The Job Role Details:
You will be responsible for the day-to-day supervision of harvest operations, ensuring soft fruit is harvested efficiently, safely, and to required customer quality standards. The role focuses on managing harvest staff, maintaining food safety and hygiene standards in the field, meeting customer specifications, and supporting high throughput during peak harvest periods.
Working closely with production, packhouse, and management teams, you will play a key role in maintaining productivity, minimising waste, and ensuring full traceability and compliance across harvest operations.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Supervise daily harvesting of strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries to customer specifications
2. Ensure correct picking standards, handling methods, and field grading of fruit
3. Monitor harvest speeds and output, adjusting labour as needed
4. Minimise waste and report quality issues promptly
5. Maintain high standards of hygiene and food safety at all times during harvest operations
6. Ensure compliance with food safety standards (e.g. customer protocols, GlobalG.A.P., or equivalent)
7. Carry out and record quality checks throughout the shift
8. Ensure full traceability and accurate completion of harvest records
9. Supervise and support harvest operatives and team leaders
10. Allocate staff to harvest areas and tasks
11. Train new and existing staff on harvest standards, hygiene, and safe working practices
12. Monitor attendance, timekeeping, and performance
13. Promote a positive, respectful, and productive working environment
14. Ensure all staff follow health & safety procedures
15. Identify hazards and report or act on issues immediately
16. Ensure correct use of PPE and safe use of harvesting equipment and tools
17. Communicate daily with growing, packhouse, and management teams
18. Report harvest figures, quality issues, and staffing concerns
19. Assist with labour and harvest planning during peak periods
Ideal Candidate Skills & Experience:
20. Previous experience working in a fruit harvest or fresh produce field environment
21. Experience supervising or leading teams
22. Strong understanding of quality, hygiene, and food safety standards
23. Strong computer literacy skills
24. Good organisational and communication skills
25. Ability to work under pressure during peak harvest times
26. Flexible approach to working hours, including weekends
27. Must speak English, other languages are beneficial
Desirable:
28. Experience with soft fruit harvesting (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries)
29. Food Safety or HACCP training
30. First Aid or Health & Safety qualification
31. Experience working with seasonal and multicultural teams
32. Working Hours:
33. Seasonal role with variable hours depending on crop volumes
34. Early starts, long days, and weekend work required during peak season
How to Apply:
Please click on the "apply now" button. As we are a specialist recruitment business within the Agricultural and Fresh Produce sectors, applicants should hold relevant qualifications or demonstrable experience aligned to the role.
The Industry (Key Words):
Harvest Supervisor, Harvest Team Leader, Fresh Produce, Soft Fruit, Berries, Agriculture, Field Operations, Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Agriculture Jobs
We thank all applicants who apply for this role; however, only those shortlisted for interview will be contacted. All applications will be handled in strict confidence and personal details will not be shared without prior consent.
About Us
Established in 2013, Agricultural and Farming Jobs provide expert recruitment, headhunting, and job advertising services across agriculture, horticulture, food and fresh produce, veterinary, animal health, agrochemicals, machinery, technical and engineering, and specialist education sectors across the UK and internationally.