Agricultural Jobs In Kenya.
Osirwa Wines Limited is looking to hire a competent Vineyard Farm Manager/Agronomist
Essential Functions & Responsibilities:
Vineyard Management Duties:
- Manages and schedules Viticultural activities to maintain healthy and productive vines.
- Oversees cultivation, thinning, pruning, tying, suckering, canopy management, planting and replanting, irrigating and harvesting.
- Manages pest, fungicide, and herbicide application by safe viticultural practices.
- Manages irrigation maintenance; monitors progress and reports recommendations related to vineyard and fruit quality to the Director.
- Oversees and coordinates erosion control, trellis installation, irrigation installation, frost protection, vineyard installation, fence installation, and R&M.
- Maintains orderly inventory of Vineyard equipment and tools.
- Ensures county and national government regulation compliance.
- Reasonably estimates harvest equipment needed; provides accurate harvest estimates; works within assigned budgets.
- Increases/improves fruit and wine quality through observation and viticultural decisions.
- Works with the Director of Winemaking to review vineyard performance and wine quality to determine annual pruning strategies, or other vineyard practices that may affect yield and fruit quality.
- Ensures that all necessary equipment is on-site and in good operating condition before work.
- Participates in safety and quality inspections and audits; serves as a member and/or supports the vineyard team member on the safety committee.
- Maintains a safe work environment.
- Maintains all required spray records according to regulations.
- Assigns and enters all vineyard work orders.
- Utilizes available data through BI or other sources to evaluate efficiencies, and monitor budget goals, and the overall status of vineyard operations.
- Provide informative bi-monthly manager updates and detailed quarterly updates.
- Performs annual departmental planning and management of departmental goal completion.
People Management Duties:
- Manages personnel including full-time, part-time and seasonal vineyard staff.
- Plans and efficiently schedules labor and work.
- Develops training for all employees, focusing primarily on Policy, Procedures, and Safety.
- Performs employee evaluations and development planning.
- Enforces company policy, supervises to make sure all work is carried out safely and correctly.
- Effectively communicates and works cooperatively with other departments.
- Works with Human Resources to develop vineyard job descriptions; participates in the hiring,
- onboarding and management of vineyard staff.
Other Duties:
- Maintains Creekbend Vineyard as a hospitality asset including special event prep, farmhouse
- management and conducting VIP tours.
- Assists with winemaking as needed.
- Additional duties, as assigned by Management.
Qualifications/Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture or other related field.
- Three to five years of experience in an agricultural environment.
- At least two years of supervisory or managerial experience will be an added advantage.
- Ability to lift and move up to 50 lbs. regularly.
- Ability to stand and walk for long periods and repetitively bend/kneel.
- Possession of a valid driver’s license and ability to be insured on company vehicles.
- Due to the nature of our business, must be at least 21 years of age.
Success Factors/Job Competencies:
- Detail-oriented and quality driven.
- Possesses solid management and communication skills.
- Experience with Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel) and ability to generate and utilize data reports.
- Communicates and interacts well with customers and employees at all levels (Oliver executives and those from outside companies, fellow managers, customers, and part-time event staff).
- Seeks new knowledge and experiences to enhance value as Oliver Winery employee.
- Accepts direction and constructive criticism from others.
- Exhibits a strong interest and appreciation for wine.
- Takes ownership of responsibilities, including meeting deadlines for reports & filings.
- Has a willingness to communicate in a persuasive and constructive manner that leads to positive change.
- In addition, all successful winery employees are able to:
- Use your attitude and effort to contribute to a positive work environment.
- Be thoughtfully engaged and do your best work. Every day.
- Model the winery values: Respect People, Expect Quality, Think Differently, Get Stuff Done
How to Apply
If you are up to the challenge, and possess the necessary qualifications and experience; please send your CV only quoting the job title on the email subject (Vineyard Farm Manager) to info@osirwawines.com before 15th December 2023.