Agriculture Manager

Agriculture Manager
Up to £54,000 plus great benefits (Work Level 6A)
Manchester city centre – In this role, you’ll work in a hybrid way splitting your time between home, the office, and visiting farms and suppliers (find out more about our hybrid working policy at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/hybrid-working-policy)

We’re looking for an Agriculture Manager to join our Farming and Fisheries team in Manchester. We’ll look to you to make sure we’re sourcing products responsibly, with a particular focus on Sustainable Farm Practices and the fresh produce and horticulture areas of farming. You’ll build strong relationships with farmers, suppliers, and our technical, commercial, and sustainability teams, travelling across the UK to meet them. A big part of being an Agriculture Manager involves supporting and co-ordinating projects to make sure our sourcing standards are met and helping us deliver against our agronomy and sustainability targets. And that’s where you come in!

Why this role matters

The choices we make across our farming supply chains have a direct impact on people, animals, and the environment. In this role, you’ll help us work towards a more sustainable future for agriculture by supporting responsible sourcing practices. Your work will help strengthen relationships with farmers and growers, support industry-leading standards, and make sure Co-op continues to make the best decisions for our planet.

What you’ll do

• Work collaboratively with our farming supply chain, engaging with farmers and suppliers across our categories
• Make sure Co-op sourcing standards are met across health, pesticides, and environment
• Help to deliver our sustainability strategies by working on a range of projects and collaborating with internal colleagues and external partners
• Work with government and non-government agencies representing Co-op in your area of specialisation
• Manage a range of queries from customers and members relating to farming and provide updates around Co-op’s sustainability and welfare initiatives
• Collect and report data on our performance against public targets and external reporting requirements
• Support in the development of farming and fisheries sustainability policies
• Collaborate with our Senior Agriculture Manager to plan, organise, and complete strategies and actively contribute to the team’s overall goals

What you’ll bring

We’re committed to making our roles as accessible as possible, so we only ask for the minimum criteria. To thrive here, you’ll need to bring:

• A background in horticulture, agronomy, agriculture, or sustainability
• An understanding of agriculture and its’ supply chains
• Experience working with farmers, growers, or in a produce environment
• Good technical knowledge of primary productions across produce, UK policy, and the impacts of climate change on the sector
• Good communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain technical information to a non-technical audience

Why Co-op?  

At Co-op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:

• A company car
• An annual incentive scheme (based on business and personal performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays 
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions 
• 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands 
• Stream – early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it 
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice 
• 24/7 colleague support service 
• Training and support for your development and career progression 
• Cycle-to-work scheme

A place you’ll belong

We’re building diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone, and our support centre is an inclusive environment where all our colleagues can thrive.  

If you have a disability, we’ll make reasonable adjustments to support you through the recruitment process. We’re also proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme - if you’re disabled and you meet the minimum criteria for this job, we’ll guarantee you an interview.  

Learn more about our recruitment process at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process  

Explore our commitments to diversity, inclusion and wellbeing at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion-wellbeing

As part of your application, you'll need to complete an online assessment. This assessment typically takes up to 50 minutes. If you're a current Co-op colleague, this does not need to be completed.