Location: South West region
Role Definition:
The Calf Rearing Manager is responsible for overseeing contracted calf rearing units within an allocated region, ensuring calves are raised to agreed performance, health, and welfare standards. This role combines technical livestock expertise with the ability to drive operational excellence through effective farmer engagement, coaching, and accountability, while fostering constructive, professional relationships that protect and enhance the company's livestock investment.
The Calf Rearing Manager will act as the key regional liaison between Gamechanger Farming and contracted rearers, driving best practice, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Contracted Unit Oversight
Oversee all contracted calf rearing units within the assigned region.
Ensure compliance with company protocols, welfare standards, and contractual obligations.
Conduct regular on-farm visits, audits, and performance reviews.
Monitor growth rates, health metrics, mortality, feed conversion, and overall calf performance in line with the businesses KPI's.
Identify risks early and implement corrective action plans.
Identify, visit, evaluate and onboard new prospective rearers.
2. Farmer Relationship & Performance Management
Build strong, professional relationships with contracted rearers.
Provide technical guidance and coaching on calf health, housing, and management systems.
Set clear performance targets and track outcomes against KPIs.
Address underperformance through structured improvement plans.
Facilitate communication between farmers and central operations teams.
Attend industry and Gamechanger events to promote the scheme.
3. Animal Health & Welfare
Ensure high standards of calf health and biosecurity across all sites.
Work closely with veterinary providers to implement preventative health programmes.
Investigate disease outbreaks and coordinate response strategies.
Promote best practice in calf management, feeding systems, housing ventilation, and hygiene.
4. Operational Oversight
Monitor feed efficiency across units.
Support forecasting of calf placements, feed requirements, and capacity planning.
Ensure accurate and timely record keeping from all units.
Contribute to regional planning processes.
5. Continuous Improvement
Drive adoption of innovative systems and technologies.
Standardise best practice across the region.
Support training initiatives for contracted farmers and staff.
Contribute to company-wide livestock strategy and performance benchmarking.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Target daily liveweight gain
Mortality and morbidity rates
Feed conversion efficiency
Compliance and audit scores
Farmer engagement and retention
Risk Management
Personal specification:
Skills & Experience
Essential:
Proven experience in calf rearing or youngstock management.
Strong knowledge of calf nutrition, health, and welfare standards.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Ability to influence and hold farmers accountable while maintaining strong relationships.
Strong organisational and data analysis skills.
Full driver's licence and willingness to travel.
Desirable:
Agricultural qualification (Animal Science, Agriculture, or related field).
Personal Attributes
High level of integrity and accountability.
Practical, solutions-focused mindset.
Resilient and confident in challenging conversations.
Data-driven with strong analytical skills and excellent attention to detail.
Proactive, with the ability to anticipate issues and implement timely solutions.
Clear, confident communicator who can engage effectively with farmers, veterinarians, and internal teams.
Passion for livestock performance and animal welfare.