Agrijob
Description
A leading agricultural business in the fresh produce sector is seeking an experienced and commercially minded Senior Technical Manager: Fruit Supply to lead its fruit supply function and support the growth of a sustainable, high-quality supply base.
The successful candidate will play a key role in strengthening grower partnerships, driving supply strategy and ensuring the business remains aligned with market demands through sound technical expertise and effective stakeholder management. This position is ideally suited to an agricultural professional who combines strong horticultural or agronomic knowledge with strategic thinking, commercial awareness and excellent relationship-building skills.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead, mentor and develop the Fruit Supply team.
- Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with growers and production partners.
- Develop and implement fruit supply strategies, planting programmes and forecasting processes.
- Provide guidance on cultivar selection, crop performance, regional suitability and production optimisation.
- Deliver high-level technical support on complex production and grower-related matters.
- Analyse production, quality and commercial data to identify risks, opportunities and performance improvements.
- Collaborate closely with internal stakeholders across Operations, Postharvest, Procurement, Sales, Finance and Product Development to ensure alignment between supply capabilities and market requirements.
- Support business objectives through effective planning, stakeholder engagement and the application of industry best practices.
Minimum Requirements
- A tertiary qualification in Agriculture, Horticulture, Agronomy or a related discipline.
- 5 to 10 years' experience within the South African fruit industry.
- Demonstrated experience in providing technical support and advisory services to commercial growers.
- 3 to 5 years' leadership experience in a technical, agricultural or grower-facing environment.
- Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance technical and business priorities.
- Excellent analytical, communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Valid driver's licence and willingness to travel extensively when required.
Advantageous Experience
- Exposure to berry production or the soft-fruit sector.
- Experience working with grower networks and supply chain planning.
- Knowledge of local and export fruit markets.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is a respected agricultural professional with the credibility to engage effectively at both grower and executive level. They possess a strong understanding of fruit production systems, a strategic approach to supply development and a proven ability to influence outcomes through collaboration, data-driven decision-making and technical excellence. A proactive, solutions-oriented mindset and a passion for sustainable agricultural growth will be key to success in this role.