General Manager of Farm Operations

Bowery Farming, the Modern Farming Company, was founded in 2015 with the belief that technology and human ingenuity can grow better food for a better future. Propelled by its proprietary software system, the BoweryOS, Bowery builds smart indoor vertical farms that deliver a wide variety of Protected Produce — in little time, near cities they serve, for a truly local approach. Bowery’s farms are growing the next generation of vibrant and flavorful produce. They’re 100 times more productive on the same footprint of land than traditional agriculture, and grow traceable pesticide-free produce – the purest, best expression of what produce is meant to be – with a fraction of the water and land. About The Role:Bowery Farming is seeking a General Manager of Farm Operations who will oversee and be responsible for the complete operation of our newest and most modern high tech indoor vertical farm. You’ll join Bowery Farming at a critical point in our growth trajectory. Reporting to the Regional General Manager, you will be responsible for the end-to-end operation, including team development, health & safety, food safety & quality, cost, P&L, crop health, people development and service. You will build and develop the best and most complete operation possible. To achieve this, General Managers of Farm Operations are individuals who come with experience, analytical problem solvers who are able to set big bold goals, interpret data, and deliver business results. You will operate in a multidisciplinary environment with engineers, computer scientists, agricultural scientists, retail and other functions and your work will meaningfully impact the evolution of the indoor agriculture industry, making history. Come join us!

What You’ll Do:

• Responsible for complete end to end operations of the facility to include team development, health & safety, food safety & quality, cost, P&L , crop health, people development and service
• Ensure all required KPI’s are met regarding facilities goals on safety, production, quality, and costs
• Collect & analyze data in order to proactively identify production issues or develop plans to resolve existing issues
• Responsible for creating and sustaining a world class culture around people and food safety, quality, customer experience and history making fun
• Oversee an Operations team to ensure that the farm stays on schedule, from seeding to harvest to packaging to cleaning & delivery
• Onboard, train and develop leaders and farmers creating an environment where leaders and farmers are developed
• Maintain overall responsibility for the farm, including safety, quality, cost, productivity, and delivery
• Implement all SOPs and drive compliance with crop plans in partnership with the Agricultural Operations Team
• Plan shift and work schedules for all production staff on shift to ensure high efficiency & quality
• Maintain production areas to ensure compliance with company quality, sanitation and food safety standards
• Identify and implement methods and practices to achieve operational improvements in efficiency, quality, delivery, and operating profits
• Provide safe working environment by maintaining quality equipment and enforcing adherence to developed work practices
• Ensure employees have the right tools, knowledge and equipment required to do their jobs effectively and safely
• Promote a culture of world class performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality
• Provide coaching, teaching, and mentorship to a diverse and engaged team
• Influence and drive improvements to the Bowery Farming production software system
• Collaborate with leaders across Bowery to identify and understand operational opportunities for improvement
• Routinely build and lead relationships in the communities we serve while championing and supporting social capital projects.

Who You Are:

• Leader with excellent verbal, written and interpersonal skills
• Manufacturing leader with experience running food operations (preferably fresh produce) with demonstrated ability leading and running a complex 24 hour 7 day a week operation
• Working experience with food regulators such as FDA and DOA
• Demonstrated experience implementing Lean & Six Sigma process improvement techniques (ideally a certified green or black LSS practitioner)
• Experience managing an OSHA compliance program
• Knowledge of warehouse management systems
• Skills driving continuous improvement initiatives & culture
• Excellent analytical, problem solving, and superior management skills
• Strong mentoring, coaching experience to a team with diverse levels of expertise
• Ability to influence and engage direct and indirect reports and peers
• Detail & process orientation
• Experience with farming and growing operations, and food safety and production is a plus

Who We Are:

• Bowery is a place where everyone is welcome, included and empowered to reach their full potential
• We live our shared values every day in both big and small ways: opt-in, think wildly different, break barriers together & be kind to the core
• We are a mission-driven team of unconventional thinkers, problem-solvers, optimists and activators
• We share a passion for giving back more to the planet than we take, growing deliciously abundant food without abundant harm
• We are excited to hear from you!

This is a big role and we are looking for a big leader that can come in and multiply our success. Our ability to maintain healthy, efficient facilities will help drive Bowery’s growth into a worldwide network of interconnected farms. You don’t need to know anything about farming, we will teach the way we do farming leveraging technology in a new and exciting way! The largest vertical farming company in the U.S., Bowery’s produce is available in almost 800 grocery stores and via e-commerce platforms serving the Tri-state and Mid-Atlantic region, including Amazon Fresh, Albertsons, Giant Food, Hungryroot, Walmart, Weis, Whole Foods Market, and specialty grocers. Based in New York City, Bowery has raised more than $172.5 million from leading investors, including Temasek and GV (formerly Google Ventures), General Catalyst, GGV Capital, First Round Capital, Henry Kravis, Jeff Wilke, and Dara Khosrowshahi, as well as some of the foremost thought leaders in food, including Tom Colicchio, José Andres, and David Barber of Blue Hill.