Technical Executive - Cocoa [Kerala]

Mondelez International Inc.; Tiruppur; On-site; INR 300,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Mondelez International Inc. in India is seeking a Technical executive to manage the Cocoa nursery operations and field programs across locations, ensuring strict adherence to processes, and driving Cocoa Life initiatives with a focus on training farmers and improving productivity.

You will collaborate with government departments, collect data for crop forecasting, coordinate with third-party procurement partners, and promote sustainable farming practices through education and field visits.

Qualifications

• Freshers welcome; 0–4 years in agriculture, horticulture or related field.
• Experience with seed/fertilizer firms is a plus.
• Willingness to travel for field activity and farmer training.

Responsibilities

• Cocoa Area development – identify and develop new areas.
• Cocoa Crop Science – nursery management, agronomy, extension, farmer retention.
• Cocoa Procurement – coordinate with third-party buyers, manage deliveries and quality.
• Cocoa Life Program – involve in community development and sustainability programs.
• People management – supervise nursery and field staff, educate workers on quality.

Skills

Analytics

Agriculture knowledge

Communication & influence

Independent worker

Education

BSc Agriculture/Horticulture/Forestry

Diploma in Agriculture

MSc Botany

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

AI tools

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 Andhra Pradesh 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 Telugu & 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
• Persist