Farm Manager at Centum

Job Brief

Greenblade Growers Limited (“GBL”) is a vertically integrated grower, processer, and exporter of herbs and vegetables. Currently, the company operates two farms; a 120-acre farm located in Tumaini, Nyandarua County.

The job holder shall be responsible for executing the farm-specific business plan to enable the company to meet its budget targets by producing high quality volumes of herbs and vegetables as per target yields, pack out and other quality specifications.

Principal Accountabilities

• Analysing existing farm, packhouse and commercial operations, recommending and executing improvements geared towards optimizing operational efficiency across the business. Champion a continuous improvement and quality assurance ethos throughout the production chain.
• Business scale-up planning to ensure investment in CAPEX is line with projected customer demand growth to achieve the right CAPEX intensity.
• Lead expansion projects, including setting up or extending requisite production infrastructure, including construction of Greenhouses and Tunnels, irrigation and fertigation systems, crop establishment husbandry.
• Timely and cost-effective sourcing of quality inputs (seeds, chemicals, fertilizers, 
• and other consumables to meet production targets.
• Ensure proper maintenance of farm and logistical infrastructure and machinery to guarantee 100% uptime.
• Labour planning and resource allocation. Assisting with the recruitment and training of new staff members. Develop and implement strong performance management practice for all staff members.
• Budgeting and Reporting- Coordinate relevant departments in the preparation and submission of the following reports to the GM and the Board in the agreed time frame.
• Inventory movement report compared to set targets.
• Area under production, production volumes per block, yields, pack out, returns, shelf life, unit economics (selling price, unit farm and pack house cost, margins,) compared to budgeted KPIS.
• Growth parameters, including temperature, soil analysis, humidity, irrigation.
• quantities and frequency, etc. and a report on how each of these parameters affect.
• Compliance to the food safety and other regulations. The incumbent will ensure that the farm complies with the following, NEMA, WARMA, KEPHIS, OSHA, PUBLIC HEALTH, GLOBAL GAP & SMETA.

Minimum Qualifications & Competencies

• Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy or other relevant agricultural qualification.
• Minimum of 10 years of proven track record of large-scale production of high- quality herbs (Chives).
• Minimum of 5 years of end-to-end farm management experience that is, procurement of inputs, crop husbandry activities and processes, packaging and delivery of the final product.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
• Commercially astute especially in clients and product management.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, networking, and business development skills.
• Business leader with ability to work effectively with diverse teams in decision making and performance enhancement.