Job Vacancy Opened at Plant A Million (Z) | How to Apply

Job title: Farm Manager

Job classification: Full-Time Exempt (not entitled for overtime).
Job status: Temporary contract worker for 12 months and thereafter potential for long-term contract.
Reports to: The Farm Manager will report to Operations Manager.
Responsible for:  The Farm Manager will be responsible for the management of Mthunzi Farm.
Budget responsibilities: The Farm Manager will have budget responsibility for Mthunzi Farm.

About us: Plant A Million Zambia is an initiative intended to tackle deforestation & climate change by planting 2 billion trees by 2030 and fighting poverty through economic empowerment through trees. Our approach is rooted in the 3Es (Education, Economy, Ecology) which enables us to make sustainable & lasting impacts on people, profits & the planet.

Talented, committed and responsible people from diverse backgrounds are essential for us to fulfil our purpose of reimagining Zambia. We strive to unleash the power of our people and we cultivate a company culture that is inspired, curious and empowered.

About the job:

Main purpose and scope of work: Overseeing of the day-to-day operations of the farm such as ordering stock, managing accounts, growing plants, creating displays, responding to customer queries, and managing stock levels.

Duties and key responsibilities:

Farm Operations

• Overseeing and improving the daily functions of the farm.
• Opening the farm in the morning and closing at the end of the business day.
• Improving operational efficiency.
• Ensuring safety standards are followed.
• Enforcing, developing, and improving upon standard operating procedures.
• Identifying cost saving opportunities.
• Developing and using main tools for planning farm operations:
  • a farm calendar to help plan necessary actions and purchases of seed, supplies and equipment.
  • a plant development register for collecting species-specific information about seed treatment, germination requirements and duration, plant development, special requirements for potting substrate, watering, shading or disease control.
  • a farm inventory to keep track of the species and numbers of seedlings in different stages of development.
  • a record of ongoing farm experiments

Supplies Management

• Ordering farm stock including soil, stones, fertilizers, shrubs, Plant containers (polythene pots, seed trays), seedling guides, plants, and trees.

Seed Management

• Seed storage and handling, treatment, stock taking
• Soil Management
• Soil fumigation, ground preparation, compost production. Drainage ditches.

Plant Propagation Management

• Planting stock (sowing)
• Record keeping
• Farm cleanliness
• Plant protection measures
• Weed control
• Measures against heat and cold
• Packing, storage and handling of farm plants
• Management of mother plants
• Root and top pruning (schedule)
• Transplanting (schedule)
• Monitoring watering times, soil conditions, and plant positions.
• Monitoring weather conditions and paying special attention to hot or cold temperatures.
• Pest control

Fertilising Management

• Manuring

Watering System Management

• Irrigation (watering regime)

Equipment Management

• Maintaining tight controls on company assets.
• Seedling moving trailers.

Accounting & Recordkeeping

• Maintaining up to date financial and accounting records.
• Ensuring all regulatory requirements are met.
• Establishing and controlling budgets.
• Developing management reports in accordance with funding and executive team requirements.

General responsibilities:

• Complying with code of conduct and policies and procedures.
• A fast-paced environment where constant change is the norm and individual initiative-taking is encouraged.
• Contributing to rural agroforestry in Zambia.
• Building a clean energy future.
• A passion for organization, details, and precision in all you do.

Required Qualifications / Minimum Requirements:

1. Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Agroforestry Studies, Horticulture, or a similar field.
• Valid Driver’s’ License.

2. Key skill: Highly organized and strong attention to detail is essential.

3. Mindset state (soft skills): A passion/enthusiasm for delivering agroforestry products and services and desire to learn the various aspects of the agroforestry ecosystem (intelligent and eager to learn). Resourceful, hardworking, and honest. Professional and friendly character. Excellent interpersonal skills and a passion for customer service.

Key Qualifications (skills & experience):

1. Core skills

• Writing skills: Demonstrable skills in written communication and proven report writing skills to international professional standards.
• Communication skills: Professional level verbal communication skills and capabilities. Workers often serve as a gatekeeper, deciding which messages and which visitors or callers need to go directly to their team, and which need to redirect or handle in some other way. Have ability to quickly gather information from those demanding time from the team.
• Trustworthiness: Workers have often access to sensitive information, and the team they work for need to trust them fully in order for them to be as efficient as possible at their jobs.
• Computer skills: Working knowledge of MS Excel Formulas (data entry, data analysis, analytical skills), MS Word Styles, MS PowerPoint Shape Formatting, MS Outlook, Cloud Solutions to share documents and files, Accounting software, and stock ordering software systems.
• Analytical skills: A proactive approach to problem-solving with strong decision-making skills. I t is important to exercise as much control over a project as possible. Possess the skills to resolve problems and ensure that the project is on track. Able to foresee potential effects and obstacles of a project and steps to be taken to prevent these drawbacks.
• Language skills: Fluent in English, Bemba and Nyanja both in written and oral communications (further Zambian languages is a plus).

2. Demonstrating thought leadership

• Identifying cost saving opportunities.
• Identifying revenue enhancing opportunities.

3. Structuring and managing work

• Organisational skills: Right organizational strategies to manage and monitor tasks, statistics, and information in a simplified manner. By staying up to date on all of the details necessary for each project. Apart from handling larger and more significant tasks in a project, you should also take organizational measures to address minor requirements and tasks that are often important.
• Work schedule: Hours often follow typical those of a typical business work week. However, given the international set-up sometimes work beyond normal working hours will be expected to e.g. have conference call with different time zones.
• Time management skills: Able to manage time of others and be good at managing own time (punctual).
• Multitasking: Regularly handle more than one task at a time while keeping tabs on program team member schedules and keeping them on track. Ability to organize a daily workload by priorities. Must be able to meet deadlines in a fast-paced changing environment with multiple projects.
• Accountability: Accept responsibilities for their actions and listens and accepts suggestions from others.
• Adaptability: Able to simultaneously handle multiple, competing demands and adapt to changes quickly and very well.
• Administrative Skills: Contributes to the improvement of office procedures and handle confidential and proprietary records appropriately.
• Integrity: Adhere to the highest professional standards, be depended upon to complete your work, be reliable on doing the right thing.
• Initiative: Anticipate problems before they happen, demonstrate an attitude to get the job done, and be able to manage responsibilities without supervision.
• Responsibility: Consistently finish tasks before deadlines and be dependable when there is an emergency.

4. Managing and leading work teams

• Team management skills: Ability to create work rosters and delegate duties and supervise, manage and monitor progress of staff.

5. Working effectively with others (Teamwork skills): Capable of working in a group and with people (good listener, respectful, conflict management, reliable). Flexible and eager to lend a hand wherever needed, even if a specific task may fall outside the core job description.
Work environment: Ability to stand and or sit up to 10 hours a day. Conduct field work in rural areas/environment. Able to put in the extra hours of work if required to. Able to commute to-and-from the workplace on time. Ability to lift of up to 30 Kg on occasion.

Compensation:

• Daily compensation agreed with partner
• Company vehicle (car, motorbike) for movements for company work and vehicle mileage log (personal use at K2.5/Km).
• Company phone/SIM and company talk time and data bundle (internet) (limited and reasonable private use) budget up to K300/month.
• Company laptop (limited and reasonable private use).
• Daily rate for fieldwork (out of station) of K100.

Accommodation:

• Allowance of up to K300/day.
• Written approval required for higher cost and worker is required to provide written prove that he searched for best cost/benefit option.
• K100/day for staying with family and friends.

Non-Discrimination Claim: Plant A Million Zambia does not and shall not discriminate based on race, colour, faith, gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors and clients.