PACKHOUSE OPERATIONS MANAGER

Farm Manager SA; Mbombela (Nelspruit); On-site; ZAR 480,000 - 640,000; Full time

Job summary

Farm Manager SA in Mpumalanga seeks a Production Manager to lead a high-volume fresh-produce operation. You will translate customer requirements into daily/weekly plans, supervise line teams and ensure quality, safety and timely dispatch.

Responsibilities include planning, labor deployment, line changes, and driving productivity improvements while maintaining compliance with food-safety standards and customer specs.

Qualifications

• Five years of relevant experience in fresh-produce packhouses, food processing or high-volume production.
• Experience supervising supervisors and a substantial operational workforce.
• Strong knowledge of grading, packing, quality control, food safety and traceability.
• Experience working with customer specifications and retail or market quality standards.
• Demonstrated ability to improve productivity, control labour costs and achieve production targets.
• Sound understanding of production planning, stock control, dispatch and operational reporting.
• Strong leadership, communication, problem-solving and disciplinary-management skills.
• Computer literacy, particularly Microsoft Excel and production-reporting systems.
• Willingness to work the hours required by seasonal production and customer demand.

Responsibilities

• Convert customer packing requirements into achievable daily and weekly production plans.
• Manage product intake, grading, packing, palletising, cold-room flow, staging and dispatch.
• Plan line allocation, labour deployment, shifts, changeovers and packaging requirements.
• Set production targets and monitor actual output against plan.
• Lead and manage Line Supervisors and the Quality Control team.
• Improve labour productivity and control overtime, waste, rework and packaging usage.
• Ensure orders are packed correctly, completed on time and ready for dispatch.
• Maintain food-safety, hygiene, traceability and customer-specification controls.
• Manage product inspections, quality holds, product release and corrective actions.
• Investigate customer complaints and recurring quality or production problems.
• Coordinate preventative maintenance and ensure breakdowns are addressed promptly.
• Maintain accurate production, quality, labour, stock and dispatch records.
• Drive continuous improvement in productivity, packout, product quality and operating cost.
• Maintain a safe, disciplined, organised and hygienic working environment.

Skills

Production planning

Labour management

Quality control

Food safety

Excel proficiency

Leadership

Traceability

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• At least five years’ relevant experience in fresh-produce packhouse, food-processing or high-volume production operations.


• At least three years’ experience managing supervisors and a substantial operational workforce.


• Strong practical knowledge of fresh-produce grading, packing, quality control, food safety and traceability.


• Experience working with customer specifications and retail or market quality standards.


• Demonstrated ability to improve productivity, control labour costs and achieve production targets.


• Sound understanding of production planning, stock control, dispatch and operational reporting.


• Strong leadership, communication, problem-solving and disciplinary-management skills.


• Computer literacy, particularly Microsoft Excel and production-reporting systems.


• Willingness to work the hours required by seasonal production and customer demand.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO

• Convert customer packing requirements into achievable daily and weekly production plans.


• Manage product intake, grading, packing, palletising, cold-room flow, staging and dispatch.


• Plan line allocation, labour deployment, shifts, changeovers and packaging requirements.


• Set production targets and monitor actual output against plan.


• Lead and manage Line Supervisors and the Quality Control team.


• Improve labour productivity and control overtime, waste, rework and packaging usage.


• Ensure orders are packed correctly, completed on time and ready for dispatch.


• Maintain food-safety, hygiene, traceability and customer-specification controls.


• Manage product inspections, quality holds, product release and corrective actions.


• Investigate customer complaints and recurring quality or production problems.


• Coordinate preventative maintenance and ensure breakdowns are addressed promptly.


• Maintain accurate production, quality, labour, stock and dispatch records.


• Drive continuous improvement in productivity, packout, product quality and operating cost.


• Maintain a safe, disciplined, organised and hygienic working environment.