Yerecoin Hay Processing Site Manager

Hay Processing Site Manager

Hay Australia

Yerecoin WA

Manufacturing agricultural commodity (Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics)

Full time

Hay Australia

At Hay Australia (part of the AgTrade Group), we’re on a mission to build creative and sustainable solutions for people, partners, and global food security. We achieve this by supplying premium hay and straw to dairy, beef, and equine customers across Australia and the world.

We are one of Australia’s leading fodder exporters, operating four strategically located processing sites across Australia’s broadacre cropping regions, including our Western Australian site at Yerecoin. We specialise in processing and exporting high-quality hay and straw products to global markets and are also a significant supplier to Australia’s domestic livestock industry. We pride ourselves on maintaining a reliable, year-round supply for our international customers due to our extensive combined processing and storage capacity spread across the country, positioning us as one of Australia’s major buyers of fodder.

With a strong global presence, and a focus on our customers, we are seeking an experienced, hands-on Site Manager to lead our Yerecoin hay processing site in Western Australia. This is a broad and influential leadership role for someone who enjoys taking ownership, developing people, improving operational performance and being accountable for the overall success of a site.

The AgTrade Group

Our parent company, AgTrade, is a global livestock, genetics, and food security group with partnerships with over 15,000 farming and primary production businesses. As a wholly Australian owned, Brisbane based company, we are guided by our vision to "feed the world with purpose, creativity and care".

About the Job

Reporting to the National Operations Manager, the Site Manager is responsible for all controllable outcomes at the Yerecoin site.

You will lead all site-based functions including operations, maintenance, logistics, quality, administration and grower services. You will be accountable for ensuring the site operates safely, efficiently and reliably while meeting production, quality, cost and compliance expectations.

This is a genuinely hands-on leadership position. You will need to spend time across the operation, understand what is happening on the ground, set clear expectations and support and hold people accountable for delivering them.

The role requires a leader who can:

• Build and maintain a strong safety-first culture.
• Lead, develop and hold accountable a diverse site-based workforce.
• Deliver production and throughput targets while maintaining safety, quality and cost discipline.
• Ensure plant and equipment are maintained effectively and reliably.
• Manage workforce planning, rostering, recruitment and performance.
• Oversee site budgets and controllable costs.
• Ensure accurate production, inventory, quality and cost reporting.
• Work effectively with corporate support teams including safety, planning, logistics, inventory, finance, HR and ICT.
• Build constructive relationships with growers, contractors, service providers and the local community.
• Lead and support grower services activities associated with fodder supply, quality, purchasing and grower relationships.
• Uphold AgTrade values.

Key Responsibilities

The responsibilities and duties of the Site Manager include, but are not limited to:

• Lead and promote a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with WHS requirements.
• Protect people, infrastructure, equipment, commodities and other site assets.
• Ensure product quality, traceability and export compliance requirements are consistently achieved.
• Lead incident and non-compliance investigations and ensure corrective actions are implemented.
• Build a high-performance culture based on the AgTrade values.
• Establish clear performance expectations and provide regular coaching, feedback and development.
• Manage recruitment, onboarding, workforce planning, rostering and employee performance.
• Maintain effective communication across all shifts and functions.
• Meet or exceed production targets while maintaining appropriate safety, quality and cost outcomes.
• Be regularly and visibly present throughout the site operation.
• Oversee production planning, scheduling, inventory and resource allocation.
• Oversee maintenance planning and execution to improve plant reliability and equipment performance.
• Identify and remove operational bottlenecks and drive continuous improvement.
• Manage site budgets and monitor financial performance.
• Coordinate logistics and inventory movements.
• Use data, reporting and personal observation to understand performance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Work with Hay Australia’s Grower Services function to support supply, quality, purchasing and grower relationships.
• Represent Hay Australia positively within the local community and with external stakeholders.
• Live and uphold the AgTrade values in all Hay Australia decisions, actions, and interactions.

About You

We are looking for an experienced operational leader who can take ownership of a complex processing site and lead both people and performance.

Ideally, you will have experience in a machinery-intensive manufacturing, processing, agricultural, mining-related, logistics or similar operational environment where safety, throughput and equipment reliability are critical.

You will bring:

• Experience in an environment with significant safety risk from moving equipment and various energy sources (hydraulic, air, electrical and similar), and a strong understanding of WHS, quality and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated experience leading people and building an accountable, high-performance culture.
• Experience leading machinery-intensive manufacturing operations where throughput is crucial to success
• Experience in a role accountable for worker safety, production performance, HR (including recruiting, rostering, performance management and discipline), quality compliance, maintenance, inventory and spares management, purchasing and administration.
• Proven ability to lead teams, build culture and embed organisational values.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data and make informed decisions in dynamic environments.
• High-level communication, interpersonal and conflict resolution skills.
• Strong negotiation skills with a commercial mindset.
• Strong organisational and prioritisation abilities to manage competing demands.
• Proficiency with operational systems, reporting tools and Microsoft Office applications.
• A proactive, resilient and solutions-focused approach.
• Current Class C Driver’s Licence (essential).

Experience in any of the following would also be well regarded:

• Agriculture or hay processing would be advantageous, but is not essential.
• Machinery maintenance, including hydraulic, electrical or fabrication environments.
• Continuous or 24/5 / 24/7 operations.
• Removing production bottlenecks and improving throughput.
• Managing workforces with a broad mix of skills and backgrounds.
• Logistics and inventory management.
• Agricultural production or supply chains.
• Machinery or equipment capital projects.
• Working in rural or regional locations.
• Export processing or compliance environments.

Why Join Us?

Hay Australia is on the cusp of an exciting growth phase, and this is your chance to be a key player in shaping our future. As Site Manager you will be accountable for the outcomes of your site and will directly influence its performance, its culture and its people. This role offers real ownership and the chance to make your mark.

Here's what else makes Hay Australia a great place to work:

• Real Ownership: Run your own site, with genuine accountability for safety, production, quality and cost, and the support of a national business behind you.
• Impactful Work: Contribute directly to our mission of feeding the world with purpose, creativity, and care. Your work will play a vital role in connecting Australian farmers with those who feed livestock, strengthening food security.
• Growth and Development: This role offers significant responsibility and the opportunity to hone your skills in operational leadership, people management and commercial performance within a dynamic and growing organisation.
• Supportive Culture: Hay Australia, backed by the AgTrade Group, provides the stability and resources of a large organisation while maintaining a dynamic and innovative working environment. We foster a supportive and collaborative culture where your ideas are valued, and you're empowered to challenge the status quo. We encourage creativity and a passion for finding better solutions.
• Make a Difference: Be part of a company making a tangible contribution to the agricultural industry and to global food security. Join us in building a sustainable future for agriculture.

Interested?

Ready to take the next step?

To apply, please click "Apply" or contact Geoff Walker at Hay Australia on [0408 506 926](tel:0408 506 926) or [email protected] for a confidential discussion.

The AgTrade Group is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of employment. We celebrate the diversity of our workforce and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.