Manager, Smart Farm

**About Olds College of Agriculture and Technology**

Founded in 1913, Olds College has been offering quality hands-on education for over a century. Through our regular programming, continued education, and online and blended programming, we provide accessible educational opportunities within Alberta and beyond. We work closely with industry to advance and adapt our programming to ensure our graduates have the skills to succeed.

At Olds College we value our people and are committed to providing a supportive and rewarding work environment. Olds College provides quality education in an environment that is designed to promote academic excellence and student success. There are many reasons to join Olds College and build a meaningful career in a community that is innovative, diverse and welcoming. Everything we do at Olds College is done to advance all aspects of the agriculture and agri-food community. All of our programs and actions align to our social purpose, “Transforming agriculture for a better world”. Our mission is to ensure Alberta's agriculture community has the talent, knowledge, and thought leadership to lead globally.

**The Opportunity**:
The Olds College Smart Farm (OCSF) Manager is responsible for planning, operating and managing the ag production activities on a 3,600 acre mixed crops and livestock (beef and sheep) enterprise in two provinces (Alberta and Saskatchewan) with additional assets that support equine and animal health technology programming.. The Manager is responsible for ensuring the Smart Farm and team provides an exemplary level of measured customer service to all stakeholders, ensuring a high degree of collaboration with academic departments, continuing education, Olds College Centre for Innovation (OCCI), various clubs and user groups, external stakeholders, industry partners, and other customers.

The Manager will also provide leadership that fosters the implementation of leading edge farm production practices and technologies and will make use of sensors, devices, controls, monitors, and software to gather data that will inform decision making within the farm entity with a focus on profitability, productivity, and sustainability.

The Manager will be accountable to manage the farm operating budget, ensuring monthly and annual revenue and spending are on target while establishing mitigation plans to achieve performance targets. He/she will foster and maintain strong industry involvement and contact with stakeholders connected directly to the farm as well as those through applied research and development relationships. The role is split with approximately 75% office-based tasks, and 25% hands-on activities.

**Key Job Functions**:
Leadership and Team Management:

- Provide leadership for a dynamic Smart Farm team (approximately ten full-time staff plus seasonal staff) and directly manage key staff.
- Coordinate daily work schedules and ensure tasks are completed to high standards.
- Model leadership in a complex environment combined with the ability to coordinate, manage, leverage and integrate the efforts of faculty, staff, contractors and partners.
- Set clear team goals and objectives aligned with the organization's vision and strategy and ensure effective execution and achievement of targets.
- Manage team performance by setting and tracking key performance indicators, conducting performance reviews, and addressing any performance issues or gaps.
- Champion and foster a positive and inclusive work culture, promoting teamwork, collaboration and open communication within the team.
- Champion a customer-focus and safety mindset within the team ensuring exceptional service delivery and internal/external stakeholder satisfaction.
- Creates team spirit and helps to direct individuals toward achievement of team and organizational goals. Inspires others to do their best, develop professionally, and contribute to the success of the leadership team.
- Provide guidance and support to the operational team to ensure crop and livestock plans are modified as required and implemented in collaboration with appropriate stakeholders.

Operations Management
- Utilize Smart Ag technologies and data available to inform crop and livestock planning operational decision making.
- Work with internal and external stakeholders and resources to develop and communicate the annual and three-year crop plan and livestock plan.
- Working with external consultants such as agronomists and nutritionists, as well as custom contractors, to ensure that key operational activities are being met efficiently and with success Oversee the purchase of operational inputs such as seed, fertilizer, herbicide, fungicide, feed, bedding, veterinary products and replacement breeding stock, as appropriate.
- Annual marketing of harvested grain, forage and animal commodities produced by the Smart Farms.

Educational Programming & Research
- Ensure that teaching and learning requirements as they relate to Smart Farm Operations a