Director, Farm Operations

Finding the right place to grow your career isn’t (over) easy, so we’re here to help by sharing a few reasons why the grass is greener at Vital Farms. We think you’ll appreciate our focus on Conscious Capitalism, which drives business decisions that benefit all our stakeholders (leading to even better business results). You might be drawn to our innovative approach and refusal to settle for the “way things have always been done.” Or you could find it exciting to grow your skills while working for an industry-leading brand. Whether you’re into our values, our brand, or our egg-cellent puns, we hope you’ll join our Crew and help us change the world 108 square feet at a time! 

Reporting to the General Manager of Vital Farms Company Farms, the Director of Company Farm Operations will be responsible for the construction and operations of all Vital Farms’ owned farms. This includes property acquisition, partnership management, as well overseeing construction, and effective full-cycle farm operations. You will work with senior leadership on the design and strategy and lead a team of onsite farmers who will manage daily operations focusing on optimal health and well-being of our birds. With a focus on continuous process improvement, you will partner closely with our existing pullet and layer operations teams as well as key supply chain stakeholders, thoughtfully building and managing in alignment with Vital Farms mission and values. The ideal candidate has a strong background in poultry farm management, a passion for leading high-performing teams and contributing to sustainable food production.

What You’ll Do

• Oversee and manage all aspects of leadership and operations for our Company-owned farms from design and build to effective flock management
• Hire, train, develop, and inspire a high-performing team of farm managers and support crew members that will oversee the onsite day to day Company farm management
• Collaborate closely with internal and external partners to support our aggressive growth plan in the building of new barns and onboarding of new farmers and farm support teams
• Manage and oversee land and property management as well as construction, providing direction to contractors and all vendor partners to ensure the projects stay on track and meet budget expectations
• Establish strong relationships in the local communities we operate within and across the banking, farming, and agriculture networks
• Develop and implement strategies to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness on the farms; share learnings that are transferrable to other areas of the business
• Set aggressive goals for supply performance, establish and monitor key performance indicators to ensure continued progress and achievement of success milestones are met
• Collect and interpret data, make data-driven decisions, and optimize grower techniques accordingly.
• Ensure compliance with all company and industry regulations and standards, and maintain the highest quality standards throughout flock management
• Establish a strong partnership with internal finance partners to support you in owning and effectively setting, forecasting/managing the construction, operating, and labor budgets to target
• Organize and lead educational workshops, create educational content and resources that support the onboarding, growth, and development of prospective company farmers, as well as continued learning and development of existing farmers and farm support teams
  
  
  

What You Bring To The Table

• Candidate must be located in Indiana, Ohio, or Kentucky or open to relocation to Indiana or the surrounding area
• 10+ years of experience in agriculture/farm building and management with at least 5 in poultry operations – ideally laying hens
• You have a Bachelor of Science degree and/or equivalent/relative experience in business and leadership; Ag Science degree a plus
• Ability to quickly build strong community relationships and foster strong partnerships to support the business
• Proven experience building and developing high-performing teams that achieve performance targets
• You have experience effectively managing multi-site, multi-million dollar construction, operating, and labor budgets across
• You demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate with all stakeholders from crew to farmers to executives
• You are a highly autonomous leader who is performance driven and personally committed to ensuring all milestones are met on time
• You are highly organized and self-directed with the ability to manage multiple, time-sensitive, priorities and deadlines at once
• You can lead and engage in creative problem-solving with both internal and external partners to identify barriers and come to mutually beneficial solutions
• Ability to travel extensively (~50%), including overnight travel, for company meetings/training/offsites, vendor meetings, site visits, and other business needs
• Ability to work in a physically demanding environment, including lifting heavy objects up to 50 lbs., standing for extended periods, and working in varying temperatures.
• Proficient in MS Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
• You’re no hero – You know the power of teamwork and celebrate the work of others before your own
• You give a sh*t – You believe in acting like an owner and making Vital Farms a place to be proud of
• You raise the standards – You know growth can be hard, but you strive to improve yourself and others each day
• You can walk in someone else’s boots – You seek to understand other’s viewpoints and think that you get to better answers by sitting on the same side of the table
• You don’t walk on eggshells – You’re not afraid to leave the bullsh*t behind and have honest conversations.
  
  
  

What We Bring To The Table

• A fast-paced, energetic, remote environment with passionate people who are leading a movement to bring ethically produced food to the table.
• Competitive pay and benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, and Paid Parental Leave, just to name a few).
• Generous retirement contributions: 401(k) + 3% Contribution from Day 1.
• Free eggs and butter, along with friends and family discounts.
• Fun team SWAG that will make you the talk of the town.
• Professional development opportunities and an amazing team dedicated to your growth.
  
  
  

Who We Are

Vital Farms, a Certified B Corporation, offers a range of ethically produced foods nationwide. Started on a single farm in Austin, Texas, in 2007, Vital Farms became a national consumer brand that works with over 300 family farms and is the leading U.S. brand of pasture-raised eggs by retail dollar sales. Vital Farms’ products, including shell eggs, butter, hard-boiled eggs, and liquid whole eggs, are sold in over 24,000 stores nationwide. Vital Farms’ ethics are exemplified by its focus on the humane treatment of farm animals and sustainable farming practices. In addition, as a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation, Vital Farms prioritizes the long-term benefits of each of its stakeholders, including farmers and suppliers, customers and consumers, communities and the environment, crew members, and stockholders. In short, we exist to improve the lives of people, animals, and our planet through food.

Next Steps

Shortly after you complete your application, you'll receive a follow-up email elaborating on any potential next steps in our process. If you don't immediately receive said follow-up email, we would highly encourage you to check your spam filter!

In order to fulfill Vital Farms mission to “bring ethically produced food to the table,” we seek to build teams that leverage diverse perspectives to create a welcoming and innovative environment that is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunities.

To that end, we make employment decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business need. Vital Farms does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender and gender identity, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, citizenship status, military or veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Notification To Agencies

• Vital Farms is not accepting unsolicited third-party recruitment agencies in the hiring process for this role. If you are a potential candidate interested in a role with Vital Farms, please submit an application directly. If you have any questions about the application process or the role itself, please reach out to a member of our Talent Acquisition team at [email protected] .