PACKHOUSE OPERATIONS MANAGER – FM2719

Farm Manager SA; KwaZulu-Natal; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Farm Manager SA is seeking a hands-on senior operations leader for the Nelspruit area, Mpumalanga Province. You will be accountable for productivity, labour efficiency, operating costs, quality assurance and dispatch performance, ensuring adherence to food-safety and traceability standards.

The role requires directing Line Supervisors and Quality Control teams, translating customer packing requirements into feasible daily/weekly plans, and driving continuous improvement across production lines

Qualifications

• 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 knowledge of fresh-produce grading, packing, quality control, food safety and traceability.
• Experience with customer specifications and retail or market quality standards.
• Proven ability to improve productivity, control labour costs, and hit production targets.
• Understanding of production planning, stock control, dispatch and operational reporting.
• Strong leadership, communication, problem-solving and disciplinary-management skills.
• Computer literacy, particularly Excel and production-reporting systems.
• Willingness to work 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

Traceability

Excel proficiency

Job description

Nelspruit area, Mpumalanga Province - South Africa: This is a hands‑on senior operational role with accountability for productivity, labour productivity, operating cost, quality assurance, quality control, food safety, traceability and dispatch performance.

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.

ONLY short‑listed candidates will be contacted