COASTAL GROWER LIAISON OFFICER

SUMMARY:
Howick area – KwaZulu-Natal: The Liaison Grower Officer, with a strong commercial background in the avocado industry, will be responsible for sourcing avocado supply from growers in South Africa’s coastal regions.

POSITION INFO:

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
 

• Matric certificate
• Degree or Diploma in Commerce or Agriculture
• 3 – 5 years field experience in the horticultural industry.
• 3 - 5 years’ experience in commercial sales of avocados
• Horticultural / Agricultural knowledge of avocados
• Advanced knowledge on the fresh food chain
• Advanced knowledge on the economics of avocado production and marketing
• Understanding and appreciation of food safety and accreditation requirements
• Excel, Word, PowerPoint proficient
• Valid driver’s license

• Excellent Organisational and time management skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to prioritize tasks effectively
• Ability to adapt to change
• Able to work without supervision
• Willing to work overtime when required
• Excellent communication skills
• Approaches tasks with a customer-first attitude

• Collect and compile seasonal harvest estimates from growers to support accurate production planning.
• Coordinate supply from external growers and assist in developing effective picking and harvesting strategies.
• Oversee the collection and submission of maturity samples, and coordinate harvesting schedules based on maturity analysis results.
• Conduct regular visits to growers and packhouses to ensure compliance with required packing and quality standards.
• Receive quality-related feedback from packhouses or markets and communicate relevant information to growers in a timely manner.
• Maintain a basic understanding of agricultural practices related to fresh produce to effectively support growers and operations