Packhouse Manager (fresh produce)

Insight Recruitment; Touwsranten; On-site; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A recruitment agency in South Africa is seeking a Packhouse Manager to oversee the packing process for fresh produce. This role requires strong management skills and experience with HACCP and FS22000 standards. The ideal candidate is fluent in English and Afrikaans, with experience managing teams in a high-care packing environment. The position offers competitive support in ensuring productivity and compliance in operations.

Qualifications

• Experience in a fresh-produce pack-house environment.
• Understanding of HACCP and FS22000 standards.
• Experience managing large teams.

Responsibilities

• Oversee packing process and cold chain integrity.
• Enforce Health & Safety and food-safety standards.
• Control packhouse costs and motivate the team.

Skills

HACCP training

Leadership skills

Strong MS Office skills

Fluent in English

Fluent in Afrikaans

Education

Matric (or equivalent)

Job description

Overview of responsibilities

• Operations & Production:

  Oversee the full packing process across all crops, ensuring productivity, correct packing tempo, cold chain integrity, stock control of raw and packing materials, and well‑maintained machinery, including planning CAPEX for upgrades and replacements.

• Quality, Compliance & Technical:

  Enforce Health & Safety and food‑safety standards (OHSA, BRC, HACCP, FS22000), maintain strong audit‑ready documentation and farm‑to‑fork traceability, and work with the Food Technologist to minimise rejections, run shelf‑life trials and implement corrective actions.

• Financial & People Management:

  Control packhouse costs and purchasing, drive continuous improvement and waste reduction, manage and motivate a large team, ensure correct staffing levels and minimise overtime, and see that all staff are properly trained to perform their roles.

Requirements

• Matric (or equivalent)
• HACCP and FS22000 training, plus internal auditing experience
• Proven experience managing a fresh‑produce pack‑house (high‑care environment)
• Export pack‑house experience and good understanding of refrigeration
• Experience managing a large staff complement
• Strong MS Office skills and confident working with cloud‑based data
• Valid drivers licence and own transport
• Fluent in English and Afrikaans (Xhosa an advantage)