Farm Operations Manager — Rain-Fed Division Job FinAgra

Engineering Jobs. FinAgra KE Limited Jobs

Department:  Operations

Reports to:  Head of Ag Ops — Rain-Fed (Anthony Muiruri Njoroge) / CFOO (Gabriel Chinembiri)

Location:  Nairobi (with extensive field travel across active farm counties)

Contract type:  Full-time

Start date:  Immediate

About FinAgra

FinAgra KE Limited is a technology-driven shared farming company operating across Kenya. We partner with Rural Entrepreneur Partners (REPs) — local operators who manage commercial farming projects under a profit-sharing model. FinAgra provides all working capital, agronomy, procurement, and market access. REPs provide land access and on-ground management.

We operate FinAgra OS — a proprietary farm management operating system built on ERPNext and X-Farm — that digitises all aspects of crop planning, input management, field monitoring, mechanization scheduling, and financial performance tracking.

The Role

The Farm Operations Manager is the execution engine of FinAgra’s field operations. Where the Agronomy team owns the technical plan, you own the execution. You translate approved Crop Production Plans into time-bound, multi-site operational work plans, manage mechanization scheduling, oversee input delivery and deployment to REP farm sites, coordinate field officers, supervise harvest operations, manage post-harvest logistics, and ensure every agronomic window is hit on time and on budget.

This role is fundamentally about discipline, coordination, and accountability across multiple farm sites simultaneously. It requires someone who is comfortable managing complex, moving-parts operations from a dashboard, visiting sites regularly, and holding field teams to strict timelines and quality standards.

Technology is central. You will work daily in ERPNext for operational cost documentation and purchase requisitions, in X-Farm for field activity logging, and in Excel or Google Sheets for operational planning and tracking. Familiarity with farm management systems is expected. ERPNext experience is a strong advantage.

Key Responsibilities

Seasonal Operational Planning & Execution

• Develop comprehensive seasonal operational plans for all active REP Project sites at the start of each Crop Season — covering the full production cycle from land preparation through post-harvest logistics.
• Translate each approved Crop Production Plan into detailed, time-bound field work plans: activity sequences, resource assignments, machinery deployment schedules, labour requirements, and completion deadlines for every operational stage.
• Coordinate operations across all active counties simultaneously, managing sequencing conflicts and resource allocation to ensure every Project site executes activities within the agronomic windows defined in the CPP.
• Present the seasonal operational plan to the Head of Ag Ops and Director for approval before each season commences.
• Maintain a real-time operational progress tracker — updated daily during active seasons — visible to management at all times.

Mechanization Planning & Scheduling

• Develop and manage the seasonal mechanization schedule across all active REP Project sites, covering primary and secondary tillage, planting, spraying, irrigation system installation, and harvesting.
• Coordinate mechanization service procurement through Hello Tractor and other providers, confirming services are delivered within the agronomic windows required by each CPP.
• Monitor mechanization performance across all sites — acreage covered per day, equipment utilization, fuel consumption, and downtime — and take immediate corrective action on underperformance.
• Maintain a roster of backup mechanization service providers for every active county (minimum two pre-qualified backups per county).
• Provide the Procurement team with detailed mechanization specifications for every service to be procured — including equipment type and minimum specifications, calibration requirements, recommended working speed, field output rate (acres per day), minimum operator certification, and performance acceptance criteria. No mechanization procurement may proceed without an approved specification from the Operations Manager.
• Maintain working knowledge of mechanization calibration: planter population settings, sprayer nozzle calibration and boom pressure, combine harvester concave and drum settings, and tillage depth settings — to verify contractor performance in the field.
• Track actual machine performance against specification during field operations — speed, output per hour, quality of finish — and reject work that does not meet the accepted standard.

Input Delivery, Deployment & Field Logistics

• Coordinate with the Procurement team to confirm all inputs (seeds, fertilizers, agrochemicals, irrigation equipment) are delivered to REP farm warehouses within the operational windows required by the CPP.
• Oversee the physical handover of inputs from FinAgra warehouse to REP farm — ensuring input handover documentation is completed, signed, and captured in ERPNext.
• Track actual input consumption against the Crop Production Plan for each site and flag material variances to the Agronomy team and Controls & Performance Department.

