Farm Manager - Proving Grounds │Pocomoke Farms (Pocomoke City, MD)

Job Details:

Farm Manager, Proving Grounds- Pocomoke Farms (Pocomoke City, MD)

Reports to: Associate Director, Proving Grounds

Summary

The purpose of this position is to provide operational leadership and accountability for flock performance and farm operations across multiple Proving Grounds sites within the complex, ensuring that Proving Grounds, Cobb's integrated product validation and commercialization platform, delivers accurate results, high-quality flock performance, and a reliable environment for evaluating future products. This position supports the Associate Director, Production and assumes the duties of that role as needed.

Proving Grounds is a multi-site network of breeding, production, and support facilities designed to accelerate genetic progress, validate product performance under commercial conditions, generate management insights, and support the successful introduction of future products into the marketplace.

This position leads farm teams responsible for the execution of validation programs, operational excellence, biosecurity, animal welfare, and cost control. It monitors flock and team performance at each site, ensuring that assigned farms deliver actionable data that support Cobb's research, development, and commercial objectives.

Essential Functions

Flock Performance & Management

• Manage flock performance across assigned sites to achieve established production, performance, and validation targets.
• Review flock data regularly, including mortality, body weight and uniformity, feed intake, egg production, and fertility and hatchability. Identify deviations early and take corrective action.
• Ensure validation trials and programs are executed according to protocol, with accurate, timely, and complete data collection and reporting.
• Collaborate with Genetics, Technical Service, and Production teams on flock management practices and trial requirements.
• Maintain the integrity, security, and traceability of genetic materials, production data, and validation results.

Team Performance & Leadership

• Monitor the work quality and performance of farm supervisors and team members across sites. Set clear expectations, give regular feedback, and address performance gaps.
• Develop, coach, and retain a capable team, including training, onboarding, and succession planning for key farm roles.
• Promote a strong culture of safety, teamwork, and continuous improvement at every site.
• Drive consistent execution of procedures and best practices across sites.

Operations, Compliance & Support

• Support the daily operation of GP, GGP, and PS facilities and supporting infrastructure across multiple sites.
• Support achievement of biosecurity, animal welfare, environmental compliance, and genetic integrity objectives.
• Monitor key performance indicators and implement corrective actions to achieve operational, technical, financial, and project objectives. Escalate issues to the Associate Director, Production as needed.
• Identify and communicate operational and biological risks that could affect flock performance or validation outcomes.
• Support facility maintenance and capital projects and
• assist in developing and managing operational and capital budgets.
• Support continuous improvement and the adoption of technologies that enhance flock monitoring and operational effectiveness.
• Assume Associate Director, Production duties as needed.

Qualifications

Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience with 4+ years of progressive experience in poultry production, breeding, or a related field; or
• Advanced degree, if required, with 2+ years of progressive experience.

Accountability

• Skilled and experienced professional responsible for managing supervisory and/or professional roles that impact daily operations.
• Monitors work quality and performance across multiple sites within the complex.
• Accountable for flock performance and the quality of results produced by others.

Computer Skills

• Standard computer skills required.
• Experience working with Excel spreadsheets and data across multiple computer applications is required.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Direct supervision of salaried team members, including farm supervisors and technicians.
• Oversight of management support positions and hourly team members.

Travel

• Minimal domestic travel required.

Work Environment and Special Requirements

Biosecurity

• When visiting job sites, adherence to biosecurity protocols is required, including showering before entering facilities.
• Appropriate clothing and footwear will be provided by the company.
• No jewelry may be worn on job sites, except approved medical identification jewelry.
• Must be willing to sign an agreement to avoid contact with avian species, including chickens, ducks, and birds.
• Company Animal Welfare Policies must be followed at all times.

Physical Requirements

• Must use safe lifting techniques.
• Regularly required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, reach with hands and arms, balance, stoop, talk, and hear.
• Occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Must follow all required safety procedures when visiting facilities.
• Required personal protective equipment must be worn at all times as designated.

All professional team members are expected to demonstrate responsible use of approved AI tools, including safeguarding sensitive information, adhering to company policies, and validating AI-generated outputs. Individual Contributors should demonstrate the ability to integrate AI into daily work, improve efficiency through AI-enabled solutions, evaluate outputs critically, and apply professional judgment when using AI. People Leaders should demonstrate the ability to drive responsible AI adoption, enable effective use of approved solutions, identify opportunities to improve team performance through AI, and ensure accountability for the quality and accuracy of AI-supported outcomes.

Relocation Assistance Eligible:

No

Work Shift:

1ST SHIFT (United States of America)

Pay Range/Rate:

Incentives:

NoNo

Certain roles at Tyson require background checks. If you are offered a position that requires a background check you will be provided additional documentation to complete once an offer has been extended.

Any listed amounts represent the base pay range. Additional compensation may be available for this position based on various factors such as shift differentials, standby/on-call, overtime, premiums, extra shift incentives, or bonuses. Pay is just one part of Tyson’s total compensation package.

Tyson will develop an offer based on a candidate's or team member’s relevant skills and capabilities, the market data for the role described in this requisition, internal equity, and other information relevant to the candidate and role.

Hourly Applicants ONLY -You must complete the task after submitting your application to provide additional information to be considered for employment.

The successful candidate(s) must be willing and able to perform the physical requirements of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Tyson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, national origin, color, religion, age, genetics, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status.

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