TECHNICAL MANAGER – CITRUS – PAARL

Agricruitment Limited; Paarl; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading agricultural firm in Paarl is looking for an experienced Technical Manager to oversee orchard advisory services and lead their technical field team in the citrus export sector. The ideal candidate will have 7-10 years of experience in fruit export, strong technical skills in compliance and production, and a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture or related fields. Responsibilities include managing producer accreditation, ensuring quality compliance, and leading the technical initiatives of the company. Email CV in WORD format to apply.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years in citrus or fruit export.
• Proven technical advisory experience.
• Hands-on exposure to compliance audits.
• Experience with packhouses and logistics.
• Team-management experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide orchard advisory services on irrigation and nutrition.
• Lead and develop the technical team.
• Oversee rollout of technical programmes.
• Compile and distribute production data and reports.
• Ensure strict QC compliance.
• Manage producer accreditation.
• Investigate claims and recommend corrective actions.
• Identify new citrus cultivars.
• Oversee local marketing programme.
• Manage procurement of packaging materials.

Skills

Deep technical knowledge of citrus production

Strong understanding of GlobalG.A.P.

Skilled in quality risk identification

Strong communicator

Experience leading field teams

Strong organisational awareness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture/Horticulture/Plant Production

Honours advantageous

Job description

My Client is looking for an experienced Technical Manager to lead orchard advisory services, producer compliance, export quality standards, and their technical field team. This role suits a skilled agricultural professional with strong technical, compliance, and people-management experience in the citrus export sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide orchard advisory services on irrigation, nutrition, pruning, canopy management, pest/disease control, and harvest readiness.
• Lead and develop the technical team through coaching, objective setting, and performance management.
• Oversee rollout of all technical programmes, including production, monitoring, and phytosanitary initiatives.
• Compile and distribute production data, crop estimates, maturity updates, technical reports, and market insights.
• Ensure strict QC compliance from orchard to packhouse alongside quality teams.
• Manage producer accreditation for GlobalG.A.P., SIZA, PPECB and related schemes, including audits and corrective actions.
• Investigate claims, analyse quality issues, and recommend corrective actions.
• Identify new citrus cultivars and evaluate suitability for future programmes.
• Manage the local marketing programme, including allocations, supply planning, and market intelligence.
• Oversee procurement of packaging materials, forecasting needs and ensuring export-spec compliance.

Required Competencies

• Deep technical knowledge of citrus production, crop protection, nutrition, maturity indexing, and export standards.
• Strong understanding of GlobalG.A.P., SIZA, food-safety and PPECB protocols.
• Skilled in quality risk identification, data interpretation, claims analysis, and market trend evaluation.
• Strong communicator with the ability to translate technical insights and build trust with growers and partners.
• Experience leading field/technical teams and coordinating multi-farm seasonal programmes.
• Strong organisational and commercial awareness of market dynamics and grower-return structures.

Previous Experience

• 7–10 years in citrus or fruit export (production + post-harvest).
• Proven technical advisory experience.
• Hands‑on exposure to GlobalG.A.P., SIZA, PPECB and compliance audits.
• Experience working with packhouses, QC, logistics, or export partners.
• Team‑management experience.
• Exposure to marketing programmes or packaging procurement advantageous.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture/Horticulture/Plant Production (Honours advantageous).
• Additional training in post-harvest physiology, quality systems, or food-safety beneficial.

Email CV in WORD format: [e-mail]

If you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful.