Job Description

Job Description

Job Description

Location:

California- Central Valley - Fresno, CA

Employment Type:

Full-Time

Reports To:

Owner

Position Overview:

A premier farming operation in the California Central Valley is seeking an experienced and hands-on Farm

Manager to lead and oversee daily field operations for a large-scale raisin and wine grape production

business, spanning multiple ranches and thousands of acres. The ideal candidate will bring proven

leadership in crew supervision, logistics, and compliance, along with deep knowledge of Central Valley

viticulture practices. This is a full-time leadership position offering growth potential and the opportunity

to work in a fast-paced, highly productive-evolving environment.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Crew & Labor Management

• Supervise and direct a labor force comprising 10–12 crew foremen and 100–400 seasonal and

permanent field workers.

• Plan and allocate labor across multiple ranches for optimal efficiency, ensuring all vineyard

activities meet operational timelines.

• Enforce work quality, safety, and productivity standards while providing mentorship to foremen

and crew leaders.

• Ensure all labor practices comply with Cal/OSHA, H-2A, and state labor laws.

• Leveraging successful leadership experience to develop, train/mentor and grow current

foreman/crew through presence at all meetings, huddles, and within the field.

• Teamwork must be embedded within the core of the incumbents DNA. Communication is

essential to relay daily/weekly and monthly goal-setting and operational changes.

2. Field Operations Scheduling

• Develop and manage detailed work calendars for:

• Pruning (manual and mechanical)

• Trellising and tying

• Pest and disease management

• Manual and mechanical harvest operations

• Coordinate with internal logistics and maintenance teams to ensure all equipment and machinery

is field-ready.

• Monitor vineyard blocks and prioritize fieldwork based on crop stage, vine health, and harvest

tools and machinery.

3. Crop Maintenance & Pest Management

• Implement and monitor vineyard cultural practices tailored to raisin and wine grape varieties.

• Collaborate closely with licensed PCAs to execute proactive Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

programs, ensuring compliance with California DPR guidelines.

• Oversee safe and compliant application of pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides, with full

documentation aligned with FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) standards.

• Utilize weather data, pest traps, and crop history to anticipate threats and schedule timely

interventions.

• Understand Water Districts associated with California, and Central Valley, leveraging a cohesive

relationship that meets the expectations of regulations while ensuring healthy water management

and utilization.

• Up-to-date on new and emerging technologies associated with crop management, new variety

implementation, water management, and pesticide management.

4. Viticulture Expert• Grape Cultivation

• Environmental Management - must understand and manage various environmental factors,

including, Temperature and resting periods.

• Solar Radiation

• Soil Health

• Agricultural Practices

• Canopy Management

• Irrigation

• Planting Density

• Variety and Rootstock Selection

• Site Selection

• Health and Protection

• Spraying

• Nutrient Applications

5. Multi-Property Ranch Oversight

• Manage farming operations across multiple properties, ensuring consistent application of

company protocols and vineyard standards.

• Coordinate shared use of resources such as labor crews, equipment, and supplies across ranch

locations in Fresno, Madera, Kings, and Tulare Counties.

• Maintain accurate mapping and record-keeping for each property using GPS tools, digital field

logs, or vineyard management software.

• Hands-on, in-the-field approach, that centers around building relationships with entire team,

crew, and ranch owners.

6. Harvest & Post-Harvest Logistics

• Direct manual and mechanical harvest activities, ensuring efficient timing and coordination

across ranches.

• Manage operations for Dry-on-Vine (DOV) and traditional tray-dried raisins, including timing,

placement, and pick-up.

• Coordinate with packinghouses for fruit delivery, quality assurance, and yield tracking.

• Maintain tight scheduling with logistics teams for equipment movement and labor adjustments

during peak harvest windows.

7. Budgeting & Reporting

• Assist in preparing and managing budgets related to labor, materials, equipment, and crop

inputs.

• Maintain accurate records of all field activities, labor hours, chemical applications, and

equipment usage.

• Generate regular progress reports and provide input on overall ranch performance and

improvements.

8. Compliance & Regulatory Oversight

• Ensure full operational compliance with:

• FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) – including traceability, worker hygiene, and

chemical use documentation.

• Cal/OSHA – enforcing safety protocols, PPE usage, heat illness prevention, and regular

crew safety training.

• Ag Order 4.0 – implementing and documenting nutrient management plans, irrigation

practices, and water quality monitoring as required in the Central Valley region.

• Maintain detailed and organized records for audits, inspections, and internal reviews.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Degree or certification in Agriculture, Viticulture, Agribusiness, or related field.

• Familiarity with agricultural software platforms (e.g., for scheduling, inventory, labor tracking,

or compliance).

• 7+ years of experience managing vineyard operations, preferably in grape or raisin production

in the California Central Valley.

• Proven leadership managing large labor teams, including multiple foremen and seasonal

crews.

• Deep knowledge of Central Valley viticulture, raisin drying methods, and wine grape handling.

• Experience in mechanical and manual vineyard tasks, including pruning, and harvesting.

• Familiarity with state and federal agricultural compliance requirements including FSMA,

Cal/OSHA, and Ag Order 4.0.

• Bilingual in English and Spanish (preferred or highly desirable).

• Valid California Driver’s License and clean DMV record.

Preferred:

• Degree in Viticulture, Plant Science, Agricultural Business, or related field.

• Familiarity with digital vineyard management systems (e.g., Workyard, FieldClock, or similar).

• QAL and ability to work closely with a licensed PCA.

Skills & Competencies:

• Exceptional leadership and personnel management skills.

• Strong organizational and logistical planning capabilities.

• High attention to detail and quality standards.

• Effective verbal and written communication skills.

• Ability to work extended hours during peak seasons.

• Strong understanding of agricultural safety, regulatory compliance, and environmental

stewardship.

Work Environment:

• Position requires frequent outdoor work in variable conditions (heat, dust, cold, etc.).

• Must be comfortable traversing ranch terrain, walking vineyard rows, and performing physical

inspections.

• Occasional evening and weekend work required during critical periods (e.g., pruning, harvest,

or chemical application windows).

Compensation & Benefits:

• Competitive salary, commensurate with experience. This position will institute a generous

base salary of $80,000/yr. Incentive and Bonus that leverages yield, profitability, budgeting,

KPI/Goals and team relations increases earning potential to $110,000-$120,000/yr

• Company vehicle

• Health, dental, vision, and retirement benefits available.

• Opportunities for professional development and advancement.

How to Apply:

We understand that this job description lists the ideal candidate we are looking for. If your resume does

not check all the boxes, or you have in progress licenses or degrees, we ask that you please submit your

resume, a cover letter detailing your relevant experience, and references. The ideal candidate is a heavy

mixture of work experience, background and relationship building. If this is you, please apply!

Company Description

Rand Employment Solutions

Company Description

Rand Employment Solutions

Job Tags

Seasonal work, Full time, Permanent employment, Casual work, Work experience placement, H-2A Visa, Afternoon shift,

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