Dairy Advisor - Port Elizabeth at Lactalis South Africa

Job Description    

• Join Lactalis, a Top Employer in SA in the Dairy Advisor role. Management of farm supply through close farmer and Lactalis relations in adherence with supply policy and budgets and technical advice to secure a sustainable source of milk.

Required Skills    

• An appropriate 3 year tertiary qualification in Agriculture
• 5-8 years in dairy farming or dairy advisory experience
• Experience in performing three or more of the following areas:
• animal health and welfare,
• milking hygiene,
• animal nutrition,
• feed and fodder production,
• farm economics &
• environment (including energy and waste) and
• socio-economic management
• Excellent communication skills
• Good interpersonal skills
• Understanding of other business processes & concepts-laboratory, finance, etc.
• Pasture management & fodder flow knowledge
• Grass roots experience in dairy farming & dairy management
• Principles of producing milk & milking parlour hygiene
• Able to implement milk supply strategy consistent with organisational needs and objectives
• Experience and knowledge in food safety principles & auditing
• Creating value and cost reduction for both supplier and Lactalis
• Networking with other industry organisations and facilities
• Relationship building with suppliers
• Excellent problem solving skills
• Be able to take own initiative
• Exceptional negotiation and influencing skills
• Ability to identify critical information to assist in problem solving
• Able to manage KPI’s to enhance business performance
• Excellent change management skills
• Good written and oral communication skills as well as presentation skills
• Understands supplier needs vs company requirements
• Excellent conflict management and resolution skills
• Have excellent problem solving skills
• Good business acumen and understanding of the economy and economic principles

Duties & Responsibilities    
Manage Lactalis’s regional milk supply which encompasses:

• Management of  farm supply in terms of technical advice to secure a sustainable source of milk (DA’s not required to solve problems, but to identify possible solutions with related experts and follow-up of progress):
• Dairy nutrition and feeding management, fodder flow, pasture management, economic feasibility studies, herd health, environmental management
• Working collaboratively to forecast Lactalis’s monthly milk supply in terms of milk solids to match requirements at the various factories
• Pre-empt and management of possible deviations from milk supply parameters