deer, and/or the Meat Laboratory; is responsible for the overall management, coordination, and integration of all livestock units and associated facilities in support of academic instruction, applied research, workforce development, and community engagement; ensures operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, fiscal responsibility, animal welfare, food safety, and alignment with the University's mission; supervises operations supervisors and staff; fosters collaboration with faculty and researchers; integrates practical production agriculture with experiential learning and research excellence.

• Provide oversight for multiple farm operations; develop and implement a comprehensive operational plan aligning livestock production, meat processing, and facility use with academic and research objectives
• Establish short- and long-term goals for production efficiency, herd/flock health, sustainability, and infrastructure development
• Coordinate inter-unit operations to maximize efficiency, biosecurity, and educational value
• Oversee hiring, training, scheduling, professional development, and performance management of staff; ensure adherence to collective bargaining agreements and participate in grievance proceedings
• Partner with faculty to support instruction, research, and student experiential learning
• Support grant-funded research initiatives and ensure compliance with research standards and animal care protocols
• Ensure the highest standards of animal care across all species in accordance with industry best practices and regulatory requirements
• Enforce comprehensive biosecurity protocols across species and facilities
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations related to livestock production, meat processing, environmental management, and workplace safety
• Ensure proper handling, processing, storage, and recordkeeping procedures are followed
• Lead budget planning, financial oversight, and resource allocation for all farm units; monitor expenditures, procurement, revenue streams, and financial reporting; identify funding opportunities, cost-saving strategies, and operational efficiencies
• Recommend capital improvements, equipment purchases, and facility upgrades
• Oversee maintenance and improvement of barns, pastures, fencing, utilities, equipment, and processing facilities; develop preventative maintenance programs
• Implement and enforce comprehensive safety programs across all operations
• Lead risk management planning and emergency response coordination
• Promote sustainable agricultural practices, including nutrient management, waste reduction, conservation practices, and responsible resource use
• May provide administrative oversight for the Meat Lab, ensuring compliance with food safety regulations and inspection requirements

Level:

– Senior Manager

Base Description:

– Manages direct reports where primary duty is the management of a working unit.

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates advanced skills in critical functions related to unit's success. Demonstrates advanced knowledge of emerging technologies and processes. Monitors completed work of others to ensure effectiveness and adherence to requirements. Sets clear expectations and holds team accountable. Establishes a shared team/unit vision. Demonstrates ability to evaluate and enhance team/unit practices that promote a strong commitment to inclusionary practices. Coaches others using appropriate strategies. Demonstrates diplomacy. Demonstrates ability to serve as liaison between senior-level management and staff. Resolves complex, controversial, or unprecedented issues and problems.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Oversees large team or teams of individual contributors and/or supervisors/managers
– Leads a department or functional area

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– Monitors and tracks large budgets
– Plans, forecasts, and/or develops budgets
– May approve budgets for specific area
– Typically has final signature authority for specific area

Problem Solving:

– Encounters highly varied and complex problems that impacts the team and possibly the unit
– Develops creative and/or novel approaches to resolve problems that are difficult in nature
– Independently resolves complex and/or unprecedented issues and problems

Independence of Action:

– Work results are not clearly defined
– Generally sets own goals and determines how to accomplish results with few or no guidelines to follow
– Monitors completed work of others to ensure soundness of approach, effectiveness of meeting requirements, the feasibility of recommendations and adherences to requirements
– Delegates more advanced tasks to others

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates with both internal and external audiences
– Collaborates closely with team members and various areas across the University
– Fosters collaboration between units and engages others' coordinated efforts to reach desired outcomes with broad scope

• Comp Grade – 13
• Minimum – $86,300.00
• MidPoint – $107,900.00
• Maximum – $129,500.00