Technical Officer - Tocal Livestock Enterprise Manager

• Ongoing, full-time role
• Location – Tocal Agricultural College, Paterson, NSW
• Attractive salary from $ 95,136.00 to $ 104,994.00pa plus superannuation (Technical Officer Grade 3)

Who is the Department of Regional NSW? 

The Department of Regional NSW was formed in 2020 as a central agency for regional issues. The Department is responsible for building resilient regional economies and communities, strengthening primary industries, managing the use of regional land, overseeing the state’s mineral and mining resources and ensuring government investment in regional NSW is fair and delivers positive outcomes for local communities and businesses.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) supports the development of profitable primary industries that create a more prosperous NSW and contributes to a better environment through the sustainable use of natural resources.

The DPI Infrastructure, Investment & Business Development Branch works across the breadth of DPI and is focused on maximising utilisation and productivity of the Department’s infrastructure portfolio. Through strong partnerships we also identify commercialisation pathways and help shape DPI’s future investments. Our programs focus on transforming our connections with customers through data and excellence in customer service and delivery of assistance programs.

Diversity and inclusion are core values of the Department of Regional NSW. We encourage applications from people with a range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. This includes differences in culture, gender, sexual orientation, language and disability status or other attributes. The Department of Regional NSW is a workplace where everyone is able to contribute and participate to their full potential, and we are proud to have a team that reflects the richness and complexity of the regional NSW communities we serve.

About the Role

The role of Tocal Livestock Enterprise Manager is responsible for the successful delivery of the Southern Multi Breed research project, the Tocal commercial beef enterprise, Australian Stockhorses breeding program, sheep section and all activities within these operations.

The Livestock Enterprise Manager is a hands-on management role with daily in field activities, however also with the responsible for the development and execution of annual financial & business plans, people management and Enterprise WHS. You will be managing a team of four plus multiple contractors, engaging with students and lecturing staff to ensure efficient scheduling of daily, monthly & yearly Enterprise activities to meet the goals and objectives of this diverse business.

The Livestock Enterprise Manager provides critical support to the Tocal Agricultural College team to ensure that livestock focused research projects are delivered within relevant parameters.  The role is accountable for both operational and research based farming activities undertaken on site. The role involves the strategic management of farming activities and provides an essential link between management, research staff, local office staff, commercial partners and farm operations including:

• Demonstrating best practice management techniques
• Facilitating research projects and trials
• Delivering commercial production outcomes
• Maintaining a strong connection with local industry partners

About Tocal:
Tocal College is a unique, high quality training provider located 15km north of Maitland delivering Cert III and IV in Agriculture to 100 full-time residential students. The College is also the hub for agriculture and land management training right across NSW, using online and flexible learning approaches to deliver short courses, traineeships, and distance education at all levels up to Diploma.

Tocal is a 2200-hectare farm located in the lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia. The property contains a range of natural ecosystems, from rainforest remnants and wetlands to dry sclerophyll forests. NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and the CB Alexander Foundation manage the farms under the same environmental and market conditions as other local farmers. All management decisions for Tocal enterprises consider effects on the whole farm. Management decisions always work towards sustainable land use in a conscious and deliberate way.

The Livestock Enterprise comprises of the following Sections:

• Beef cattle. Herd - Average 1100 head – ranging between 800 and 1400 depending on the time of the year and seasonal conditions.
  • One of the NSW DPI Research Stations participating in the Southern Multi Breed (SMB) project. A collaborative R&D project involving NSW DPI and the University of New England being conducted on five NSW DPI research stations, and the UNE Research Feedlot over the five years, 2020 to 2025. The outcomes of the $7.3m SMB project will deliver significant enhancements to the current within-breed genetic evaluations conducted by BREEDPLAN, as well as allowing Australian beef producers for the first time to directly compare animals for all BREEDPLAN traits and assess their genetic merit irrespective of breed., Southern Multi Breed Project Herd. SMB Breeds on Tocal are: Shorthorn, Angus, and Charolais.
  • Commercial Brangus herd with over 300 Breeding cows.
• Australian Stock Horse (ASH) breeding and Farm Plant Horses. Tocal carries on average 110 Stock Horses for Education and operational activities.
  • The Performance Horse stream has over twenty broodmares are joined each year to the two Tocal resident sires as well as performing outside sires to provide top quality stock for use in student training and on the farm. At any one stage Tocal will have over one hundred horses on the property from young foals, yearlings, breakers, work plant horses and broodmares.
• Dohne sheep flock. The flock has 200 ewe breeders and 50 ewe hoggets and 25 lambs.
  • Tocal established a self-replacing Dohne flock in 2008. These sheep gradually replaced a 1st cross breeding enterprise that had been run for a long period of time. The new Dohne were run side by side for comparison for 5 years until we were able to breed up to a sustainable number of Dohne breeders.

Visit Website: Tocal Virtual Farm

Essential Requirements:

• Qualifications in accordance with Part 2 (xviii) of the Crown Employees (Department of Industry) Technical Staff Award
• Demonstrated experience in livestock husbandry, cropping and pasture management systems
• Valid driver’s licence

Why work for us? 

Exciting career pathways and opportunities
We offer vibrant and exciting career paths for people from a wide range of backgrounds and skills. Once you join the NSW Government, you’ll be supported to develop your skills and expertise through ongoing training, and opportunities to move easily from role to role, and agency to agency across the entire NSW government.

Wellbeing
Providing a safe, supportive, ethical, diverse and inclusive workplace for our people is one of our priorities. We run a variety of programs and provide a range of supporting resources to ensure the wellbeing of all our people.

Our people
Join DRNSW and you’ll be joining a team of more than 4,000 passionate people spread across a diverse range of disciplines and functions including - public works, land services, fisheries, agriculture and biosecurity. If you’re motivated and passionate about making a difference to the people of regional NSW we invite you to become part of our story.

Applying for the Role

Apply by submitting a current resume and brief cover letter (maximum 2 pages) that outlines your skills and experience relevant to the role.

Application Closing Date – Wednesday 1 February 2023, 11:55pm

For further information click to view the role description or please contact Robert Rein at robert.rein@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Additional Information

A talent pool may be created from this recruitment action for ongoing and temporary roles of the same standard that may become available for filling over the next eighteen months. The successful applicant in this role may be required to undergo a police check, health assessment and other assessments as required.