Spray Supervisor at Ngong Veg Limited

Job Description

• Supervising spray operators’ activities related to chemicals and fertilizer and record keeping.
• Maintaining consistent communication with the production manager to ensure clarity of intent and clarity of desired outcome.
• Reading, interpreting and translating chemical labels to spray operators as needed.
• Monitoring and overseeing spray applications to ensure safety and accuracy.
• Planning and coordinating pre-operation set up tasks with production supervisors to ensure complete understanding of crops to be sprayed, labour requirements and chemical availability.
• Ensuring all personal protective equipment (PPE) clothing /rain gear, eye safety, eye wash and chemical decontamination are in proper working order.
• Inspecting equipment to ensure proper functioning, recommend machinery, equipment and supplies necessary for optimum performance.
• Verifying operator knowledge of tasks and specifics of operating and loading procedures.
• Providing appropriate training and education on the safe use and operation of equipment and spraying techniques.
• Ensuring that each operator has appropriate PPE.
• Starting motors and engaging machinery such as sprayers, pumps and portable spray equipment to verify that they are operating properly and safely.
• Mixing pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides according to directions.
• Calibrating sprayers and chemical applications equipment.
• Filling sprayers with water and chemicals according to formulas using safe practices and applying to crops at recommended rates.
• Covering areas to specified application rates with pesticides, applying knowledge of weather conditions, droplet sizes, drift and obstructions.
• Recording information, such as farm IPM practices and production results.
• Keeping accurate records of employee time, equipment usage, routine maintenance and fuel usage.
• Maintaining work area, chemical storage area and equipment in a condition that promotes good safety practices and in compliance with OSHA and Kenya ministry of agriculture by laws.
• Maintaining equipment and tools used in chemical and or fertilizer application, installing, adjusting and performing minor maintenance and repairs to ensure operating efficiency.
• Developing and or assists in development of standard operating procedures (SOP) for all chemical operations.
• Providing direct supervision over staff to include; discretionary authority to determine methods of work, plan assign and direct the work, in coordination with human resources and company policy; recommend personnel actions (promotions, wage adjustments, demotions, discipline, discharges etc.
• Maintaining work flows by sustaining/implementing conducive work environment and monitoring every step of progress.
• Responsible for continuous improvement of activities in all assigned functional areas in a safe and visual environment.
• Presenting solutions to leadership on farm improvements and acting as change agent, champion and continually develops and communicates productivity standards to the assigned employees.
• Ensuring appropriate staffing levels and resource allocation and performing administrative tasks associated with timekeeping, pay performance and policy administration and other matters related to employees.
• Performing related duties as required. These duties may not be specifically listed this description but are within the general occupational series and responsibility level typically associated with your classification of work.

QUALIFICATIONS / EXPERIENCE / KNOWLEDGE

• Certificate/diploma in general agriculture/horticulture
•  Atleast 3 years working experience in the same field.
• Promote and project a positive attitude towards the company and its objectives.
• Knowledge of farm equipment and machinery and the ability to operate and to effectively train others in the safe operations of such.
• Skill in the application of chemicals including an awareness of coverage requirements, weather conditions and obstructions that prevent acceptable application of chemicals and fertilizers.
• Skill and ability to evaluate systems-identify measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance relative to goals of the company.
• Computer acumen and skills e.g. MS word and MS office.

Certifications and licences

• Must have valid Kenyan driving licence
• Respirator fit test certified.
• Current CPR and first aid certificates.