Applications are invited from suitably qualified and experienced persons for the position of Speedling Production Manager. The position reports to the Agricultural Optimisation Manager and operates within the agriculture function.

The successful candidate will be responsible for Providing direction, technical guidance, and leadership in Speedling nursery production to ensure long-term growth, development and sustainability and Champion and embed the “Illovo Way in sugar cane production” to ensure Illovo is the best-in-class sugar producer in the Country.

Key Performance Areas

• Drive operational excellence by making informed trade-offs and driving initiatives that will deliver targeted Speedling production figures at optimal cost and quality levels.
• Adopt and embed agreed best practices, frameworks, minimum standards, and processes for all aspects of Nursery production and replant programs.
• Achieve annual Speedling production targets ensuring that replant activities are prioritized and planned in a systematic and cost-effective way to optimize profitability.
• Contribute to the development of production plans, goals and KPI’s where required.
• Coordinate and approve annual Speedling production and replant plans with farm supervisors and managers across estate.
• Provide input into business cases for key capital projects in Agriculture and Agronomy and support delivery.
• Develop, monitor, and manage Speedling and replant budget and resource plan, with inputs from farm supervisors.
• Drive rigorous performance management, biased towards rewarding impressive performance and compliance with critical behaviours, and including managing consequences where required.
• Drive synergies across the group, effectively partnering with optimisation function and group counterparts to identify, share and embed opportunities for optimisation.
• Identify and address problems and improvement opportunities with farm supervisors.
• Oversee effective talent and performance management and build a strong leadership team and talent pipeline within crop production, by coaching, mentoring and guiding farm supervisors.
• Identify and monitor KPIs and balanced scorecards, track performance and flag any issues with individuals.
• Promote and adhere to Illovo’s procedures, policies, and guidelines, including, without limitation, those relating to SHERQ, Competition Law and Anti-Bribery and Corruption (ABC)

Minimum specifications / Requirements areas

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture / Agricultural Development / Agronomy (higher qualification with research would be an advantage)
• 5-7 years’ experience in sugar cane agriculture, responsible for at least 1,000 ha and at least 5 years’ experience managing large scale horticultural type nurseries.
• Able to build, develop and manage teams effectively.
• Able to capture, interpret and analyses agricultural performance data.