In partnership with our client, Agriserbia, a subsidiary of Ferrero Hazelnut Company (HCo), we are supporting the search for an experienced and strategic Head Agronomist to join their team in Serbia and who will lead all agronomic operations—both on their own farm and nursery, and across advisory services provided to external partners and growers.
Main Responsibilities:
Owngrowing: managing AgriSerbia Orchards and Nursery
Outgrowing: technical support to hazelnut growers in Serbia and other Balkan countries involved in the HCo hazelnut development strategy
Training and extension: ensure that any document/information material produced by Agri Serbia is in line with technical standards and policies of HCo
R&D: close coordination with HCo ACC for all R&D program planning and implementation
Hazelnut Quality: until the establishment of a Quality position in AgriSerbia, the Head Agronomist acts as Quality Manager of the Hazelnut during the harvesting period.
1. Agrifarms/Owngrowing
Planning and budgeting (annual agronomic management plan of the farm and the nursery);
Contributes to the preparation of procurement plans (agricultural inputs and machinery);
Contributes to the preparation of scheduling agricultural operations, ensures rigorous quality control, and formulate operational and technical recommendations to improve the efficiency and quality of operations
Ensures rigorous monitoring of the phytopathological and physiological parameters of the orchard and nursery (interventions if necessary)
Investigations on new products and/or alternative agronomic techniques in order to improve agronomic management
Coordinates all activities for obtaining and maintaining certifications for the farm (SGS standards, etc..).
2. Agribusiness Development/Outgrowing
Contributes to the outgrowing development by coordinating all activities related to technical support to farmers:
Planning and supervision of technical visits to orchards (agronomic team and external services), organization and supervision of orchard monitoring activities and production forecasting
Contribution to the organization of the harvesting season and development of external harvesting facilities and the planning of quality and inbound operations
Carry out support visits to large investors in Serbia and abroad (mainly in Romania), to ensure a technical and strategic support to the hazelnut sector development in line with the HCo de-risking strategy
3. Training and Extension
In close coordination with the ACC of HCo, develops training programs for outgrowers and supervise their implementation
Ensures adequate training of all ArgiSerbia personnel involved in agronomic and business management activities.
4. Research and Development
Planning, designing and implementing of AgriSerbia R&D programs, in close coordination with the ACC of HCo:
Works with the local teams to identify possible research topics to propose to the ACC
Manages research activities carried out directly by AgriSerbia personnel or through outsourced service providers or research institutes (strong collaboration);
Ensures rigorous reporting on all R&D.
5. Hazelnut Quality
Close coordination of updating Quality policies and methodologies (plans activities and trainings);
Planning of harvesting season (organization and structuring of the analysis laboratory, sampling, external reception centres, etc.)
Preparing and managing the budget for the quality
Coordination of all activities related to the qualitative evaluation of the hazelnut delivered to the drying and collection centre and of the hazelnut batches sent to the customers
Profile:
- Master’s Degree or equivalent
- Proven experience related to the cultivation in the nursery and orchard – preferably in hazelnut production or similar fruit crops
- Consolidated experience in setting-up and managing technical support services to farmers and to develop efficient agricultural value-chains
- Experience in managing people based on Group values, motivation, diversity & inclusion, competence development and empowerment
- Ability to make decisions and identify priorities, strong analytical and organizational skills
- Communicative, creative and inventive person
- Good skills in MS-Office applications, advantage is SAP user
- Fluent in Serbian
- Strong verbal/written communication skills in English
Only shortlisted candidates will be considered.
Heads Adriatic
Heads Adriatic is a team of professionals, experts, specialists, and creatives in the hiring industry whose skills are matched only by our dedication. We are a regional HR company operating in the Adriatic countries – Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Albania, along side our international partner WHC which covers EU market. We have been present on the market for more than 20 years expertise in HR with goal to enhance and support individual and companies. Our portfolio…