Production Manager job at Brac

BRAC Social Enterprises (BSBE) Uganda Limited

Description

BRAC Social Enterprises (BSBE) Uganda Limited is hiring a Production Manager to provide strategic and operational leadership for the end-to-end seed production lifecycle. This role oversees the entire value chain—from planning and sourcing foundation seeds to managing contract growers and supervising post-harvest processing. The Production Manager is the primary custodian of product quality, regulatory compliance, and inventory data integrity, ensuring that production targets are met efficiently while maintaining full traceability of stock.

Education Qualifications

Bachelors or master’s degree in agriculture/ Agronomy, Seed Science, Supply Chain Management, or Agribusiness.

Responsibilities:

Specifically, the Production Manager shall be responsible for but not limited to the following:

Strategic Planning & Regulatory Compliance

Production Planning: Lead the seasonal planning process (Season A & B) by forecasting demand and managing the procurement of foundation seeds from government or foreign suppliers.

Regulatory Management: Act as the primary liaison with national seed authorities (e.g., NARO, MAAIF). Ensure all seed lots undergo required inspections and receive necessary certification for market release.

Budgeting: Develop and manage the production budget, optimizing costs for labor, inputs, and processing machinery maintenance.

Field Operations Oversight

Contract Farmer Strategy: Oversee the recruitment and management of the contract farmer network. Review and validate the recruitment plans proposed by Seed Production Officers.

Quality Assurance Audits: Conduct high-level audits of the contract farmer pool to validate field reports, ensure adherence to SOPs, and verify yield estimates.

Extension Management: Ensure the field team effectively delivers training protocols to farmers to maximize yield and quality.

Digital Systems & Data Integrity

Data System Management: Act as the system owner for production data. Ensure 100% accuracy in the ERP system (Odoo) and farmer management system (eProd) regarding farmer contracts, land sizes, and estimated yields.

Traceability: Enforce a strict traceability system, ensuring every batch of processed seed can be linked back to its specific grower and foundation seed lot.

Processing Plant & Inventory Operations

Plant Operations: Oversee the entire post-harvest workflow (drying, shelling, sorting, and treating). Ensure machinery is maintained and operational to minimize downtime during peak intake.

Labor Management: Plan and supervise the recruitment of seasonal casual labor for manual sorting and grading, ensuring fair payment practices and safety compliance

Inventory Control: Collaborate with the Inventory Officer to monitor stock levels of packaging materials and finished seeds to prevent stock outs.

Quality Assurance

SOP Enforcement: Enforce strict adherence to quality enforcement parameters across all production verticals.

Process Improvement: Analyze post-season performance data to identify bottlenecks and implement corrective actions for future seasons

Safeguarding responsibilities:

• Ensure the safety of team members from any harm, abuse, neglect, harassment and exploitation to achieve the enterprise’s goals on safeguarding implementation.
• Establish a safeguarding culture across all levels of the enterprise by implementing BRAC International’s Safeguarding Policy, in collaboration with BRAC International’s Gender and Safeguarding team.
• Practice, promote and endorse the issues of safeguarding policy among team members and ensure the implementation of safeguarding standards in every course of action.
• Act as a key source of support, guidance and expertise on safeguarding for establishing a safe working environment.
• Responsible for ensuring team members are appropriately trained, supported and have access to resources regarding issues that are identified and actioned in accordance with the safeguarding policy and procedure.
• Follow the safeguarding reporting procedure in case any reportable incident takes place, encourage others to do so.

Required Skills / Capacity

• Strong working knowledge of ERP systems (e.g., Odoo) for inventory management and batch tracking.
• Deep understanding of national seed laws, phytosanitary requirements, and certification protocols.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (Pivot Tables) for analyzing yield data, forecasting, and reporting
• Excellent leadership and communication skills
• Technical understanding of seed processing machinery (cleaners, graders, treaters) and maintenance requirements
• The ability to strictly enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) across dispersed teams
• Aptitude for resolving operational bottlenecks in real-time during high-pressure harvest seasons
• Critical attention to detail for maintaining traceability and accurate recordkeeping
• Ability to negotiate and maintain relationships with suppliers, government inspectors, and large casual workforces

Experience required

• Minimum 5-7 years of experience in the seed sector or commercial agribusiness, with at least 2 years in management or supervisory role.
• Strong knowledge of seed production techniques, crop management, and pest control.
• Prior experience working with Seed Certification requirements and government regulatory bodies is highly desirable
• Strong working knowledge of ERP systems (e.g., Odoo) for inventory management and batch tracking.

• Lead the seasonal planning process (Season A & B) by forecasting demand and managing the procurement of foundation seeds from government or foreign suppliers.
• Act as the primary liaison with national seed authorities (e.g., NARO, MAAIF). Ensure all seed lots undergo required inspections and receive necessary certification for market release.
• Develop and manage the production budget, optimizing costs for labor, inputs, and processing machinery maintenance.
• Oversee the recruitment and management of the contract farmer network. Review and validate the recruitment plans proposed by Seed Production Officers.
• Conduct high-level audits of the contract farmer pool to validate field reports, ensure adherence to SOPs, and verify yield estimates.
• Ensure the field team effectively delivers training protocols to farmers to maximize yield and quality.
• Act as the system owner for production data. Ensure 100% accuracy in the ERP system (Odoo) and farmer management system (eProd) regarding farmer contracts, land sizes, and estimated yields.
• Enforce a strict traceability system, ensuring every batch of processed seed can be linked back to its specific grower and foundation seed lot.
• Oversee the entire post-harvest workflow (drying, shelling, sorting, and treating). Ensure machinery is maintained and operational to minimize downtime during peak intake.
• Plan and supervise the recruitment of seasonal casual labor for manual sorting and grading, ensuring fair payment practices and safety compliance
• Collaborate with the Inventory Officer to monitor stock levels of packaging materials and finished seeds to prevent stock outs.
• Enforce strict adherence to quality enforcement parameters across all production verticals.
• Analyze post-season performance data to identify bottlenecks and implement corrective actions for future seasons
• Ensure the safety of team members from any harm, abuse, neglect, harassment and exploitation to achieve the enterprise’s goals on safeguarding implementation.
• Establish a safeguarding culture across all levels of the enterprise by implementing BRAC International’s Safeguarding Policy, in collaboration with BRAC International’s Gender and Safeguarding team.
• Practice, promote and endorse the issues of safeguarding policy among team members and ensure the implementation of safeguarding standards in every course of action.
• Act as a key source of support, guidance and expertise on safeguarding for establishing a safe working environment.
• Responsible for ensuring team members are appropriately trained, supported and have access to resources regarding issues that are identified and actioned in accordance with the safeguarding policy and procedure.
• Follow the safeguarding reporting procedure in case any reportable incident takes place, encourage others to do so.

• Strong working knowledge of ERP systems (e.g., Odoo) for inventory management and batch tracking.
• Deep understanding of national seed laws, phytosanitary requirements, and certification protocols.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (Pivot Tables) for analyzing yield data, forecasting, and reporting
• Excellent leadership and communication skills
• Technical understanding of seed processing machinery (cleaners, graders, treaters) and maintenance requirements
• The ability to strictly enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) across dispersed teams
• Aptitude for resolving operational bottlenecks in real-time during high-pressure harvest seasons
• Critical attention to detail for maintaining traceability and accurate recordkeeping
• Ability to negotiate and maintain relationships with suppliers, government inspectors, and large casual workforces

• Bachelors or master’s degree in agriculture/ Agronomy, Seed Science, Supply Chain Management, or Agribusiness.