EPZ Manager at AAA Growers

Reporting to: GENERAL MANAGER - PACKHOUSES

Location of employment: Simba Farm - Rimuruti

Role Purpose:

The EPZ Manager is fully responsible for the entire EPZ Area (covering the Vegetable, Roses & AvocadoPackhouses) and to ensure that Industry and Company standards are adhered to, with any corrective action implemented. This includes overseeing site logistical operations, including equipment, machinery and fabric maintenance.
The EPZ Manager will also oversee the expansion of new facilities and project management.

Key responsibilities:

1. General Administration
   1. People Management and Administration
   2. Manage and oversee Packhouse teams
   3. Manage casual staff and permanent employee numbers - Casual labour recruitment, Leave, Salaries, Overtime.
   4. Follow up on salary and wage payments.
   5. Maintain staff discipline and welfare in accordance with company policy.
   6. Oversee performance management, workforce planning and recruitment within the EPZ
   7. Organise and follow-up on weekly meetings to discuss various issues at EPZ including Labour, Security etc.
2. EPZ Security
   1. Ensure the safety of staff as well as company property
   2. Ensure adherence to EPZ/Customs access control required for all EPZ facilities
   3. Ensure compliance with all local and international security requirements with particular emphasis on customer requirements
   4. Coordinate security trainings and PPE for EPZ staff
3. Transport
   1. In coordination with Transport Manager, oversee site logistical operations
   2. Facilitate and schedule transport of EPZ workers
   3. Ensure that trucks are released as scheduled
   4. Coordinate the running of the inter-farm truck
   5. Ensure that the produce is dispatched at the stipulated temperature
4. EPZ Store
   1. Over all in charge on EPZ Store
5. EPZ Canteen
   1. Conduct periodical audits to ascertain adherence to the terms and conditions of the contract
6. EPZ Clinic
   1. Over all in charge on EPZ Clinic

B. Packhouse Management

1. General
   1. Ensure facilities are clean and well run
   2. Ensure hygiene standards are maintained
   3. Monitor labour efficiency and authorize overtime for the pack house staff
   4. Ensure that the packhouse comply with all the applicable local and international standards
   5. Liaise with farm managers to ensure that crop harvesting and deliveries to the pack house are efficient and timely
   6. Liaise with Sales and farm team on Avocado harvesting and ripening of fruit.
   7. Monitor raw material utilization; ensure that waste/rejects are within acceptable limits and all dumps are authorized
   8. Effectively communicate with the sales team on stock levels, labour numbers, pack plan, and outload volume and packhouses packing capacity
   9. Co-ordinate all preparations for audits and customer visits along with the Technical Teams
   10. Facilitate daily logistics for Shipments to Airport
   11. Check shipments of both Avocado, veg and roses to ensure no discrepancies arise
   12. Identify and advise Senior Management on any emerging issues affecting the EPZ operations whether it be in the floriculture or horticulture units
   13. Develop work plans and budgets
   14. Ensure that the packhouse management systems (Avocado, Veg and Roses Manager) are used appropriately and that the reports generated from them are a true reflection of the packhouse operations.
2. Packhouse Maintenance
   1. Arrange for prompt repair and maintenance of Packhouse equipment and external machinery - Cold rooms, Water system and Solar system.
   2. Monitor the efficiency of the cold rooms to ensure that the specified temperatures for the various products are maintained
   3. Liaise with Head Office for the procurement of all materials required for maintenance
   4. Maintain the physical condition of the facility
   5. Any other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the immediate supervisor, manager or senior management.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

1. Overtime management; no overtime above 12 hours per week
2. Good raw materials utilisation with strict adherence to FIFO principle
3. Welfare and safety of workers in line with legislation and company policies
4. Submitting timely and accurate reports
5. Achievement of minimal market rejections/complains
6. Maintenance of the facility , including all machinery and equipment, in good condition
7. Compliance with all the applicable standards
8. Release of trucks at the stipulated timelines
9. Efficient operation of packhouses

Reporting Matrix:

1. Daily – Simba Farm Managers, General Manager-Packhouses, sales/planning desks, Technical Managers
2. Weekly – Simba Farm Managers, General Manager-Packhouses, sales/planning desks, Technical Managers, Directors
3. Monthly - Simba Farm Managers, General Manager-Packhouses, sales/planning desks, Technical Managers, Directors
4. Quarterly - Simba Farm Managers, General Manager-Packhouses, sales/planning desks, Technical Managers, Directors

Key Competencies:

1. A specialist in process engineering and process management with experience in organization, production and supply chain management
2. Self-motivated, strategic thinker with excellent crisis management skills and able to bring solutions to the table
3. Degree educated with a minimum 10 years’ experience in a busy Packhouse/Site/Plant environment and
4. fully conversant with factory operations in the food processing industry
5. Ardent advocate of systems and procedures, good manufacturing standards and other social welfare standards
6. Fully proficient in Kaizen, Lean management and processing techniques
7. Strong administration, site management and people management skills with proven delivery on targets within a strict timeframe
8. Ideally well versed in factory building and project management