Deputy Director of Agriculture at Muranga County Government

JOB GROUP ‘Q’ – 1 Post
Murang’a County Government is in the process of erecting a pack house to process avocado and to be located in Murang’a County. The above position requires to be filled immediately from competent persons to join a team to guide the process and get the pack house ready to handle the first fruits in early 2022
This is a position will responsibility and accountability for the post production, processing and operation of avocado post-harvest facility that ensures fruit quality stewardship through to delivery to market ensuring the packed fruits are managed for quality in a timely manner, to meet the contractual load out commitments and to including safety and people.

Key Tasks / Responsibilities

• Manage the post-harvest operation to ensure the safety of our people, product and assets
• Manage, lead and train pack house supervisors, stakeholders and seasonal staff throughout main pack and rework season.
• Manage plant and equipment, building assets and maintenance schedules
• Optimize available technology and plant
• Manage crop packing plans and general pack house operations.
• Manage packaging planning and scheduling of supply
• Manage and ensure all pack house technical specifications are implemented, managed, recorded, monitored
• Ensure availability of local and export transport market.
• Optimize fruit performance, minimise fruit loss and maintain cool chain throughout and rework for inventory associated with this production line.
• Analyze and report on post-harvest financial parameters established for the site.
• Establish good client relationships
• Work with key stakeholders and report, reconcile grower production data from the avocado union and primary cooperative
• Ensure production, export standards compliance, including BRC and other pack house standards at all times.
• Optimize grower pack outs

Position Core Competencies:

• Sound Avocado industry knowledge.
• Practical Post Harvest knowledge and experience.
• Ability to maintain and calibrate packhouse machinery.
• Meeting agreed packhouse throughput targets.
• Achievement of quality outcome with regard to the fruit packed

Other competencies

• Strong leadership, organisational and technical skills.
• Computer literacy and understanding of fruit inventory systems
• Strong presentation and communication skills. •
• Ability to implement policy
• The ability to communicate effectively across all levels and cultures.
• Strong interpersonal relations and ability to lead a team
• Proven effective managerial experience to ensure good industrial relations with all staff
• Good attention to detail and ability to cope with complexity
• Ability to handle pressure and manage change and meet Key Performance targets.

Minimum Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor’s in science degree in the following field, Food Science, Home Economics, Agriculture, Horticulture, Agriculture Economics, Natural Resource Management, Agribusiness, Agriculture Extension, Agriculture Education, or any other relevant and equivalent qualification from a recognized institution.
• A Masters Degree in any of the following fields: Food Science, Home Economics, Agriculture, Horticulture ,Agriculture Economics, Natural Resource Management, Agribusiness, Agriculture Extension, Agriculture Education, or any other relevant and equivalent qualification from a recognized institution; will be an added advantage.
• Minimum of 5 years working experience in technical/ management level three (3) of which must be in a busy Avocado pack house.
• Business acumen essential
• Demonstrated ability to develop and lead a team to obtain high performance and able to coach, develop, and motivate others within and across the organization.
• Experience in packing other fruits and vegetables for export market will be an added advantage.