We are seeking a dynamic Regional Agronomy Director to lead our client's agronomy strategy across Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Zambia. This role will oversee the implementation of best-in-class agronomic practices, ensuring alignment with our sustainability and growth objectives. The ideal candidate will bring innovation and forward-thinking solutions to tackle the unique challenges in each country, while promoting environmental and human-oriented sustainable, farming practices.
Responsibilities :
- Develop and implement agronomy strategies tailored to the agricultural landscapes of each country, in collaboration with regional teams.
- Ensure alignment with overall organizational goals, focusing on production volume targets, yield improvement, quality indices, cost and sustainability initiatives.
- Drive innovation in agronomic systems, utilizing research & development (R&D) and technology to enhance business intelligence, data analysis, and forecasting.
- Oversee, continuously update, and improve our client's programs.
- Optimize the cost of regional inputs purchases.
- Foster partnerships with external stakeholders including industry bodies, farmers, policymakers, and industry leaders to advance our client's programs across the region.
- Lead and mentor regional agronomy teams, ensuring they are trained in the latest agronomic techniques, sustainability and equipped to address local challenges, in collaboration with the relevant global functions.
- Manage budgets, resource allocation, and logistics related to agronomy and production operations across the three countries.
- Establish and monitor KPIs, conduct regular performance reviews and provide feedback to management to ensure alignment with strategic objectives.
- Ensure effective farmer and community members training in line with the corporate programs and goals
- Ensure all agronomic activities comply with environmental and human rights regulations, and corporate policies, to reach compliance and support improvement of sustainable agricultural practices.
- Promote sustainable environmental practices such as reduced chemical usage, collection and disposal of empty chemical containers, efficient curing fuel, and reforestation initiatives.
- Promote sustainable farmers and workers-oriented initiatives such as use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for chemicals spraying and Green Tobacco Sickness (GTS), enhancement of livelihoods, complementary crops, and fair labor practices.
- Lead efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change, soil erosion, water scarcity, and human rights violations, promoting resilience in farming systems across the region.
- Ensure effective farm data collection and monitoring system, to support the development of the corporate risk management system and reporting, in line with the due diligence cycle.
- Ensure implementation of Community Support Programs, in line with the findings from the data collection and monitoring systems in the field operations.
- Support the implementation of sustainability studies, assessments, and innovative initiatives in field operations.
- Stay informed of global and regional agricultural trends to keep the organization ahead of market, environmental and human rights shifts.
Skills:
- Proven ability to lead large, diverse teams and manage cross-border projects.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with stakeholders at all levels,
- Strong computer literacy skills
Qualifications:
- Bachelors degree in agriculture, agricultural economics, commerce or related field.
- 8+ years of experience in agronomy, with a minimum of 5 years in a leadership role.
- Experience working in African agricultural contexts and a strong understanding of regional agronomic landscapes.
- In-depth knowledge of agronomic practices, sustainable agriculture, and tobacco production.
- Proficiency in data-driven agricultural systems and technologies is a plus.
- Proficiency in languages spoken across the region.
