Find your place in the field of good food

Our goal is to connect good people with good food. We advertise sustainable food jobs and training opportunities to help jobseekers and employers find each other.

Roots to Work is a project of Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming.

Job description

We are a community owned, charitable co-operative which practices Social Farming on a certified biodynamic farm on the Blackwater Estuary, near Maldon in Essex.  Launched in 2017 and building on thirteen years of development, we provide a wide range of educational opportunities through meaningful work experiences to many people, especially those with a learning disability and/or autism (LDA).  We also undertake extensive conservation work through on the farm’s 210 acres which includes rare breed cattle and sheep, laying hens, vegetable growing, woolly crafts and a community kitchen processing produce and providing daily lunches.  Produce is sold locally at markets, weekly deliveries and directly from the farm.  We also have a volunteering program, give talks to local interest groups and work closely with Essex County Council, local SEND schools and colleges and The Country Trust.  It is a beautiful, tranquil setting and we are inspired by the work of Rudolf Steiner and anthroposophy. 

We launched a new seven-year business plan in 2024 as we have access to new buildings and other opportunities which will further diversify and increase our activities, notably into overnight accommodation.  Key to this expansion is the introduction of a full time Operations Manager to oversee all the day to day activities of the farm, ensuring internal policies and procedures are followed and external regulations are adhered to including personnel management (eleven employees), financial reporting including charitable grant applications/reporting, safeguarding, food hygiene, first aid and health and safety.   We are a small, person-centred team with a good track record of delivery.  During term time, there are around fifty people on the farm each week with over 2,500 social farming day places being offered every year.

The role reports directly to the Trustees and works shoulder to shoulder with the current Farm Director.  It requires previous experience of a similar role, ideally in a charity or co-operative, excellent communication and organisational skills, an empathy for nature as well as a passion for chemical free farming.  Experience of working alongside people with learning disabilities and/or autism is highly desirable as half our current employees have a learning disability.  We are an inclusive employer and we welcome applications from people with a disability.

The post is grant funded for three years with a 5% salary increase built in per year.  After three years, the role will be funded through the increase in financial activity.

We take safeguarding of all vulnerable people on the farm very seriously and you will be required to complete an enhanced DBS check if successful.   We are running a two-stage interview process.  Selected candidates will be required to attend an interview and from this we will shortlist candidates for a second interview involving a presentation and undertaking of a couple of tasks.

Lauriston Farm Limited is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. Applicants must be willing to undergo protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and an enhanced DBS disclosure.

Please note this post is ‘exempt’ from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore, you will be required to declare any convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings that are not ‘protected’ (i.e. filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). The amendments to the Exceptions Order provide that certain ‘spent’ convictions and cautions are 'protected' and are not subject to disclosure to employers and cannot be taken into account.  Guidance and criteria on the filtering of these cautions and convictions can be found on the Disclosure and Barring Service website.

• Normal working hours are 7 per day, 9am to 5pm, five days per week (lunch 1-2pm).
• This is a salaried position set at £35,000 for year one with a 5% increase in year two and year three.
• The post will be based at Lauriston Farm, Lauriston Farm Chase, Maldon, Essex CM9 8AH.  

What do we offer?

• The chance to join a community owned charitable co-operative with environmental and social justice at its core.
• Competitive salary
• 28 days holiday (excluding bank holidays) per year.
• Contributory company pension
• A supportive and collaborative working environment
• A beautiful and tranquil setting

LAURISTON FARM JOB DESCRIPTION

• Job Title: Operations Manager
• Salary: £35,000 per annum with 5% increase in year 2 and 3
• Hours per week / Contract type: 35 hours / week, salaried position
• Team: Working alongside the Farm Director
• Reporting to: The Board of Trustees
• Location: Lauriston Farm, Goldhanger, Essex, CM9 8AH

Purpose of role

A new, central organisational role responsible for ensuring the smooth running of all day to day activities through compliance with external regulations and management of internal procedures, policies, staff and finance. 

