Role design and job descriptions for Organic farms: role cards for in-charge, pest scout and compost worker
Organic farms rely on a few people who do skilled work without a title. Role cards give each of them a name, a set of tasks and a path, so skills stay on the farm when someone leaves.
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Share your requirementsWhy role design and job descriptions matters in organic farms
On many organic farms the same person weeds, mixes the spray, checks traps and fills the diary. The farm calls him a worker and pays him like one. When he leaves, the farm finds it had no description of what he did and no one else who could do it.
A role card puts the work on one page. It names the role, the tasks, the records to keep, who the person reports to and the skills needed. It lets the owner see who covers what, pay fairly for skill and hire and train for the gaps.
How to set it up
1. List what each person does in a week
Sit with the field in-charge and note the actual tasks of each long-term worker, not the tasks you think they do.
2. Group tasks into roles
Cluster the tasks into four or five roles such as field in-charge, pest scout, compost worker, weeding crew leader and grader.
3. Write one card per role
Use a page with role name, purpose, main tasks, records to keep, who it reports to and what good looks like. Use simple words.
4. Attach a grade and a skills ladder
Mark what a trainee, a worker and a lead can do in each role, so pay and promotion follow skills. See compensation benchmarking.
5. Check against reality
Hand each card to the person, ask what is wrong and fix it. Review again when the crop plan changes.
Check these first
Before changing anything, find out what is true today. These take an afternoon and use your own records.
- Ask each long-term worker to list their tasks and compare with your list.
- Find roles that only one person can do.
- Check whether the cards match how pay is set.
- See if newcomers receive a card on joining.
GullyHR can do this with you. Read how we approach role design and job descriptions in general, or share your requirements and we will tell you where to start.
Questions owners ask
Because skills sit with a few people and leave when they do. A card turns knowledge into something you can hire, train and pay for.
One page. If it runs longer, it is probably two roles. Keep the words plain so every worker can read or hear them.
Not if it is used well. It describes the core tasks and leaves room for farm needs. It also gives workers a basis to ask for a grade.