Avocado Production & Nursery Officer

We are seeking to recruit competent and self-driven individuals to fill the following open position in Sian Farms:
Job Title:
Avocado Production & Nursery Officer
Location
: Eldoret
**Responsibilities
a) Production**
• Develop crop production strategy and advise management on its operationalization to achieve set targets
• Develop and manage the production budget to ensure realisation of growth, revenue and profitability targets
• Manage production costs through increasing efficiency, improving production systems and procedures
• Manage pest and disease through integrated pest management approach by use of biological, physical ,mechanical, cultural and chemical methods
• Manage crop nutrition through best practice irrigation and fertigation systems
• Manage staff performance and productivity through performance appraisals, training needs assessment, training and motivation for maximum output
• Coordinate Research and Development initiatives to establish mechanisms for adoption of new varieties and better crop protection through trialling new varieties, biological agents, chemical and new growing techniques
• Manage production compliance requirements by ensuring certification standards are adhered to by the organization (NEMA, Fair Trade)
• Coordinate the general administration of the farm production function in liaison with the General Manager.
B) Nursery Management:
• Oversee all the activities/ infrastructure within the nursery section
• Sourcing of the root and mother stock materials
• Potting , planting and grafting of scions
• General plant health hygiene, fertilization and pest control activities
• Management of inventory and logistics
• Quality controls
• Trialling new techniques and methodologies
C) Community outreach program
• Work closely with the community on out grower program
• Demonstrating and training of good practices to selected farmers in the out grower program
Skills and Qualifications
• Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture/Horticulture/Agronomy or related course from a recognized institution
• At least 6 years’ managerial experience in Avocado Production and Nursery management.
• Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills
• Excellent planning skills
To provide technical leadership in production of high quality Avocados for export, manage production costs and staff productivity to ensure the company realizes its growth, revenue and profitability targets.