Description
Fundamental Objective:
The Shop Operations Manager leads the transformation of the Company’s repair and maintenance (R&M) operations, evolving an established shop into a modern, data-driven, metrics-focused organization. Reporting to the Director of Farming and working as a peer to the Farm Manager, Spray Manager, and Agronomic Manager, this role has overall responsibility for the shop, fleet, warehouse, and orchard-development equipment functions, supporting more than 500 pieces of equipment and a technician team of 20+ employees. The Shop Operations Manager will establish and maintain the systems, processes, technology, and accountability practices required to operate a best-in-class, forward-looking maintenance organization. This leader will introduce innovative technologies, industry best practices, and performance-driven solutions while providing responsive, service-oriented support to Farm, Spray, and Agronomic operations. The role is responsible for reducing equipment downtime, optimizing cost per operating hour, strengthening workforce professionalism and accountability, and maximizing the reliability, productivity, and long-term value of the Company’s capital equipment investments.
Essential Functions:
A) Data-Driven Operations & Performance Management - Build the systems, processes, and reporting that enable the shop to make measurable, evidence-based decisions rather than relying on anecdotal information.
- Implement and manage a CMMS/fleet management platform to provide centralized visibility into work orders, preventive maintenance schedules, parts usage, equipment downtime, and labor hours across 500+ pieces of equipment.
- Establish, monitor, and report key performance indicators (KPIs) - including equipment uptime and availability, mean time to repair, cost per operating hour, PM compliance, and technician productivity - to the Director of Farming on a recurring monthly basis.
- Analyze historical repair, cost, and equipment usage data to identify recurring failures, key cost drivers, and opportunities to standardize best practices, improve reliability, and drive operational efficiency across the shop.
- Benchmark shop performance against industry standards and continuously improve processes by using data- driven results to identify opportunities for efficiency.
- Develop and present a monthly Shop Performance Scorecard to the Director of Farming and Company Leadership, highlighting KPI trends, key cost and downtime drivers, performance gaps, and corrective actions in progress.
- Escalate performance gaps promptly when KPIs fall outside target range, presenting root cause and a documented corrective action plan rather than restating the miss.
- Compile and present an annual Capital & Fleet Performance Report to Company leadership, tying equipment replacement recommendations, capital spend, and lifecycle cost trends back to the data collected throughout the year.
- Maintain a documented library of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and best practices derived from performance data, ensuring institutional knowledge is captured rather than held informally by individual technicians.
- Ensure preventive maintenance (PM) tasks and work orders generated by the CMMS are completed on schedule by shop technicians assigned and verified day to day by the Shop Supervisor with the Farm Equipment Manager ensuring the process and completion data logged back into the system hold up to compliance and KPI standards.
B) Budget & Cost Control
- Build, own, and manage the annual shop, fleet, and equipment budget in partnership with the Director of Farming; ensure shop operations stay in line with budget on a continual basis.
- Track actual spend against budget monthly, explain variances, and adjust plans proactively rather than reactively.
- Negotiate with vendors and suppliers for parts, machinery, and fuel to obtain the most cost-effective purchasing terms; own purchasing policies and procedures - with the Shop Supervisor submitting routine purchase requests and the Farm Equipment Manager reviewing and approving them, and the related vendor invoices, within Company policy and an approved spending threshold.
- Evaluate outsourced vs. in-house repair decisions based on true cost comparisons.
- Manage the warranty claim submission and manufacturer credit recovery process, ensuring the Company captures all eligible warranty reimbursements rather than absorbing preventable repair costs.
- Ensure the Farm Equipment Manager compiles and provides timely, accurate field-level cost, usage, and vendor pricing input - sourced from the Shop Supervisor's daily operations - to support budget development and the monthly variance review.
C) Equipment Lifecycle Monitoring - track the health and cost history of the fleet as it naturally surfaces through the CMMS, and partner with Accounting on capital planning and depreciation decisions.
- Continuously monitor and update the lifecycle status of major equipment assets - age, utilization, maintenance cost trends, and downtime history - as this data becomes visible through the CMMS platform, incorporating equipment condition and usage issues compiled by the Farm Equipment Manager from the Shop Supervisor's daily observations.
- Flag equipment approaching the end of its economically useful life based on objective cost and performance data rather than age alone, and bring replacement or refurbishment recommendations to the Director of Farming on a quarterly basis, timed ahead of critical harvest windows.
- Partner with Accounting to translate equipment lifecycle data into practical capital expenditure planning and depreciation schedule discussions, providing operational and cost data support rather than owning capital or accounting decisions.