Labour Management & Field Officer Supervision

• Manage and provide daily direction to all Field Officers, field service providers, and contracted workers across FinAgra’s active Project sites.
• Conduct regular operational planning meetings with Field Officers at the start of each Crop Season and at key milestones.
• Track daily casual labour utilization and cost against the approved Production Cost budget for each Project site.
• Enforce FinAgra’s SOPs, operational quality standards, and safety requirements across all field teams.

5Harvest & Post-Harvest Operations

• Schedule and coordinate harvest operations across all active Project sites — optimal timing per agronomic readiness, mechanization availability, and transport logistics.
• Manage harvester deployment, ensuring combine harvesters and threshers are available and deployed within the harvest window for each site.
• Oversee grain handling, weighing, and transport from farm to aggregation points or buyer collection points, ensuring all produce is handled in compliance with quality standards.
• Record actual yields per Project site and submit Yield Recording reports to the Agronomy team and Controls & Performance within 48 hours of harvest completion.
• Manage post-harvest loss prevention — storage conditions, moisture content, pest control — and report any post-harvest losses immediately.

Operational Cost Documentation & ERPNext Management

• Ensure all operational Production Costs are documented in ERPNext under the correct Project record in real time, providing the Finance team with accurate cost data for end-of-season Net Revenue calculation.
• Raise Material Requests (type: Purchase) in ERPNext for all farm-level operational requirements under the approved Crop Production Plan — the formal trigger for Procurement to act. Every Material Request must reference the correct Operational Project (REP + Field + Crop + Season).
• Receive all input deliveries physically at the Farm Warehouse — verify item identity, quantity, condition, and match against the Stock Entry document from the Central Warehouse before accepting. Report discrepancies to the Warehouse Manager immediately; no further ERPNext document is required for a matching delivery.
• Initiate and execute inter-farm and inter-project stock transfers in ERPNext (Stock Entry — Material Transfer) when surplus-shortage reconciliation identifies the need to move inputs between Project sites. Identify the need, agree with the Warehouse Manager, and raise the Stock Entry on goods delivery.
• Initiate returns from Farm Warehouses to the Central Warehouse via ERPNext Stock Entry, coordinating with the Warehouse Manager and Finance team on credit note handling where a Sales Invoice has already been issued for the returned items.
• Select and confirm the correct Operational Project linkage on every ERPNext document — Material Requests, Stock Entries, and delivery confirmations must all reference the correct REP + Field + Crop + Season combination. Incorrect project linkage directly distorts farm-level P&L.
• Raise all Purchase Requisitions in ERPNext before any operational procurement is initiated. No off-system purchases.
• Coordinate with Finance on cost allocation methodologies for shared operational costs across multiple Project sites.

REP Engagement & Operational Readiness

• Assess REP operational readiness before each Crop Season — land preparation status, labour availability, equipment access, and REP understanding of their obligations under the CPP — and escalate readiness gaps before planting.
• Support REPs in resolving operational challenges throughout the Crop Season.
• Maintain direct, professional working relationships with all active REPs.

Mechanization Specifications & Procurement Support

• Prepare and submit detailed mechanization technical specifications to the Procurement team for all mechanized services required each season — covering equipment type, power rating, implement specifications, operational speed ranges, working width, fuel consumption benchmarks, and performance standards (acreage per day) for all tillage, planting, spraying, and harvesting operations.
• Provide calibration specifications for all mechanized equipment before field deployment — including planter population settings, sprayer nozzle calibration and pressure, fertilizer spreader settings, and combine harvester threshing and cleaning parameters — to ensure uniform application and minimal crop losses.
• Validate machinery performance against standards upon delivery to each Project site and reject or escalate underperforming equipment before it enters production.
• Maintain a FinAgra Mechanization Register in ERPNext covering all approved service providers, equipment types, performance benchmarks, and service history by county.
• Have working knowledge of tractor and implement operation, calibration methods, and common field equipment troubleshooting — sufficient to identify underperformance, mechanical faults, and calibration errors in the field without specialist assistance.

