Barn Supervisor

Barn Supervisor

Our client is a well-established, family-owned pork processing company with more than 30 years of industry leadership. Their commitment to quality, innovation, and responsible growth has helped them deliver some of the freshest, highest-quality products in the market.

Reporting to: Operations

Status: Full-time Permanent

Position Summary

The Barn Supervisor plays a critical role in ensuring the safe, humane, and efficient flow of livestock into the operation. This hands-on role oversees animal receiving, barn conditions, and daily coordination between drivers, plant operations, and animal welfare standards. The Barn Supervisor is a key connector on the ground—ensuring animals are handled with care, processes run smoothly, and issues are identified and addressed in real time.

The Barn Supervisor is accountable for three areas:

• Flow – Animals moving in safely, calmly, and efficiently, including movement through the barn and to the butina.
  
• Environment – Barn conditions that support animal welfare and operational efficiency.
  
• Coordination – Aligning drivers, plant operations, and animal welfare standards.
  

This position works very closely with the Animal Welfare Coordinator to ensure animal welfare standards are consistently met in the barn.

Key Responsibilities

Animal Receiving & Offloading

• Oversee the safe and orderly unloading of livestock from transport trucks.
  
• Ensure proper handling techniques are followed to minimize animal stress and injury.
  
• Coordinate truck flow and docking to avoid congestion and delays.
  
• Verify load counts and basic animal condition upon arrival.
  

Barn Environment & Conditions

• Monitor and maintain appropriate stocking density in pens.
  
• Ensure animals have access to water and are held in clean, safe conditions.
  
• Observe barn conditions, including temperature, ventilation, and cleanliness, and escalate issues when necessary.
  
• Coordinate cleaning, bedding, and general upkeep of barn areas.
  
• Drive continuous improvement of barn flow and processes.
  

Monitoring & Issue Identification

• Observe animals for visible signs of stress, illness, or injury and escalate concerns to the Animal Welfare Coordinator.
  
• Identify and respond to immediate risks within the barn, including overcrowding, delays, and handling issues.
  
• Support humane handling practices in real time.
  

Coordination & Communication

• Act as the primary point of contact between drivers, plant operations, and internal teams.
  
• Communicate delays, issues, or volume changes to production.
  
• Coordinate with the Animal Welfare Coordinator regarding concerns or deviations.
  
• Support the smooth transition of animals from the barn to processing.
  

Team Supervision

• Lead and support barn staff in daily tasks, where applicable.
  
• Provide direction on safe animal handling and workflow expectations.
  
• Reinforce adherence to company practices and regulatory requirements.
  
• Support onboarding and training of new team members.
  
• Assist the production team when needed to ensure the proper flow of pigs toward the butina.
  

Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure adherence to company policies, CFIA/OMAFRA guidelines, and animal handling standards.
  
• Maintain basic logs, including receiving records, issues, incidents, and mortality (where applicable).
  
• Participate in audits and inspections as required.
  
• Work closely with the Animal Welfare Coordinator to ensure standards are consistently applied in daily operations.
  

Core Competencies

• Attention to detail and strong observation skills.
  
• Sound judgment and confident decision-making.
  
• Calm, respectful approach to animal handling.
  
• Strong communication and coordination skills.
  
• Accountability and integrity.
  
• Ability to work effectively across departments.
  

Working Conditions

• Busy barn environment with multiple timelines and activities to coordinate.
  
• Physically active role.
  
• Standing for extended periods, with some office time dedicated to paperwork and reporting.
  

Requirements

Education & Experience

• Diploma or degree in Animal Science, Agriculture, or a related field is an asset. Equivalent hands-on experience will also be considered.
  
• Experience working with livestock, ideally swine, although other livestock experience will be considered.
  
• Strong understanding of low-stress animal handling practices.
  
• Experience working in a barn, farm, or agricultural environment.
  
• Familiarity with animal receiving, penning, and herd movement is a strong asset.
  
• Experience coordinating work in a fast-paced, physically demanding environment.
  
• Ability to manage workflow, timing, and competing priorities.
  
• Previous supervisory or leadership experience, including leading small teams, providing direction, coaching employees, and reinforcing operational standards.