Stahmanns Pecans · 2 weeks ago
Director of Farming Operations
Las Cruces, NM
Full-time
Onsite
Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
$150K/yr - $180K/yr
5+ years expStahmanns Inc. is a family-owned and operated orchard, shelling, and warehouse facility in La Mesa, New Mexico. The Director of Farming Operations will lead and develop all aspects of orchard operations across their pecan farms, focusing on staff leadership, agronomic strategy, and operational planning.
FarmingFood and BeverageFood ProcessingManufacturingWholesale
Responsibilities
Mentor, coach, and hold accountable Junior Farm Managers, Supervisors, and Shop Manager
Recruit, onboard, and train staff; build bench strength and succession depth
Promote a culture of safety, professionalism, and continuous improvement
Ensure shop and fleet operations are reliable through preventive maintenance and accountability
Lead weekly planning and review meetings with Jr Managers
Oversee and direct orchard activities: irrigation, fertilization, pest control, pruning/hedging, harvesting, and planting
Develop proactive seasonal and multi-year plans; eliminate last-minute “fire drills.”
Coordinate labor and equipment across crops and development stages
Monitor crop health, water status, pests, and diseases; adjust programs as needed
Ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, WPS, REI/PHI, and state pesticide regulations
Prepare and manage annual budgets; oversee procurement and input inventory
Partner with accounting on monthly budget-to-actual reporting
Implement and maintain discipline around POs, requisitions, and cost tracking
Provide concise operational reports to ownership
Use AgWorld to plan, schedule, and document work; maintain accurate, auditable records
Collaborate with university and extension partners on field trials; scale proven improvements
Introduce best practices and technology to improve yield, efficiency, and long-term orchard health
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree. Preferably in a technical field
Farm development experience
Orchard equipment maintenance management experience
Management of different irrigation systems (flood, sprinkler, drip)
5+ years managing large-scale perennial crops; 2+ years leading supervisors or junior managers
Bilingual (English/Spanish)
A passion for Agriculture
Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills
Experience creating team structure and developing supervisors and junior managers
Superior planning and organizational skills
Excellent computer skills are required; Excel, AgWorld (or similar)
The ability to make decisions in stressful environments
Superb communication and interpersonal skills
Overtime will be required as with any farm job
Preferred
Additional courses in Business Management or Administration
Pistachio, walnut, or pecan experience
Recruiting and managing H2A workers
Benefits
Performance Bonus: Up to 15% of annual salary based on meeting operational and profitability targets.
Vehicle: Company vehicle provided for business use.
Health Insurance: Company-subsidized premiums (Approx. 82% Employee / 67% Employee + Spouse / 71% Employee + Children / 65% Family).
Company
Stahmanns Pecans
Stahmanns Inc. is a family-owned and operated orchard, shelling, and warehouse facility in La Mesa, New Mexico.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageCompany data provided by crunchbase