Agri-Technical Manager at Farm Managers SA

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification in Agriculture, Agronomy, Horticulture, Crop Science, Plant Science or a related agricultural discipline.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in a management or senior leadership role within an agricultural, horticultural, farming or related technical environment.
• Strong practical experience in crop production, nutrition, irrigation and agronomic management.
• Proven experience in designing, managing and evaluating agricultural research and trials.
• Experience managing and developing technical or operational teams.
• Strong understanding of chemical application, pre-harvest intervals, MRLs, food safety and relevant agricultural compliance requirements.

KEY COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

• Strong team leadership skills
• Analytical, data-driven and able to translate technical information into practical action.
• Proactive, self-motivated and passionate about continuous improvement.
• Strong in research, problem-solving and root-cause analysis.
• Able to manage multiple projects, trials and operational priorities simultaneously.
• A strong communicator with the ability to work effectively across departments and with external stakeholders.
• Quality and safety conscious.
• Commercially minded, with an understanding of the relationship between technical decisions, productivity, costs and profitability.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced agricultural environment where decisions need to be made quickly and effectively.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
Technical Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, develop and motivate a high-performing technical team.
• Set clear performance expectations and promote accountability.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings and provide coaching, training and technical support.
• Develop strong 2IC capability to ensure operational continuity.
• Build effective working relationships between Technical, Production, HR and Compliance

Crop Yield, Quality & Loss Management

• Set and manage annual crop yield, quality and crop-loss targets aligned with customer and business requirements.
• Drive agronomic strategies to maximise yield and quality while minimising crop losses.
• Monitor crop performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Lead root-cause analysis of recurring crop health and production issues and ensure corrective actions are implemented.

Crop Protection, Nutrition & Irrigation

• Use scouting data, weather forecasts, seasonal knowledge and product information to develop effective spray and nutrition programmes.
• Ensure irrigation strategies support crop quality, yield and loss targets.
• Work closely with Production to identify and resolve irrigation, crop protection and nutrition challenges.
• Ensure chemical applications comply with safety requirements, pre-harvest intervals, MRL requirements and applicable legislation

Research, Trials & Innovation

• Lead research and trials aimed at improving farming methods, yield and crop quality.
• Design and execute scientifically sound trials using appropriate controls, replication and accurate data collection.
• Manage multiple trials simultaneously and ensure results are analysed and reported accurately and timeously.
• Conduct proactive research using industry experts, consultants, laboratories, technology, AI, conferences and other relevant resources.
• Convert research findings into practical recommendations and improvements for the business.

Data, Reporting & Compliance

• Ensure spray, scouting, nutrition and other technical data is accurate, complete and submitted on time.
• Maintain high standards of technical reporting and documentation.
• Drive data-based decision-making and use technical information to identify trends and opportunities.
• Work closely with the Compliance Manager to ensure audit, food safety, chemical safety and legislative requirements are consistently met.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong professional relationships with customers, contractors, suppliers and service providers.
• Ensure excellent communication, timely responses and delivery against agreed deadlines.
• Represent the company professionally and build a reputation for technical excellence and reliable service.
• Work collaboratively with Production, Compliance and HR to resolve challenges and continuously improve business performance