- Maintain accurate, real-time visibility of equipment location, condition, and utilization using GPS/telematics, supporting both daily operations and lifecycle tracking.
D) Workflow & Shop Efficiency - lead continuous improvement initiatives that eliminate waste, improve workflow efficiency, reduce downtime, and simplify shop processes.
- Set the standards and priorities for shop layout, work order flow, and scheduling - executed day to day by the Farm Equipment Manager and Shop Supervisor - so equipment is available when Farm, Spray, and Agronomic operations need it.
- Own the system-level design of real-time inventory and tracking (parts, tools, fluids, fuel) through the CMMS, with the Farm Equipment Manager and Shop Supervisor maintaining accurate day-to-day records that eliminate guesswork and reduce downtime waiting on parts.
- Set the quality control standard all equipment must meet before release - enforced day to day by the Farm Equipment Manager and Shop Supervisor - so every piece of equipment released from the shop meets a consistent, prescribed standard.
- Continuously identify and eliminate bottlenecks in the repair process, from intake through release.
- Serve as a proactive support partner to the Farm, Spray, and Agronomic operations teams - anticipating equipment needs and providing responsive, high-quality service rather than functioning as a bottleneck.
- Develop service level expectations with operational departments, including target response times, repair turnaround expectations, communication standards, and equipment availability goals, to make shop accountability measurable rather than assumed.
- Establish and lead an emergency/after-hours breakdown response protocol, ensuring rapid mobilization of technicians and resources during harvest and other critical operational windows when equipment downtime carries the highest cost.
- Solicit and act on operator feedback regarding equipment performance in the field, incorporating input from Farm, Spray, and Agronomic teams into maintenance priorities and shop processes.
- Ensure no equipment leaves the shop until all identified issues have been fully resolved, not just the reported symptom, to prevent repeat repairs and comebacks.
- Own accountability for the shop's fabrication capability, ensuring the Farm Equipment Manager and Shop Supervisor have what they need to perform custom fabrication, modification, and repair work in support of Farm, Spray, Agronomic, and Beef Division equipment needs.
- Serve as a responsive, service-minded resource to the Company's Beef Division on equipment, fleet, and shop- related needs, extending the same standard of support provided to Farm, Spray, and Agronomic operations.
- Respond promptly and professionally to special projects and equipment-related requests from ownership and family members, treating these with the same priority and discretion as core operational work; this is a dedicated Farm Equipment Manager function; the Shop Supervisor may assist only when the Farm Equipment Manager delegates help as needed.
- Develop and execute seasonal equipment readiness plans in partnership with Farm, Spray, and Agronomic leadership, ensuring equipment, staffing, parts inventory, and preventive maintenance activities are completed prior to critical operational periods.
- Ensure the Farm Equipment Manager maintains day-to-day communication with outside resource agencies, vendors, and other parties on cross-functional or non-routine shop matters, and the Shop Supervisor does the same on routine, floor-level matters - stepping in personally on higher-level or cross-departmental matters.
E) People Leadership & Culture Transformation - build a culture of accountability, ownership, professionalism, continuous improvement, and customer service within the Shop Operations team.
- Own the culture and accountability standard for the shop's 20+ technician team, driving that standard through the Farm Equipment Manager and Shop Supervisor, who lead the team day to day.
- Communicate equipment risks, emerging maintenance trends, capital needs, and operational impacts to executive leadership in a clear, concise, business-oriented manner.
- Establish clear expectations, training plans, and performance standards for the shop; the Shop Supervisor provides the regular one-on-one coaching and feedback that puts those standards into practice.
- Actively reshape shop culture - building trust, communication, and pride of workmanship where it has been lacking.
- Recommend hiring and termination decisions to the Director of Farming - informed by interview feedback from the Farm Equipment Manager - and partner with Human Resources on performance evaluations, wage adjustments, and disciplinary actions, drawing on documentation from the Farm Equipment Manager for employee relations matters that require formal action.
- Set staffing level and scheduling policy needed to operate the division at peak efficiency; day-to-day work schedules and rest/meal periods are decided by the Farm Equipment Manager.
- Set the framework for Performance Based Compensation (PBC) plans across the shop; the Farm Equipment Manager builds and maintains each technician's PBC using performance input from the Shop Supervisor, identifying a clear path toward advanced certifications, lead/senior roles, or cross-training opportunities.
- Ensure structured semi-annual performance reviews happen consistently across the shop, jointly conducted by the Shop Supervisor and Farm Equipment Manager for the Supervisor's direct reports, with the Farm Equipment Manager co-signing the documentation, against agreed development goals.
