Job Description

Purpose:
The purpose of this role is to develop, implement, and execute (maintain) the appropriate fruit quality and compliance strategy, structure, processes, and systems to support the core focus of the company to generate the most possible value out of each carton for all the stakeholders.Education required:

• Bachelors (Honours) degree in agriculture, agribusiness, or a related field (preferable)
• Relevant quality training (diploma/certificate) in the South African fruit export industry (preferable)

Skills / Experience required:
Experience

• Proven experience in building and managing a quality and compliance management framework for a fruit export company
• Minimum of 10 years of hands-on practical experience in the citrus industry in the relevant areas of quality (good practice, standards, regulatory)

Skills / capabilities

• Good practical understanding and knowledge of citrus cultural practices and pest control and post harvest practices
• Good knowledge of post-harvest disorders, their causes and the impact of the export handling chain on fruit quality
• Thorough understanding of economics of fruit export supply chain, claims management and the quantification of losses due to poor quality.
• Thorough knowledge of the concepts of total quality management, quality assurance and quality control
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build rapport and trust with clients.
• Problem-solving and conflict-resolution abilities, especially in the context of citrus production/export challenges
• MS Office including Excel
• Detail oriented with the ability to multi-task
• Ability to function under pressure and to deadlines
• Understand data sets, workflows and business processes
• Ability to solve business data problems to deadlines

Key Performance Areas:
1. Develop and implement the company Quality and compliance strategy and framework

• Develop the quality and compliance strategy for the company that will guide and drive the objective to derive and sustain the highest potential value for the carton of fruit throughout the value chain

• Develop and implement the appropriate resource structure
• Develop and maintain all related supporting processes and documents (e.g. standards, packing guides, specifications, and protocols
• Strategy developed, approved and implemented
• Resource structure developed and implemented (e.g. inspectors / auditors)
• Standard Operating Procedures that supports the strategy documented and implemented

• Continuous improvement process implemented

2. Manage grower quality assurance

• Develops, manages, and influence a robust grower quality management program including standards setting, auditing, training/development, and performance improvement plans.
• Drive the concept of being a trusted partner to the grower to resolve grower quality issues
• Support grower audits
• Evaluate quality fruit in orchards prior to harvest and/or packing to identify cultural practices, and pest control activities that may be lacking that will have a direct impact on quality and shelf life of packed product.
• Facilitate access to premium markets and customers
• Grower quality assurance plans align with the corporate identification of key growers to partner with

3. Full value chain quality and compliance management and improvements

• Lead continuous improvements for pre-harvest, post-harvest, packing house, cold storage, and transportation processes to systematically reduce product defects and quality failures. Institutionalise the management of deviations to preserve the value of the carton
• Primary production : Compliance, standards, training
• Packhouse: Quality specifications, packaging, labelling/marking, food safety/chemicals
• Cold chain integrity: Traceability, shelf life optimization
• Audit plans developed and implemented
• Audits performed
• Corrective actions identifies and appropriate strategies developed to correct deviations

4. Manage the handling and processing of Market Claims (fruit quality)

• With the Marketing capability, ensure the appropriate processes are developed and implemented to handle market claims as a result of quality issues.
• Develop and train Quality resources to also identify and handle potential claims as a result of quality issues.
• Support the Marketing capability by providing appropriate information to enable them to settle/finalise claims
• Claim management processes developed and implemented
• Claims finalised against set standards from a time and value perspective
• Quality Resources developed and trained to handle claims
• This would include the ability to differentiate between inherent poor quality of the fruit and issues caused by deviations in the supply chain
• Ability to verify the extent (value of the losses)

5] Manage the handling and processing of Marine Claims

• With the Marketing and Operational capability, ensure the appropriate processes are developed and implemented to handle marine claims as a result of issues within the supply chain
• Manage interface with the companys marine insurance provider to ensure claim notifications and procedures are followed.
• Manage each issue and consolidate all relevant information and evidence to construct the best potential position for the company
• Facilitate and interface with the relevant stakeholders (internal and external) for each case
• Assist Executivies with the annual insurance renewal process
• Claim management processes developed and implemented
• Claims finalised against set standards from a time and value perspective

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