Senior Farming Field Manager

Location:

Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, ZA

Vacancy: Senior Farming Field Manager

Department: Cofco International : Farming Division

Contract: Permanent

Location: North West, Northern Free State and Western Free State

Minimum qualifications and experience

Ideal candidate must have a minimum tertiary qualification, B.SC Agriculture or B.Comm Agricultural Economics degree. Demonstrated work experience of minimum 5 to 8 years will be an advantage.

Duties & Responsibilities :

Plan, execute, manage, and report on the designated COFCO South Africa Farming units.

Planning:

Oversee the construction of crop production plans by Field Managers for maize, soybeans, sunflower, wheat, and canola for designated COFCO farming units in conjunction with the COFCO Contractor.
The production plan includes making chemical-, seed, fertilizer & lime recommendations in conjunction with respective chemical representatives and agronomists.
Oversee the building of a set budget for each unit covering all necessary scenarios within an achievable cost range with the COFCO Field Manager.
Evaluate different input prices and farming practice to determine the most efficient production plan.

Execution:

Oversee the execution of the production plans within the set budget together with COFCO Field Manager and Farming Contractor.
Oversee that land preparations are done accurately and on time.
Ensure timely planting and application of inputs within correct procedure and circumstances as set out in the production plan with Farming Contractor and COFCO Field Manager.
Ensure timely and accurate delivery of inputs and contracting services rendered by Field Managers
Ensure accurate delivery of harvested crops into designated silos and/or coordinating on-farm loading of harvested crops to end-point destinations.

Managing:

Assist Field Managers with advice on how to coordinate his/her Farming Contractors with their day-to-day crop production activities and decision making.
Continuously visiting fields planted to follow up and help solve challenges, problems and monitor general progress.
Ensure that Field Managers arrange continuous farm visits by agronomists and representatives to the farms to evaluate crop development.
Ensure that Field Managers manage on-farm stock, do regular stock taking and implement correct inputs.

Reporting:

Frequent updating and reporting on crop progress as well as projecting production outcomes based on agronomical characteristics and facts for the designated area.
Reporting on factors that influence the crops during the season and potential damage and/or solutions to it.
Reporting on the planned budget and any factors that may influence it toward potential over or under spending for the designated farming unit.
On-farm as well as COFCO storage facility stock quantities and making use of Shed to assist with inventory management.
Ensure that crop estimates are complete, reported and updated pre-harvest.
Ensure correct reporting by Field Managers of deliveries into designated delivery points of harvested crops and reconcile with reports from Support in Stellenbosch Head Office.

Qualifications and Experience :

B.SC Agriculture or B. Comm Agricultural Economics degree.
5 to 8 years in related Industry
Management of teams across a widespread geography area
Leadership experience

Essential skills

Self-Driven and Results orientated.
Planning and Organizing
Management of people skills
Communication skills
Teamwork
Innovative
Ownership & Accountability
Decision making, initiate action.
Detail orientated.
Customer orientation
Effective change management skills
Computer skills, Microsoft Office

Desirable skills

Knowledge of the grain industry and/or experience in farming / agriculture in South Africa
Agility
Able to stay focused in a high intensity- and pace working environment.

General

Reports to Agronomy Lead.
Salary is market related basic salary with provident fund and medical aid benefits