Agricultural Services Manager

Website Tongaat Hulett Sugar

Purpose of role

Provide all agricultural services on field services development and irrigation systems management to ensure crop production.
Executive responsibility for 18000 hectares of MCP and SSGs sugarcane (approximately 80% of Tongaat Hullett’s stock supply), in a geographically dispersed area comprising all Xinavane MPC and Cane Growers to ensure business sustainability and crop production.

Key Responsibilities

Lead Field Services, Irrigation maintenance, and Irrigation system management teams.
Carrying out irrigation and drainage system designs, implementation, and monitoring for both MCP land and as well for the SSGs.
Manage existing and future contracting arrangements, ensuring that contracting arrangements, financial controls, and reporting are aligned.
Lead and manage cane development projects ensuring they are competitively priced and within budget.
Understand the competitive cane supply dynamics and provide support for the necessary schemes and mitigation arrangements.
Lead and develop a strong working relationship with third-party growers (small-scale cane-growing sectors) in.
Accountability for agricultural Services operations (including external service providers) to fulfill their responsibilities according to budget, but equally ensuring best agronomic practice, professionalism, and appropriate governance/ethical standards.
Work closely and interface with the finance teams, milling and TH Developments, ensuring appropriate communication and alignment.
Manage the interfaces between contract farming, land reform, and small-scale grower extension support services.
Sensitivity towards the socio-political environment and ensuring that the cane development initiatives recognize and are responsive to this reality.

Qualifications

Experience

Minimum of 10 years in a senior management position in a large sugar milling organisation.