Background

FarmMoja Limited is a certified grower, packer, and exporter of premium Hass avocados from Kenya. We are committed to sustainable and inclusive horticultural development. We work directly with smallholder farmers to enhance productivity, traceability, and market access through compliance with international standards including GLOBALG.A.P., GRASP, and Rainforest Alliance.

Job Objective:

To strengthen our field operations and ensure consistent delivery of export-quality avocados to our Nairobi packhouse and international markets, FarmMoja seeks to recruit a Field Sourcing and Production Manager. This role is pivotal in overseeing the implementation of our avocado value chain program—from production and post-harvest handling to export compliance. The successful candidate will lead all sourcing, technical, agronomic, and compliance functions across our supply base, ensuring sustainable production, coordinated logistics, farmer capacity building, and quality consistency aligned with our export requirements and buyer specifications.

Key Responsibilities:

A. Agronomy & Production Support

• Develop and implement annual avocado production programs and farm management calendars.
• Recruit, train, and mentor farmers on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), pest/disease control, irrigation, pruning, and harvest maturity standards.
• Establish field monitoring and data collection systems to assess yields and orchard health.
• Promote climate-smart and regenerative production methods.

B. Farmer Mobilization, Sourcing and Logistics Co-ordination

• Identify, map, and onboard both smallholder and commercial avocado farmers.
• Strengthen farmer groups and cooperatives through organizational and technical training.
• Coordinate aggregation and sourcing aligned with the packhouse procurement plan.
• Maintain a digital database of all suppliers with full traceability from farm to export.

C. Quality Assurance & Post-Harvest Handling

• Oversee maturity testing, field harvesting, and post-harvest handling processes.
• Ensure adherence to EU and buyer-specific quality standards (calibration, packaging, cold chain).
• Work closely with packhouse and logistics teams to ensure timely dispatch, receipt, and grading of fruit from field to packhouse.
• Conduct routine quality audits and implement corrective actions.

D. Certification & Compliance Implementation

• Lead implementation and monitoring of GLOBALG.A.P., GRASP, SMETA, and Rainforest Alliance standards across certified farms.
• Conduct internal audits, maintain documentation, and close corrective actions.
• Train farmers and staff on certification requirements, recordkeeping, and traceability.
• Coordinate external audit preparation and follow-up with certification bodies.

E. Training, Capacity Building & Extension

• Develop training materials, establish farmer field schools, and manage demonstration plots.
• Build the capacity of Field Officers, Assistants, and Farmer Group Leaders.
• Facilitate continuous learning and knowledge sharing within FarmMoja’s technical network.

F. Data Management, Reporting & Monitoring

• Maintain updated farm data, certification records, and production statistics.
• Prepare weekly and monthly reports on field performance, sourcing progress, and audit readiness.
• Support monitoring and evaluation of impact indicators (yields, compliance rate, quality scores).

G. Coordination & Representation

• Liaise with county agricultural offices, cooperatives, and other stakeholders in the avocado value chain.
• Represent FarmMoja in technical forums, certification workshops, and value chain platforms.
• Collaborate with donor partners, certification agencies, and research institutions.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture, Agronomy, Agriculture, or a related field. Postgraduate training in Quality Management, GAP, or Agribusiness is a distinct advantage.
• Minimum of 5 years of hands-on experience in horticulture or avocado value chain management, including farmer training, sourcing, and certification program implementation.
• Proven familiarity with GLOBALG.A.P., GRASP, SMETA, and Rainforest Alliance compliance systems.
• Strong technical knowledge in agronomy, pest/disease management, post-harvest handling, quality control, and traceability.
• Excellent leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills to effectively manage diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Proficiency in MS Office suite, farm management apps, and digital data collection tools (e.g., KoBo Toolbox, ODK, Farmforce).

Reporting & Supervision:

The Field Sourcing and Production Manager will report directly to the Managing Director of FarmMoja Limited. The role involves the supervision of Field Officers, Assistants, and Field-Based Extension Agents across avocado-growing zones.

• Develop and implement annual avocado production programs and farm management calendars.
• Recruit, train, and mentor farmers on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), pest/disease control, irrigation, pruning, and harvest maturity standards.
• Establish field monitoring and data collection systems to assess yields and orchard health.
• Promote climate-smart and regenerative production methods.
• Identify, map, and onboard both smallholder and commercial avocado farmers.
• Strengthen farmer groups and cooperatives through organizational and technical training.
• Coordinate aggregation and sourcing aligned with the packhouse procurement plan.
• Maintain a digital database of all suppliers with full traceability from farm to export.
• Oversee maturity testing, field harvesting, and post-harvest handling processes.
• Ensure adherence to EU and buyer-specific quality standards (calibration, packaging, cold chain).
• Work closely with packhouse and logistics teams to ensure timely dispatch, receipt, and grading of fruit from field to packhouse.
• Conduct routine quality audits and implement corrective actions.
• Lead implementation and monitoring of GLOBALG.A.P., GRASP, SMETA, and Rainforest Alliance standards across certified farms.
• Conduct internal audits, maintain documentation, and close corrective actions.
• Train farmers and staff on certification requirements, recordkeeping, and traceability.
• Coordinate external audit preparation and follow-up with certification bodies.
• Develop training materials, establish farmer field schools, and manage demonstration plots.
• Build the capacity of Field Officers, Assistants, and Farmer Group Leaders.
• Facilitate continuous learning and knowledge sharing within FarmMoja’s technical network.
• Maintain updated farm data, certification records, and production statistics.
• Prepare weekly and monthly reports on field performance, sourcing progress, and audit readiness.
• Support monitoring and evaluation of impact indicators (yields, compliance rate, quality scores).
• Liaise with county agricultural offices, cooperatives, and other stakeholders in the avocado value chain.
• Represent FarmMoja in technical forums, certification workshops, and value chain platforms.
• Collaborate with donor partners, certification agencies, and research institutions.

• Adaptability / Flexibility
• Leadership
• Interpersonal skills
• Communication skills
• Proficiency in MS Office suite
• Farm management apps
• Digital data collection tools (e.g., KoBo Toolbox, ODK, Farmforce)

• Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture, Agronomy, Agriculture, or a related field.
• Postgraduate training in Quality Management, GAP, or Agribusiness is a distinct advantage.
• Proven familiarity with GLOBALG.A.P., GRASP, SMETA, and Rainforest Alliance compliance systems.
• Strong technical knowledge in agronomy, pest/disease management, post-harvest handling, quality control, and traceability.