Avocado Orchard Manager - Re-Advertisement at AAA Growers

Role: 

Responsible for oversight and management of all activities within the Avocado orchard concerning production of  seedlings and general maintenance of the nursery.

Key Responsibilities:

Nursery Management

• The upkeep and maintenance of the nursery compound and infrastructure within.
• Oversee and coordinate land and medium preparation, potting, planting, and Scion grafting 
• activities to ensure optimal output.
• General plant hygiene and health.
• Observe and monitor plant health for signs of stress, disease or pests incursion.
• Fertilization and pest control activities as agreed with your immediate senior manager
• Management of Inventories and logistics.
• The utilization, management and maintenance of the irrigation system, pest control equipment,  field working tools, etc.
• Health and Safety – ensure safe working conditions
• Quality control, of recovered yields, all works undertaken, etc
• Trailing new techniques and methodologies like propping, pruning, weeding, mulching, etc
• Establishment of a model avocado orchard within the farm with a high-level management
• Ensure management of seedling health in the nursery. 
• Oversee and ensure management of inventories and logistics up to and including utilization,  management, and maintenance of the orchard irrigation system.
• Source Avocado fruits from the market for planting seed for grafting.
• Responsible for sourcing of Avocado scions for grafting.
• Plan and forecast Avocado seedling grafting and delivery as per the seasonal demands.
• Coming up with innovative ideas, techniques, and methodologies to promote optimal quality  output

People Management

• Ensure that all labour in the section is effective and efficient and that all staff achieves the  recommended daily tasks.
• Maintain staff discipline and welfare in accordance with the company policy.
• Train staff in best practices for planting, grafting, crop maintenance and hygiene, pest and disease  management and all other practices from time to time.
• Plan and forecast Avocado Yields, gapping plants required, operations, etc. 
• Communicate and coordinate harvesting schedules as per Avocado Packhouse volume  requirements.
• Ensure safe working conditions 

Audits/ standards

• Ensure the orchard operations adhere to standards of all agricultural audit’s guidelines 
• Handle and address any deviation on standards.

Record keeping

• Ensure that various team leaders, scouts and supervisors keep accurate records of all operations  carried in the orchard.
• Maintain Irrigation/Fertigation records, spray schedule etc.

Crop Management

• Managing day to day operations of the orchard such as nursery management, transplanting,  irrigation, fertilization, pest management and harvesting.
• Lead the agronomy team to ensure that pest control is well managed, and all pests and diseases are  kept below threshold at all times
• Direct the Farm’s crop nutrition in terms of implementation of fertilizer plans, composting /  manure application and foliar feeding

Irrigation Management

• Manage irrigation and scheduling of irrigation based on crop requirements and stages of  production. Reduction of water wastage from leaks and over irrigation.

Crop husbandry

• Deeper agricultural knowledge of the avocado crop husbandry and seasons in East Africa.
• In depth understanding of the Avocado husbandry practice

Sourcing of inputs.

• Responsible for planning and the ssourcing of inputs through internal requisitions on time

Key competencies:

• Knowledge of Avocado orchard operations preferred.
• Diploma or Degree in BSc in Horticulture or a related field
• 2 – 4 Years’ management experience in a horticultural field
• Computer literate
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Basic mechanical and general machinery operation experience.
• Ability to work efficiently and methodically and follow written instructions.
• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills.
• Good time management skills.
• Understanding and commitment to Health and Safety best practice.
• Attention to detail
• Client, quality, and results oriented
• Outstanding organizational and time-management skills
• Ability to work independently, good team spirit, ability to work in a cosmopolitan environment.

Key Performance Measure:

• Task completed on time and to specific specification.
• Pruning and other orchard tasks completed according to seasonal and business requirements
• Orchard teams supervised and work output meets agreed target.
• Health and Safety procedures and policies followed.
• Company processes and systems adherence
• Team satisfaction
• Annual yield recovery
• Orchard sanitation