Technical Executive - Cocoa [Karnataka]

Mondelēz International; Tiruppur; On-site; INR 550,000 - 850,000; Full time

Job summary

Mondelēz International in India seeks a Technical Executive to manage cocoa nursery operations, ensuring disciplined processes and fostering sustainable farming practices. You will train farmers, monitor KPIs, and support Cocoa Life initiatives across Karnataka locations and broader cocoa programs.

The role requires strong analytics, agriculture knowledge, and stakeholder engagement to deliver data-driven improvements and partnerships with government and NGOs.

Qualifications

• Experience or exposure to field agriculture and farmer training.
• Strong analytical skills and data-driven mindset.
• Understanding of GAP and sustainable farming practices.
• Ability to work with government bodies and NGOs.

Responsibilities

• Manage cocoa nursery operations and ensure strict process adherence.
• Track KPIs and report progress regularly.
• Educate field staff on cocoa cultivation, GAP, and sustainability initiatives.
• Coordinate with third-party partners for cocoa procurement and data collection.
• Engage with government departments and stakeholders to implement cocoa programs.

Skills

Analytics

Process discipline

Agriculture knowledge

Communication

Education

BSc Agriculture

Horticulture

Forestry

MSc Botany

Tools

AI

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Tally

SAP

Job description

Job Description

Are You Ready to Make It Happen at Mondelēz International? Join our Mission to Lead the Future of Snacking. Make It Matter. You are part of a team in India responsible for building sustainable cocoa sourcing strategies to meet Cocoa-Life objectives on best practices in sustainable cocoa farming, improving livelihoods in cocoa communities, protecting the forest and the environment, and building and maintaining Mondelēz International’s reputation.

How you will contribute

You will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the nursery, ensuring that processes are strictly followed and that the Cocoa nursery is well-tended and respected.

To help with benchmarking and performance improvement, you will closely track KPIs and regularly report on their progress.

You will also conduct education in the field about cocoa, including educating others about how cocoa is grown, why cocoa should be planted, good agricultural practices (GAP), and how to implement sustainability initiatives (e.g. training women, drip irrigation and supporting marginal farmers).

In addition, you will:

• Work with government officials in horticulture and agriculture departments to implement cocoa programs.
• Collect data for crop forecasting and market intelligence for pricing decisions.
• Work with third-party operations for cocoa procurement and processing.

What you will bring

• A desire to drive your future and accelerate your career with experience and knowledge in: Strong analytics and process discipline
• Hands-on knowledge of agriculture with a commercial orientation
• Communication, with strong interpersonal and influencing skills
• Ability to work alone and independently without direct supervision

More about this role

The Technical executive managing the Cocoa operations at Karnataka locations should be able to deliver as per the job responsibilities listed below which will ensure effective involves the promotion of cocoa crops among farmers, training Cocoa GAP, Management of nurseries, Cocoa Life activities, Cocoa procurement, quality control and bean dispatch to factories. The resource should be good at Agronomy, Horticulture, Farmer training and extensive field visits, Nursery management, networking with farming & rural communities. The resource should be a committed team person building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders. The person should be committed towards fulfilling Mondelez's policies and compliance requirements and implement Cocoa Life initiatives towards achieving economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Cocoa Area development – Farmer identification and new area identification
• Cocoa Crop Science – Nursery Management, P&D management, Agronomy, Extension and farmer retention
• Cocoa Procurement – Coordinate with third-party buying partners who operate on a commission-per-kilo basis. Receive and account for cocoa deliveries at collection sites. Monitor quality of beans purchased against specific quality requirements. Manage documentation and dispatch of beans to factory. Effectively train farmers on Post-Harvest and Quality management.
• Cocoa Life Program – Involve in Cocoa Life programs like Community Development Programs through NGO partnerships, Young Farm Survey, Agro-forestry, CSR and Sustainability program
• Mondelez International Internal People management – Cocoa Nursery and TPO collection staff, workers education on quality requirement.
• Research & Institutional Collaboration – Support research projects with institutions such as Kerala Agriculture University and CPCRI. Assist senior staff on research and project-related activities.
• Government & Stakeholder Liaison – Liaise with local government officials, Horticulture and Agriculture Departments at village level. Coordinate with Govt depts including FSSAI and other licenses as required. Implementing Sustainability and Safety Initiatives.
• Digital Onboarding of Farmers, Polygon mapping of Farms and Digital tools for procurement

Education / Certifications

• BSc. Agriculture/ Horticulture/Forestry or MSc in Botany
• Exceptional talent with Diploma in Agriculture Knowledge of South Indian languages ideally Kannad & Hindi are essential.

Job specific requirements

• Experience - Freshers are welcome to apply 0–4 years of experience in agriculture, horticulture, or related field. Experienced candidates from seed companies, fertilizer companies, or agri-related firms are also considered.
• Field Readiness - Role requires extensive field visits involving travel to farms Practical field readiness is essential.
• Skills - Hands on Knowledge of Agriculture Commercial Orientation Innovation, Communication and Negotiation skills Computer skills – AI, Excel, Word, Power Point Accounting – Tally/SAP/Data analysis/Taxes Competencies - Organization, planning and management Attention to detail Analytical thinking Human relations and influencing Teamwork Interpersonal effectiveness Application of knowledge Persistence and ability to update.

Travel requirements

Role requires extensive field visits involving travel to farms. No Relocation support available

Business Unit Summary

Mondelez India Foods Private Limited (formerly Cadbury India Ltd.) has been in India for over 70 years, making sure our mouth-watering and well-loved local and global brands such as Cadbury chocolates, Bournvita and Tang powdered beverages, Oreo and Cadbury Bournvita biscuits, and Halls and Cadbury Choclairs Gold candies get safely into our customers hands—and mouths. Headquartered in Mumbai, the company has more than 3,300 employees proudly working across sales offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai and in manufacturing facilities at Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, at our global Research & Development Technical Centre and Global Business Hub in Maharashtra and in a vast distribution network across the country. We are also proud to be recognised by Avatar as the Best Companies for Women in India in 2019 – the fourth time we’ve received this award.

Job Type

Regular Sustainability, Well Being & Social Impact Corporate & Government Affairs At Mondelēz International, our purpose is to empower people to snack right through offering the right snack, for the right moment, made the right way. That means delivering a broader range of delicious, high-quality snacks that nourish life's moments, made with sustainable ingredients and packaging that consumers can feel good about. We have a rich portfolio of strong brands – both global and local. Including many household names such as Oreo, belVita and LU biscuits; Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka and Toblerone chocolate; Sour Patch Kids candy and Trident gum. We are proud to hold the number 1 position globally in biscuits, chocolate and candy as well as the No. 2 position in gum Our 80,000 Makers and Bakers are located in our operations in more than 80 countries and are working to sell our products in over 150 countries around the world. They are energized for growth and critical to us living our purpose and values. We are a diverse community that can make things happen, and happen fast. Join us and Make It An Opportunity!

Equal Opportunity

Mondelēz International is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.