Location: Multi-site (In-House Farms & Out-Grower Network)

Reports to: Technical Manager / GM – In-House Farms

Field Time: ~70%

Job Purpose

The Chief Agronomist provides senior-level agronomic leadership and technical oversight across the company’s in-house farms and out-grower network. The role ensures consistent delivery of high-quality export produce at competitive costs through scientifically driven crop management, optimized input use, strong compliance, and continuous improvement—without direct supervision of daily field operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic agronomic oversight across all in-house farms and out-grower systems.
• Maintain strong field presence (approximately 70%), conducting crop assessments and identifying risks related to pests, diseases, nutrition, irrigation, and yield.
• Design, review, and continuously improve integrated crop protection, IPM, resistance management, and nutrition programs in collaboration with senior technical leadership.
• Ensure compliance with GLOBALG.A.P, export market requirements, food safety standards, and MRL regulations.
• Drive input planning accuracy, cost efficiency, stock optimization, and waste reduction.
• Provide technical oversight to the out-grower agronomy system in collaboration with the Out-Grower Manager.
• Lead farm-based R&D trials (varieties, fertilizers, biologicals, irrigation technologies) and deliver data-backed recommendations.
• Mentor and develop agronomy teams, building a strong pipeline of future technical and farm leaders

Key Performance Indicators

• ≥70% field presence across in-house farms.
• ≥10% YoY yield improvement and ≥15% reduction in pest/disease incidence.
• ≥95% accuracy in input forecasting with zero critical stockouts.
• 5–10% annual reduction in cost per hectare and cost per kg.
• ≥90% adoption of standardized agronomic programs by out-growers.
• Successful completion of ≥5 agronomic trials annually.
• Strong succession planning and measurable skills improvement within agronomy teams.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Crop Science, Horticulture, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 8–12+ years of senior agronomy experience, preferably in export horticulture.
• Strong experience with both in-house farming and out-grower systems.
• In-depth knowledge of IPM, crop nutrition, irrigation, GLOBALG.A.P, MRL compliance, and export standards.
• Professional certifications (e.g., BASIS, FACTS) highly desirable.

Key Competencies

• Expert technical agronomy knowledge
• Strategic and analytical thinking
• Strong mentorship and leadership ability
• Data-driven decision-making
• High integrity, accountability, and cost discipline

• Provide strategic agronomic oversight across all in-house farms and out-grower systems.
• Maintain strong field presence (approximately 70%), conducting crop assessments and identifying risks related to pests, diseases, nutrition, irrigation, and yield.
• Design, review, and continuously improve integrated crop protection, IPM, resistance management, and nutrition programs in collaboration with senior technical leadership.
• Ensure compliance with GLOBALG.A.P, export market requirements, food safety standards, and MRL regulations.
• Drive input planning accuracy, cost efficiency, stock optimization, and waste reduction.
• Provide technical oversight to the out-grower agronomy system in collaboration with the Out-Grower Manager.
• Lead farm-based R&D trials (varieties, fertilizers, biologicals, irrigation technologies) and deliver data-backed recommendations.
• Mentor and develop agronomy teams, building a strong pipeline of future technical and farm leaders

• Expert technical agronomy knowledge
• Strategic and analytical thinking
• Strong mentorship and leadership ability
• Data-driven decision-making
• High integrity, accountability, and cost discipline

• Bachelor’s degree in Crop Science, Horticulture, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 8–12+ years of senior agronomy experience, preferably in export horticulture.
• Strong experience with both in-house farming and out-grower systems.
• In-depth knowledge of IPM, crop nutrition, irrigation, GLOBALG.A.P, MRL compliance, and export standards.
• Professional certifications (e.g., BASIS, FACTS) highly desirable.