How to Write an Agribusiness Manager Resume (With Template)

Updated 7 March 2023

Agricultural companies and farms employ agribusiness managers to oversee their daily business operations. These individuals prepare budgets, plan financial reports, monitor crops and supervise employees. If working in agricultural management interests you, learning how to write a resume that highlights your skills and qualifications can improve your chances of getting an interview. In this article, we discuss what these managers do, show you how to write an agribusiness manager resume and provide a template and an example to guide you.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.

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What is an agribusiness manager?

Agribusiness managers generally manage a farm's or agricultural company's marketing, accounting and human resources, and oversee crop production cycles. They may divide their time between working outdoors and in an office, with varied responsibilities, such as contacting vendors, purchasing farm equipment, selecting seeds or ensuring the planting distribution of produce abides by government regulations. Some other duties an agribusiness manager may perform include:

Evaluating and improving farm productivity: They analyse crop production and farming processes, such as the implementation of land reforms and smart water management and decide which crops to plant according to the season.
Organising farm sales and purchases: They may organise the sale and purchase of livestock, farming equipment and other agricultural products.
Performing administrative duties: They handle paperwork, filing documents and other administrative records, and they may also be responsible for answering phone calls and emails and ordering supplies.
Preparing budgets: These managers prepare budgets and accounts associated with costs and profits from agricultural produce.
Recruiting and training: Agribusiness managers may educate farmers, vendors or new employees in on-farm technologies and cultivation techniques.
Consulting on marketing: They may advise on domestic and international marketing initiatives for livestock and food producers.
Ensuring regulations compliance: Agricultural business managers keep the organisation they work for current with the latest environmental and government regulations. They also may advise on health and safety standards.
Ensuring production facilities are well maintained: They organise maintenance schedules for a farm's property, equipment and machinery.
Preparing harvesting schedules: They understand crop husbandry to prepare harvest schedules so that the farm meets its growing requirements.
Supervising farm employees: Agribusiness managers oversee farm hands and machine operators.
Related: What Is Agribusiness? (Plus Different Jobs to Apply For)

How to write an agribusiness manager resume

Consider the following steps for writing an agribusiness manager resume:

1. Select a format

Agribusiness managers use tact and organisation in their work, so exhibiting this on your resume can impress a hiring manager and improve your chances of getting an interview. Choose a format that best suits your skills and experience. Here are three resume formats to choose from:

Chronological format: A chronological resume highlights your job experience over skills and is suitable for agribusiness employees with a steadily advancing career path. This format lists your experience in reverse chronological order, with your most recent position at the top.
Functional format: A functional resume highlights skills over work experience. If you're currently in school or are changing industries to become an agribusiness manager, selecting this format can highlight the relevant skills that make you an ideal candidate.
Combination format: This hybrid format combines both chronological and functional types to highlight both your agricultural knowledge and experience. A combination resume also suits those who've acquired diverse skills in different industries.
Related: Best Resume Font Size (With Templates and Examples)

2. Write a header

The header includes information about yourself, such as your name, professional title, telephone number, email, professional profile or portfolio, if you have one. Agribusiness managers conduct themselves professionally and a well-constructed header can demonstrate this to recruiters. The header also gives hiring managers the information to contact you for an interview or to seek additional information.

3. Create a professional summary

A professional summary is a brief introduction placed at the top of the resume and contains your professional title, key experiences, relevant achievements and any unique expertise or values. Read the job description to learn what the position entails and write your professional summary to match it. Aim for two to three sentences and try to include quantifiable information or data. Elements you can include are:

number of years as an agribusiness manager
your career goals or passion for the industry
your strengths as an agricultural employee.

4. Include your work experience

Your work experience section informs hiring managers what you're capable of in a work setting. Experience that aligns with the job description can distinguish you from other candidates, so it can be beneficial to research the job and the organisation and use this information in this section. An agribusiness manager's duties can vary widely so choosing your strongest experiences can make a positive impression on hiring managers. When writing this section, detail your responsibilities in previous jobs in bullet points, with five bullet points for your current or most recent job and three for earlier positions.

5. Create a skills section

After your work experience, create a skills section to highlight skills matching the job description. Agribusiness managers require technical expertise and interpersonal skills to analyse data and work with clients, so it can benefit you to include both hard and soft skills. Hard skills are those acquired through training and education, while soft skills are personality and communication traits that allow you to work well with others. Some skills you can include are:

ability to negotiate
teamwork
strong communication
analytical
knowledge of harvesting techniques
crop cycle knowledge
business planning
change management.

Related: Hard Skills vs Soft Skills

6. Add your education details

Include your academic achievements and qualifications in this section. Agribusiness managers typically require a degree, diploma or certificate in agribusiness management. List the information in reverse chronological order and include the qualification's title and the name and location of the awarding institution. You can also include courses you've taken in business management or agricultural economics. If you're currently in education, provide your anticipated graduation date and the qualification's name.

Agribusiness manager resume template

Here's a template for an agribusiness manager resume that you can use for reference:

[Given name] [Family name], [Degree or certification if applicable]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City], [State or Territory]

Professional Summary
[Two to three sentences that highlight your years of experience, relevant skills, education or certifications and achievements as a professional.]

Experience

(For the most recent role, list 5 experience items. For previous roles, list 3.)

[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [City], [State or Territory]

(strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results
[job duty]
[job duty]
[job duty]
[job duty]

[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [City], [State or Territory]

(strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results
[job duty]
[job duty]

Education
[Degree and Major] | [Name of School or University]

Certifications (optional)
[Certification Name], [Host Organisation] – [Year completed or expiration date]

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Example resume for an agribusiness manager

Here's an example resume to inspire you when writing yours:

Leanne Frits, Bachelor of Science (Agriculture)

+61 7 5550 5555 | leanne.frits@email.com | Townsville, QLD

Professional Summary

Agribusiness manager with over four years of experience in commercial farming with comprehensive knowledge of crop cycles and agricultural techniques and methods. Proven capability in change management processes, crop cultivation strategies and optimising harvest and product distribution methods. Experience in leading a team of 10 people working on soil conditions, land treatment and water quality.

Experience

Agribusiness Manager, January 2020–Current
Agri Tech Co., Sydney, NSW

provide technical advice to customers in crop cycle management, the use of animal husbandry technology, pest control, soil fertility and weed control
generate business leads through broker and customer relationships to achieve business strategy goals
develop a maintenance program to help clients monitor fertilisers, chemicals, seeds and packaging containers
analyse findings in management reports from site visits to farms and agricultural plantations
implement sales strategies and product development to enhance marketing initiatives

Assistant Agricultural Consultant, January 2019–January 2020
Good Farms, Sydney, NSW

helped organise and plan trade shows, meetings and workshops
analysed and coordinated soil sampling and assessed soil structure for commercial crops
implemented livestock management initiatives to reduce costs while improving yield

Skills

Education

Bachelor of Science (Agriculture), University of New South Wales