General Manager – Ross Central Africa, Zambia

General Manager – Ross Central Africa, Zambia

The Role

We are looking for a highly driven and qualified candidate to fit the position of General Manager for RCA operations in Zambia.

The position will be reporting to the Board of Directors and will have the overall responsibility of developing and implementing a sustainable successful operation which includes, but not limited to, overseeing the day-to-day Grand Parent broiler breeding operations (farms and hatchery), sales, technical support, finances, planning, customer service, logistics, administration, human resources, health and safety and animal welfare compliance.

The successful candidate will be expected to deliver ambitious growth through scaling, diversification, revenue growth and client acquisition. A robust understanding of, and extensive experience within the poultry, laying, animal feed or other similar industries will be critical to formulate new sales strategies and drive significant market share growth. They will develop and build the annual operating strategies that drive the company goals across different market channels and regions. They will be fully accountable for the company’s P & L.

A hands-on management style will be required to continuously review and analyze the entire company’s operations with a strong knowledge of its operations, finances and commercial practices.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for establishing and implementing a long-term business plan and annual budget to achieve agreed business goals
• Oversee day-to-day business operations
• Provide leadership at all levels of the organisation
• Engagement with joint venture partners in delivering an overall success
• Build up the company by recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and mentoring new talent
• Define and implement policies and performance standards
• Evaluate employee performance and provide coaching and support as needed
• Assess departmental and company performance and devise plans for improvement
• Manage profit and loss statements and account for costs and revenues
• Allocate budget resources for supplies, equipment, marketing, and personnel
• Ensure compliance with corporate policies, company agreements and relevant legal, health & safety and fiscal regulations
• Develop relationships with relevant government authorities and other organisations in the country and the region to influence policy, regulation, and practices across the poultry industry
• Ensure direct sales of Parent Stock chicks to customers in the region by developing long term positive relationships with senior management teams, negotiating product mix, volumes, timing, and pricing
• Ensure that technical service to customers (including specialist support on veterinary, incubation, and nutritional issues) actively supports the product performance and generates good quality data to feedback into the Production and R&D processes
• Oversee and lead the GP production with the management of the production function to ensure an appropriate balance of meeting high demands for product volumes and quality while controlling costs and operating to established standards of welfare, health, and bio-security
• Oversee the production, sales planning, and customer service functions to ensure that customer requirement is met, always in coordination with the local, European, and international planning teams
• Lead the management team to ensure that employees are motivated and capable of achieving business goals through appropriate recruitment, training, appraisal, and organisational development strategies

People management: ~+170 people
Financial management: Full P&L responsibility; implement the company CAPEX procedures successfully within budget
Travel: 30-40 days’ international travel, including weekends where needed

Job Qualifications

• 10+ years’ poultry experience in production management and customer interaction (relevant Bachelors’ degree preferred)
• Multinational stakeholder experience; significant experience in working across functions, cultures, geographies
• Working joint venture partnership experience highly desirable

Competencies, Skill & Attributes:

• Communication: Increase management’s effectiveness through active listening with superiors and subordinates as well as strong written communication skills
• Delegation: Identify the best person (or people) for a particular task and act as a facilitator to motivate and direct the work Time management: prioritize tasks to ensure that projects are completed by deadlines, streamline processes to maximize productivity
• Negotiation and mediation: Find opportunities to resolve conflicts efficiently and favourably
• Decision-making: weigh the costs and benefits of various options to determine the best course of action to achieve company goals
• Problem-solving: Analyse past and current performance and recommend objectives to improve productivity and profitability
• Language: Proficiency in English (must) & any other language skill (desirable)
• Working abroad experience in Sub Saharan Africa and working with JV partners is an advantage