For those looking to take their career in the swine production industry to the next level, becoming a multi-site manager is a natural progression. However, the transition can be difficult and requires more skills and knowledge compared to working as a swine farm manager.
Recently, I had the opportunity to interview a successful Director of Sow Production, who shared valuable insights and advice for those looking to make this transition. Nick Weihs, Director of Sow Production for AMVC Management Services, left our conversation with tips on how to get promoted and become a successful multi-site manager.
Embrace new opportunities
One of the key pieces of advice from Weihs was to take advantage of new opportunities. “Even if it doesn’t come with an immediate title and salary change. The titles and money will come if you keep that goal in mind,” he said.
This emphasizes the importance of being proactive and open to new challenges, even if it means taking on additional responsibilities and even if they don’t come with an immediate reward. You can volunteer to lead an initiative, work on cross-functional teams, or attend conferences and workshops to learn new skills. Your willingness demonstrates your commitment to growth and development.
Be irreplaceable
To stand out as a top candidate for promotion, make a lasting impact in your role. Bring in unique value. Develop a deeper understanding of the industry and identity areas where you can improve processes, reduce cost, or increase efficiency.
For instance, you can suggest new technologies, techniques, or best practices to improve product quality, animal welfare, or biosecurity. Demonstrate your strategic thinking and prove you’re indispensable and no one else can do your job better.
Build relationships
Building solid relationships with your colleagues, supervisors, and subordinates is critical for success in a multi-site role. You need to be a good communicator, collaborator, and coach.
Take time to understand the needs and goals of your team, provide constructive feedback, and support their professional development. This will create a positive environment and foster a sense of loyalty and trust.
Empower and develop others
“The skillset to be multisite is different. The people I look for empower and don’t micromanage — they develop others,” explained Weihs.
To become a successful multi-site manager, you must be able to delegate responsibilities and empower your team to perform their best. You can do this by providing clear expectations, giving them resources, and recognizing their achievements. This will create a culture of accountability and excellence and develop a pipeline of talented and motivated employees.
Eliminate barriers for others
During the interview, I asked Weihs how he promotes the right person. He answered meaningfully. “If they can eliminate barriers for subordinates, they are meant to succeed.”
This simply means your leadership skills. You must trust others to perform their best when giving them the necessary resources. Advocate for their needs, negotiate with other departments, resolve conflicts — create a positive environment where everyone can thrive. You must remove obstacles and help your team overcome challenges to succeed as a multi-site manager.
Getting promoted to a multi-site manager requires soft and hard skills, experience, and attitude. Following the advice above, you can position yourself for success and achieve your promotion or career goals
About the Author
Maria Codilla is the Practice Manager for pork production/processing at Continental Search, a leading recruiting team in the animal sciences. She is a NAPS Certified Personnel Consultant and has the latest opportunities for swine farm managers, nutritionists, geneticists, and veterinarians. Maria first joined Continental Search as Content Manager. Her impressive interpersonal skills earned her promotion to Talent Scout and then to Feed Mill Recruiter. For the latest job opportunities, connect with Maria on LinkedIn or email her at maria@continentalsearch.com.
