Packing Manager

SUMMARY:

A well-established company involved in the growing, packing, exporting, importing, and distribution of fresh citrus, with an operational presence in South Africa, Argentina, and Spain, is seeking a motivated and energetic Packaging Manager to coordinate and oversee all packing operations across a network of approximately six packhouses in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape. This is primarily a coordination and technical oversight role rather than a hands-on packhouse operations role. The successful candidate will ensure that fruit from company farms and external growers is packed to customer specifications, on schedule, at a competitive cost, and to consistent quality standards across the entire packhouse network.

POSITION INFO:

Minimum requirements for the role:

• Must have a Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline
• Minimum 5 years' experience in citrus (or comparable fresh fruit) packing operations, with proven multi-site or network coordination experience
• Must have prior management or supervisory experience across packing operations
• Solid knowledge of export fruit quality standards and packing processes is essential
• Experience negotiating and managing third-party service providers is highly desirable
• Strong coordination and orchestration abilities; comfortable operating in a matrix environment without full direct authority over packhouse teams
• Excellent planning and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple sites and priorities simultaneously
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret and act on performance data across the network
• Ability to work under pressure and meet packing deadlines during peak season
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and packhouse management systems
• Comfortable with regular travel across the Eastern Cape and Western Cape

• Coordinating packing operations across multiple packhouse locations, ensuring alignment on volumes, timing, specifications, and quality standards.
• Serving as the primary point of contact between the company and each Packhouse Manager (third-party or grower-owned).
• Planning and coordinating weekly and seasonal packing schedules in collaboration with the Production and Grower Development Manager, the Planning and Logistics team, and the Commercial team.
• Ensuring the flow of fruit from farms and growers to the appropriate packhouse is optimized for cost, timing, and quality outcomes.
• Receiving customer packing specifications from the Commercial team and translating them into clear, actionable instructions for each packhouse.
• Ensuring packed fruit consistently meets customer specifications, export standards, and company quality requirements across all sites.
• Investigating quality issues and complaints and implementing corrective actions across the packhouse network.
• Working closely with the Quality Assurance team to maintain and continuously improve product standards.
• Negotiating packing rates, terms, and service levels with third-party and grower-owned packhouses.
• Monitoring the performance of each packhouse against agreed KPIs and cost benchmarks.
• Building strong working relationships with Packhouse Managers to secure priority attention for the company's fruit during peak periods.
• Evaluating the packhouse network periodically and recommending adjustments, including adding, removing, or renegotiating with specific facilities, based on performance and strategic fit.
• Tracking packing yield, efficiency, waste, and cost per carton across all packhouses, identifying performance gaps and improvement opportunities.
• Maximizing pack-out and financial return from every bin packed.
• Implementing continuous improvement initiatives across the packhouse network.
• Maintaining accurate production, quality, and cost records for reporting to the COO and Commercial team.
• Ensuring all packhouses used by the company comply with food safety, health and safety, and export regulations.
• Verifying that each packhouse maintains current certifications, including Global G.A.P., BRC, HACCP, or equivalent standards required by target markets.
• Coordinating audits and inspections at packhouses on behalf of the company as required.