SOP Development & Field Checklist Management

• Draft, maintain, and continuously improve written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for every operational activity across FinAgra’s active Project portfolio — covering land preparation sequences, mechanization deployment protocols, input delivery and handover, planting operations, irrigation system installation and management, harvesting operations, post-harvest handling, and transport and logistics.
• Develop practical field checklists for REPs, Field Officers, machine operators, and contracted service providers to guide execution of each operation to FinAgra’s standards.
• Develop pre-season REP Operational Readiness Checklists — covering land preparation status, labour availability, input receipt confirmation, and equipment access — to be completed and signed before any planting commences.
• Develop machine operator checklists for all mechanization operations, covering pre-start equipment inspection, calibration verification, operational parameters, and post-operation reporting.
• Ensure all SOPs and checklists are stored in FinAgra’s document management system, version-controlled, and distributed to all relevant field staff and service providers before each season.

Compliance, HSE & Risk Management

• Develop and enforce FinAgra’s Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) standards across all operational activities — safe agrochemical handling, machinery operation safety, and post-harvest transport safety.
• Ensure all field workers and REP farm workers use PPE correctly at all times during agrochemical application.
• Maintain a farm-level operational risk register, updated weekly during active seasons.
• Conduct routine field audits and unannounced site inspections across all active Project sites.

SOP Development & Operational Checklists

• Draft, maintain, and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for every field operation managed by the Operations Department — mechanized land preparation, mechanical planting, agrochemical spraying, irrigation installation and operation, manual field operations, harvest operations, post-harvest grain handling, and transport logistics.
• Develop detailed operational checklists for each activity — step-by-step guidance for REPs, Field Officers, machine operators, and contracted service providers on correct procedure, safety requirements, and quality standards.
• Develop machine operator checklists covering pre-operation equipment checks, calibration verification, safe operating procedures, and end-of-shift reporting requirements.
• Ensure all SOPs and checklists are written in plain, accessible English, field-tested, and updated after each season based on real-world learnings.
• Format all SOPs for use on FinAgra’s digital platforms — Airtable, X-Farm, ERPNext, and the Digital Agronomist application.

Minimum Qualifications

Education — one of the following (from a reputable Kenyan or international university):

• Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering
• Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering
• Bachelor’s degree in Farm Mechanization & Agri-Engineering
• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture (Operations or Production Management focus)
• Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness Management (with demonstrated operational field experience)
• Bachelor’s degree in Project Management or Operations Management (with substantial agricultural operations experience)
• Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics (with demonstrated field operations experience)
• Diploma in Agriculture or Agricultural Engineering from a recognised institution combined with strong relevant field experience

Preferred institutions: University of Nairobi, JKUAT, Egerton University, Moi University, Technical University of Kenya, Dedan Kimathi University, University of Eldoret, or any accredited international institution with a recognised engineering or agricultural faculty.

Experience

• More than 1 year of hands-on farm operations, agricultural project management, or mechanization coordination experience in a commercial farming context.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-site or multi-activity field operations simultaneously.
• Experience coordinating mechanization services, labour teams, or input logistics in an agricultural setting.
• Experience managing operational costs and budgets against targets.