Duties & Responsibilities for this post:

Day to day management

• Co-ordinate all activity streams to ensure staff awareness and a meaningful experience for all service users
• Maintain a central diary and signing sheets for all pre-arranged, regular, and ad-hoc farm visitors
• Diary co-ordination with office team for farm walks, open days, off farm talks, SEND colleges, volunteers, Primary school visits.
• Maintain a diary for annual events e.g. vehicle MOTs, insurance renewal, equipment servicing and ensure relevant actions are taken
• Oversee room use and ensure all facilities are kept clean and tidy, including reporting maintenance needs
• Manage bookings from external organizations
• Manage consumables stockkeeping and raise orders as required
• Communicate with families and key workers of all social farming participants
• Maintain internal paperwork systems for all social farming initiatives
• Communicate with potential social farming participants in collaboration with Farm Director

Personnel Management

• Act as central point of contact for all staff and volunteers, triage queries and direct them as appropriate
• Overall management of all staff and volunteers, direct line management of all non-land working staff.
• Arrange sickness and holiday cover for all staff including cover for markets
• Responsible for undertaking grievance and disciplinary procedures
• New staff inductions
• Training records and other compliance records for all staff and volunteers
• Staff reviews
• Organise staff training

Compliance

• Oversee compliance with relevant legislation (e.g. risk assessments, safeguarding, food hygiene, GDPR, health and safety) and internal policies and procedures
• Process DBS applications and renewal
• Oversee compliance with best practice for day placements
• Ensure any accidents/incidents are properly recorded
• Manage reviews of risk assessments, policies and procedures

Finance

• Produce monthly P&L vs budget report (Xero)
• Produce monthly cash flow report
• Co-write, present and oversee compliance with annual budget
• Investigate budget compliance anomalies
• Liaise with office manager regarding debtors and creditors
• Assist with annual returns
• Assist with writing reports for grant providers

General Duties

• Demonstrate and promote the values of Lauriston Farm Limited.
• Work in accordance with all Lauriston Farm policies including financial, equality & diversity and safeguarding
• Commit to continual professional development
• Play an active part within the wider Lauriston Farm team
• Perform other duties occasionally assigned to you to ensure the smooth running of the farm
• With consent from individuals, contribute regular information and photographs for the farm’s social media

Key Working Relationships

• The Board of Trustees, all farm staff and volunteers
• Social farming users, their families, carers, school/college staff members and key workers  

PERSON SPECIFICATION

(Essential = E, Desirable = D)

Experience, knowledge & skills

• Experience of providing services for adults with learning disabilities, autism or other special needs (E)
• Excellent timekeeping, multi-tasking and organizational skills (E)
• Experience of writing risk assessments and policies (E)
• Experience of managing legislation compliance (E)
• Experience of following, and keeping up to date with, best practice for your organization (E)
• Experience of line management and general personnel management (E)
• Experience of financial management (E)
• Good IT skills (including Word, Excel and Outlook) (E)
• Self-motivated to work on own initiative and as part of a team (E)
• Excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication skills, including an ability to build relationships and engage effectively with everyone on the farm (E)
• An innovative, flexible and enthusiastic work ethic, including a willingness to attend a maximum of three, weekend trustee meetings plus the AGM each year (E)
• Commitment to the Lauriston Farm values of conservation and chemical free, biodynamic farming and the ability to communicate these values to others (E)
• A keen interest in anthroposophy (D)
• Experience (personal or professional) of some form of animal care, horticulture, gardening or conservation (D)

Qualifications

• Full driving license or own means of transport to travel to work (E)
• GCSE Mathematics and English

Other

• An Enhanced DBS check is required for this role.

Application information

To apply, please send your current CV, along with a letter of application detailing how you match the person specification, by midnight on Friday 4th April 2025 to Jenny Chittenden (Society Secretary) secretary@lauristonfarm.co.uk

Interviews will start in week commencing 21st April 2025 with a start date during June 2025.  For further information please contact Spencer Christy (Farm Director) spencer@lauristonfarm.co.uk or 01621 788348.

Please mention Roots to Work when applying for these jobs