- Build and maintain a technician skills and certification ladder (e.g., diesel, hydraulics, electrical, fabrication) that ties skill progression to pay grade and responsibility level.
- Track and report bench strength, internal promotion rate, and technician retention as formal people-development metrics, presenting progress to the Director of Farming alongside operational KPIs.
- Serve as the escalation point for employee issues, conflicts, or performance concerns that the Farm Equipment Manager or Shop Supervisor cannot resolve directly at their level.
F) Safety & Compliance
- Develop and execute a comprehensive shop safety program in partnership with the Safety Department; the Shop Supervisor executes day-to-day safety practices (toolbox talks, inspections, PPE compliance) in the shop and field, with the Farm Equipment Manager ensuring consistent adherence.
- Ensure that safety standards, Company policy, and state and federal regulatory procedures are followed at all times.
- Set the standard for an efficient shop layout and a clean, organized, and safe shop and yard - maintained day to day by the Shop Supervisor, with the Farm Equipment Manager ensuring the standard holds on a daily and long-term basis.
- Ensure all on-road equipment (trucks, trailers, water trucks, etc.) maintains current registration, licensing, and DOT-required annual inspections and documentation.
G) Innovation & Technology Advancement - bring the operation forward rather than waiting for it to fall behind.
- Research, evaluate, and pilot new equipment technology, automation, and precision-ag tools; bring credible, well- tested recommendations and advancements to the operations team.
- Develop strategic relationships with equipment manufacturers, dealerships, and service vendors to improve parts availability, technical support, warranty recovery, and purchasing leverage, translating those relationships into practical shop and fleet improvements.
- Champion adoption of new technology (telematics, diagnostics, shop software) across the shop and operations teams, managing change thoughtfully given the team's current skill level.
- Partner with Information Technology and Operations leadership to integrate maintenance, telematics, inventory, and operational data into business intelligence dashboards that improve executive visibility and decision-making.
H) Perform special projects and other duties as assigned.
Requirements
Education:
- Undergraduate degree in Agricultural Business, Mechanical/Agricultural Engineering, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and 7+ years of progressive experience managing a shop, fleet, or industrial maintenance operation of comparable scale.
- Demonstrated experience leading a data-driven, metrics-based maintenance or shop operation; CMMS or fleet management software experience required.
- Demonstrated financial management experience and budgeting skills.
Minimum Qualifications & Work Experience:
- 7+ years of progressive shop, fleet, or maintenance management experience, including 3+ years directly supervising a team of 15 or more.
- Proven track record of leading culture change - raising accountability, professionalism, and performance within an established team.
- Strong working knowledge of diesel/gas engine repair, hydraulics, electrical systems, and equipment fabrication sufficient to direct and evaluate technician work; hands-on mechanic background preferred but not required.
- Fluent in English required; bilingual in English and Spanish (read, write, and speak) strongly preferred given the composition of the shop team.
- Experience evaluating, piloting, and adopting new equipment technology (telematics, automation, precision-ag tools) is a strong plus.
- Demonstrated ability to build strong, service-oriented working relationships with internal operations teams - approaches the shop as a support function, not a gatekeeper.
- Valid California driver’s license and motor vehicle record acceptable according to Company auto insurance carrier’s guidelines.
- Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of Company information.
- Self-directed leader who takes ownership of problems and drives solutions with team input.
- Comfortable working under pressure, managing competing priorities, and adapting to changing situations.
- Superior organizational skills; ability to build systems and processes, not just manage day-to-day tasks.
- Proficient in Windows-based computer programs (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint) and a general aptitude for adopting new software and technology platforms (CMMS, GPS/telematics, etc.).
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to train and influence operational personnel across departments.
- Must be able to work around bees without having an allergic reaction if stung.
Physical Demands & Environmental Conditions:
- Position works both in an office environment and outside in field locations. General office environment is generally sedentary but may require standing and walking for up to 10% of the time; the working environment is generally favorable. The outside field locations will require standing and walking for up to 80% of the time. Field work may include exposure to dirty, dusty conditions with exposure to temperature extremes, chemicals and airborne particles or fumes or work near moving machinery with exposure to potentially loud noise.
- Position may require extended periods of sitting including, but not limited to, driving and/or office work.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to reach with hands and arms.
- The employee occasionally is required to stand; walk; and use hands to finger motion to handle, feel, grip or operate objects, tools, or controls; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, or crouch; and to use foot control movement to operate vehicles.
- Ability to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or a 10 pounds of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body.
- Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; including those activities where detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
- Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction, and having the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication.
- Repetitive motions: making substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
- Olfactory sense: The ability to detect odors that affect work related situations, such as fumes, fumigation and other dangerous odors.
