UK-DCN Farm Liaison Officer

UK-DCN Farm Liaison Officer

The Company

The Northern Ireland Agricultural Research and Development Council (T/A AgriSearch), is a charitable organisation whose vision is to drive profitability and sustainability in ruminant livestock farming through science, research and innovation. This is done by applying our knowledge, network and capabilities and working in partnership with others to turn scientific possibilities into sound farm practice.

The Role

This post is being recruited as part of the UK-DCN project. The successful candidate will work directly with dairy farms involved in demonstrating a range of technologies designed to reduce carbon emissions.

Purpose of Role:

We are looking for a highly motivated and ambitious candidate to join our UK-DCN NI Farm Network team as a Farm Liaison Officer, bringing energy and enthusiasm to on-farm implementation, delivery and data collection.

The role centres on on-farm meetings across the Northern Ireland (NI) network of 20 farms, working closely with network colleagues, project partners and external technical advisors. Effective communication and collaboration are key to developing, implementing and monitoring farm-specific action plans on time and in full, alongside collecting comprehensive datasets.

You will be required to maintain the established farm network and collect data as required.

You will also attend and contribute to regular project update meetings with key stakeholders and organise project workshops and events.

Reporting to the UK-DCN Farm Network Manager the Farm Liaison Officer will have responsibility for:

• Maintaining an established farm network through successful on-farm engagement.
• Liaising with project partners and farm-specific technical advisors to optimise on-farm mitigation implementation and measurement.
• Providing the farmer with required support to select, set-up, implement and control mitigation implementation, develop whole farm actions plans and capture farm progress and feedback through case studies.
• Data collection and completion of farm data workbooks.
• Support project partners and key stakeholders with data processing. Providing data feedback and information to farmers;
• Working closely with finance and the Farm Network Manager to ensure farmer participation and input costs are invoiced and paid.
• Develop an understanding of mitigation catalogues to ensure good communication of mitigation options.
• Participating in regular project meetings
• Reporting and escalating to management as needed
• Helping arrange dissemination / knowledge exchange activities including events, website, social media, press articles, etc. This may include personal participation as relevant.

Person Specification:

Essential:

• Tertiary level qualification in agriculture or related discipline or for those wishing to undertake this post as a placement student being currently engaged in a third level qualification or related discipline.
• At least one year's recent relevant experience within the dairy sector, specifically knowledge of day-to-day operations on commercial dairy farms
• An understanding of different dairy systems in Northern Ireland and the internal and external factors that present threats and opportunities to on-farm operations and the wider dairy industry.
• An Interest in application of technology in farming systems
• A key interest in exploring sustainable solutions across dairy farms through efficiency and productivity optimisation.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with an inquisitive nature, including ability to handle conflict
• Ability to work on own initiative
• Ability to maintain farmer confidentiality
• Effective organisational skills including attention to detail and ability to multitask
• As travel throughout Northern Ireland is essential the successful candidate must have a full valid driving licence and access to a form of transport that will permit them to meet the requirements of the post in full.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of dairy systems and dairy nutrition
• Experience of agricultural research and / or knowledge exchange to farmers

Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week

Based at: Hillsborough

Salary: £38,000

Contact Term: 18 months (Option to renew or extended subject to performance and business need at the discretion of AgriSearch).

Start date: Immediate Start Available

An Information Pack and Application Form is available below.

Completed forms should be submitted by 5PM Monday 19 October.

Interviews will be held on 28 October in the Greater Belfast area.