By 2006 it had become apparent that the avocado supply in New Zealand was both uncertain and insufficient to keep up with growing international demand for extra virgin avocado oil. After considerable research in Australia and South America we selected the Central Highlands of Kenya as the base for our second avocado oil production plant. In 2007 we began a pilot project in a temporary facility near Nairobi, and within six months had sourced over 700 small farmholdings, and had them certified organic by Swiss organic certifier IMO. In 2010 we built a factory in Murang’a, near Thika. With 1,350 small farmholdings now certified organic and supplying us with avocados, we have a capacity in Kenya of 900MT of organic extra virgin avocado oil per year. Olivado’s factory in Kenya is managed and staffed by Kenyans. We have a policy of employing staff with initiative, not necessarily education.
You will also oversee development of budgets, operating plans, and informational reports.
Job Description:
Zone Management Roles
- Ensuring that the Field activities in their Zones run smoothly and efficiently and are completed as per the set timelines. These include Internal Farm inspections and Harvesting processes.
- Co-ordinating and providing leadership to the rest of the Field Staff in the Zone. This includes ensuring that all staff understand and can successfully use the Internal Management Systems
- Ensure that the focus for all Field Officers is ensuring that we maintain good relations between the farmer and the company.
- Provide Weekly reports on the Field Activities on their Zones and using the Internal Management Systems
- Ensure Proper Budgeting and cost control in their respective Zones, including resource allocation to the Field Officers in their Zones.
- Act as the Company’s Representative/Liaison Officer with other external Stakeholders in the Zones e.g. the HCD Staff, the County Agriculture Officers, the KEPHIS Staff etc. operating in the Zones.
- Providing intelligence information to the Company on Competitor activities in the Zones.
- Ensuring a successful uptake of the Products and services from Olivado and/or her affiliate Companies at the Zonal level. These include, but not limited to Avogrow, Pruning Services etc.
- Organizing Group Trainings for the Farmers in the Zones, in consultation with the Field Office.
- Take Charge of the Company Assets and Equipment in their respective Zones.
Technical Assistance and Harvesting Operation Duties
- Recruitment of farmers.
- Recruit and train harvesting supervisors and pickers
- Co-ordinate all production and technical programs.
- Establish harvesting projection in line with factory/packhouse requirements.
- Provide technical advice to farmers as per the Organic/Fair Trade/GlobalGAP standards.
- Ensure and maintain good relations between farmers and the company.
- Train the farmers on Integrated pest management and integrated crop management and other areas of the quality management system
- Ensure the effective operation and functioning of the Internal Management System in the field.
- Prepare and submit all records and documents as required by the Internal Management System in a timely manner.
- Any Other duties as assigned by the Field from time to time
Farm inspection duties
- Inspection of farms and other Olivado facilities to verify compliance against statutory and voluntary standards and produce timely and accurate reports.
- Following up on closure of non-compliances identified during the internal inspections.
- Address areas for improvements noted during the internal inspections.
- Implement Corrective Action requests from the Certification bodies.
Data collection duties
- Collection of data to assist with the understanding of the growth and production of the avocado crop and other information to assist the understanding and improvement of Fresh Exports as well as oil Production.
- Informing the company of activities of competitors and other activities that may affect the company’s operations, including county government activities.
Job Specification:
- Degree or Diploma in Agriculture or related discipline with a bias to fruit and vegetable production.
- Two years’ experience in the production of horticultural crops in a smallholder scheme or exporter out grower scheme.
- A good understanding of the labour regulations in Kenya.
- At least one day practical inspection course setting out basic principles of inspection.
- At least two witness inspections accompanying an auditor, could be Global Gap, or Organic, Fair Trade or others.
- Food safety and good agriculture practice (GAP) training.
- Training in HACCP principles.
- Food hygiene training.
- Plant protection, fertilizer use and integrated pest management training.
- Excellent Kiswahili and English reading, writing and speaking skills.
- Proficient in computer application packages including MS- Word and Excel.
- Technical report writing skills.
- Ability to work independently and within a team under minimal supervision.
- Ability to contribute to the planning of the company’s future relationships with farmer suppliers and future strategic development of the company.
- A valid motorcycle license is a key requirement
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The post Zonal Head at Olivado EPZ Limited is republished from Jobs – Jobs in Kenya – http://jobwebkenya.com/
