DEPUTY PLANTATION AND SUSTAINABILITY LEAD
Natural Extracts Industries Ltd (NEI) is pioneering the sustainable, natural flavour manufacturing industry in Tanzania for global export, starting with vanilla and other flavour extracts. The company works in all areas from cultivation, to post-harvest processing, value-add manufacturing and international sales and marketing. The smallholder outgrower network currently integrates over 6,000 vanilla farmers from Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Morogoro, Mbeya and Kagera regions and through this sourcing model NEI aims to deliver a long term socioeconomic impact by doubling annual income per smallholder household.
Job Responsibilities
1. Overseeing all aspects of plantation management, particularly in regards to the vanilla crop and other intercropped species (e.g., banana, tutor trees, etc); this will include:
- Managing all plantation labour (and their performance and development) and ensuring the security of the plantation;
- Supporting external/Joint Venture commercial plantations
- Coordinating the development of the plantation and related infrastructure, on time and on budget;
- Establishing and running a nursery, and ensuring the successful propagation of healthy and productive vines within the plantation and to farmer out-growers;
- Ensuring the environmental and economic sustainability of the plantation (and farmer out-growers), including the development of financial and agronomic models, managing towards target harvest forecasts, and ensuring the quality (maturity), quantity (yield), and integrity of the harvest;
- Conducting trials and investigations of improved agronomic practices and acclimatization for vanilla;
- Managing the training curriculum and development process for upskilling the local labour force and disseminating knowledge to relevant parties (e.g., staff, farmer champions, farmer out-growers, government extension officers) and related stakeholders, with a particular focus on youth development initiatives (e.g., through vocational training centres and academic institutions);
- Supporting the regional farmer out-grower program management (covering Kilimanjaro, Mbeya, Kagera, Morogoro, Arusha, Tanga, and any other future operating regions), including supervising the relevant staff and related contractors (e.g., field officers, procurement agents, farmer champions, pollinators, Vanilla Centres of Excellence, etc), ensuring cost-effective procurement of vanilla and other raw/input materials, and achieving targets (as set and approved by the board); further duties include:
- Adhering to, and improving upon, the standard field operations policies and procedures manual, the vanilla husbandry manual, and related documentation. Activities include training of trainers (farmer champions), farmer trainings, monitoring and problem solving on agronomic and operational challenges;
- Expanding the number of farmers in the out-grower scheme, in existing geographies and as feasible in other regions like Mbeya, Iringa, Tanga, Kagera and Morogoro;
- Delivering the target kg’s in volume and quality from each region through farmer loyalty, forward planning and team coordination.
- Managing the VCOE franchisee network;
- Ensuring an outstanding Company reputation and quality of service with farmers;
- Running farmer marketing campaigns to ensure NEI stays top of mind throughout the year and particularly leading to the harvest season;
- Managing a mobile-agriculture technology solution for smartphone-enabled extension and plantation team management;
- Ensuring the Company meets social impact indicators and targets, including farmers who sell to the Company and to intermediaries (e.g., processors);
- Enforcing traceability systems and standards and, as the Company evolves, overseeing the implementation of relevant international standards certification, e.g., FSSC 22000, Global GAP, EU/USDA/JAS organic, Kosher, Fair Trade, Fair for Life, etc;
- Liaising with relevant stakeholders, e.g., government officials, farmer associations and processing groups, regulatory bodies (e.g., NEMC, Village/Ward/District Councils, OSHA, Fire Department, TPRI, TFRI, etc.), commercial partners, etc.;
- Ensuring donor policies, procedures and record keeping are followed, and provide inputs to donor reports as needed;
- For plantation and farmer out-grower topics, preparing for and following up on meetings of the Board of Directors and third parties;
- Assisting in the preparation of general paper work for submission to government entities, parastatal organisations, investors, donors and other parties;
- Desired skills
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Agronomy, Rural Development, or Agricultural Sciences, with a Master’s degree preferable;
- At least 6 years of experience in a managerial position, ideally with frequent interactions with executives, board members and/or investors;
- At least 3 years of experience in plantation and outgrower-based value chain management;
- Strong organisational and interpersonal skills, able to relate to multiple foreign cultures, and manage people effectively in difficult circumstances;
- Ability to negotiate effectively with 3rd parties, including government officials, contractors and farmer groups, following correct policies and procedures;
- Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both oral and written, in English and ideally in Swahili;
- Highly skilled in computer productivity packages such as Microsoft Office, Google Apps and smartphone-based traceability systems;
- Demonstrated strong leadership, able to inspire and influence others, set their teams’ strategy and lead their work independently;
- A passion for social impact in the agriculture sector.
Expression of Interest
Interested candidates should submit their cover letter and CV to hr@nei-ltd.com by 13th February 2022.
Natural Extracts Industries is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer whereby we do not engage in practices that discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, physical disability or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.
