Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Michael Page

• Operational Leadership
• Stakeholder Engagement

About Our Client

• My client is one of Sub-Saharan Africa's fastest-growing agriculture and fishery businesses. They are creating one of the most sustainable protein businesses in Africa by developing an innovative agriculture platform.

Job Description

Roles & Responsibilities of the roles
Operational Leadership:

• Supervise all operational activities, including breeding, harvesting, and processing within the farm operations.
• Implement and uphold best practices for sustainable aquaculture, ensuring full compliance with environmental regulations.
• Oversee the execution and monitoring of standard operating procedures (SOPs), maintaining high production standards while ensuring operational efficiency and productivity.

Strategic Planning:

• Partner with the executive team to design and implement long-term strategic initiatives.
• Identify and capitalise on opportunities to enhance operations and drive growth, ensuring alignment with the company's broader business goals.

Financial Management:

• Manage financial budgets, control operational costs, and allocate resources effectively to optimise profitability.
• Analyse financial performance, prepare budgets, and report key operational metrics to the executive team.

Team Leadership:

• Lead, mentor, and support the operations team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and high performance.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations and ensure that training and development programs are in place to advance team skills and capabilities.

Stakeholder Communication:

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders, including suppliers, customers, regulatory bodies, and industry partners.

Quality Assurance:

• Ensure that the highest standards of quality control are maintained throughout the production process.
• Develop, implement, and maintain quality management systems, addressing issues promptly and driving continuous improvement.

Innovation and Technology:

• Spearhead the adoption of new technologies and innovations to enhance operational efficiency, sustainability, and production capabilities

Risk Management:

• Identify potential risks to operations and devise strategies to mitigate them, ensuring business continuity.
• Ensure full compliance with health, safety, and environmental regulations, safeguarding the company's operations and reputation.

The Successful Applicant

• A Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Aquaculture, Fisheries Science, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred.
• At least 20 years of experience in operations management, including a minimum of 10 years in a senior leadership role.
• A solid understanding of agriculture/aquaculture production processes, including fish farming, harvesting, and processing, is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated success in leading and managing teams effectively.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Financial expertise with experience in budget management.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of financial management practices and budgeting.
• Experience in quality management systems and ensuring regulatory compliance.