Technology & Digital Skills — core requirement

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel — ability to build and manage operational planning models, mechanization schedules, multi-site activity trackers, and cost variance reports.
• Familiarity with ERP systems (ERPNext, SAP, Oracle Agri, or equivalent) — understanding of how enterprise systems handle purchase requisitions, work completion, inventory, and cost tracking.
• ERPNext experience is a strong advantage. Candidates who have worked with ERPNext in a farming or manufacturing context will be prioritised.
• Knowledge or practical experience with a farm management system or operational tracking platform.
• Experience with X-Farm or a comparable platform (Crop.In, Agrivi, FarmERP, Granular, Climate FieldView) is a significant advantage.
• Ability to build and maintain operational dashboards in Excel, Google Sheets, or Airtable.
• Use Slack as the primary internal communication platform — daily operational updates, mechanization alerts, and coordination with Agronomy and Procurement happen on Slack. Full proficiency expected within the first week.
• Use Google Docs and Google Drive for operational plan collaboration, SOP drafting, and report sharing.
• Use AI tools (Claude, ChatGPT, or equivalent) for SOP drafting, checklist building, operational scheduling, and analysis. Candidates who already use AI in their workflow are strongly preferred.
• Contribute to the development of FinAgra’s Digital Agronomist application by providing operational scheduling data, mechanization inputs, and field execution feedback that informs the app’s operational modules.
• Comfortable using a smartphone for field data capture, photo documentation, and daily reporting.
• Daily user of Slack for team communication and task coordination — FinAgra operates primarily on Slack.
• Proficient with Google Docs and Google Drive for collaborative document creation, SOP drafting, and progress reporting.
• Comfortable using AI tools (including ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini) to accelerate documentation, report drafting, and workflow design.
• Part of this role involves contributing operational workflow logic and field execution data to the FinAgra Digital Agronomist application — an AI-powered platform being built to automate operational planning and scheduling. The Operations Manager will work with the Technology & Data team to validate operational workflows, mechanization parameters, and field execution sequences within the system.

Operational & Engineering Skills

• Ability to build comprehensive seasonal operational plans from an approved Crop Production Plan — translating agronomic requirements into time-bound, resource-allocated field work plans.
• Strong understanding of mechanization — tillage sequences, planting equipment, sprayer calibration, combine harvester operation and timing.
• Ability to build farm-level operational budgets and track actual vs. planned production costs.
• Experience with farm economics — understanding yield, revenue, and cost relationships in a commercial farming context.
• Understanding of post-harvest handling — grain moisture management, storage conditions, transport logistics.
• Familiarity with Kenya’s occupational health and safety requirements for farm operations (OSHA, WIBA).

Personal Attributes

• Young, energetic, and operationally disciplined — able to manage multiple sites and teams across different counties simultaneously.
• Highly organized and systems-driven — believes in documentation, process, and accountability.
• Commercially minded — understands that operational decisions directly determine FinAgra’s and REPs’ financial outcomes under the profit-sharing model.
• Strong communicator — able to give clear, direct instructions to field teams and write concise management reports.
• Willing to spend significant time in the field across multiple Kenyan counties.
• Honest and accountable under pressure.

What Makes a Strong Candidate Stand Out

• You have used ERPNext in a commercial farming, manufacturing, or logistics operation.
• You have used X-Farm or a comparable farm management platform for operational scheduling and tracking.
• You have managed multi-site farm operations — coordinating mechanization, labour, and inputs across more than one farm simultaneously.
• You have built an operational plan from an agronomic crop calendar in Excel — not just filled in a template.
• You have worked with Hello Tractor or mechanization service providers in a coordination capacity.
• You have an Agricultural Engineering background and understand equipment performance, maintenance scheduling, and equipment utilization metrics.

How to Apply

Send your CV and a cover letter to anthony.muiruri.njoroge@finagra.com and copy wycliffe.ochieng@finagra.com on the same email, with the subject line:

Operations Manager Application — [Your Name]

To: anthony.muiruri.njoroge@finagra.com   CC: wycliffe.ochieng@finagra.com

In your cover letter, address the following in no more than one page:

• Describe an operation you have managed — how many sites, how many people, what was the scope?
• What digital tools and systems do you use to manage farm or field operations?
• Have you worked with ERPNext, X-Farm, or any other farm management system? Describe your experience.
• State your expected monthly gross salary in KES.
• State when you are available to start — for example: immediately, one week notice, two weeks notice, or a specific date.

NB: Applications that do not address all questions in the cover letter, or do not state a salary expectation and availability date, will not be shortlisted.