About the Role

Rijk Zwaan is looking for an experienced and driven Production Manager to lead seed production and station operations in Arusha, Tanzania. In this senior leadership role, you will be responsible for the overall performance, safety, efficiency, and team development of the station, ensuring people, processes, and resources align with long-term strategic growth.

This is a hands-on leadership position where you will stay closely connected to daily operations:

~20% Administrative and planning activities

~80% In the greenhouses, extraction facilities, and seed processing operations, providing visible leadership, coaching, and operational support

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop multidisciplinary production and operational teams.
• Manage greenhouse, nursery, seed production, seed processing, inventory management, and shipment activities to hit targets.
• Drive annual and long-term strategic planning, budgeting, resource allocation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure strict compliance with quality, safety, hygiene, and environmental standards.
• Lead innovation, sustainability, and infrastructure development projects.

Candidate Profile & Requirements

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Horticulture, Agronomy, Agricultural Engineering, Production Management, or a related field.

Experience:

• Proven leadership experience in greenhouse, seed production, horticultural, agricultural, or comparable production environments.
• Experience managing teams, budgets, operational planning, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Experience working in East Africa or a similar international agricultural environment is considered a distinct advantage.

Skills: Strong planning, organizational, problem-solving, and people-coaching skills with high ethical standards.

What Rijk Zwaan Offers

• A permanent contract from the start.
• A competitive market-related compensation and benefits package, including a company car.
• Exposure to international projects, professional growth, and development opportunities within an innovative family-owned company.

• Lead and develop multidisciplinary production and operational teams.
• Manage greenhouse, nursery, seed production, seed processing, inventory management, and shipment activities to hit targets.
• Drive annual and long-term strategic planning, budgeting, resource allocation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure strict compliance with quality, safety, hygiene, and environmental standards.
• Lead innovation, sustainability, and infrastructure development projects.

• Strong planning
• organizational
• problem-solving
• people-coaching skills
• high ethical standards

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Horticulture, Agronomy, Agricultural Engineering, Production Management, or a related field.
• Proven leadership experience in greenhouse, seed production, horticultural, agricultural, or comparable production environments.
• Experience managing teams, budgets, operational planning, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Experience working in East Africa or a similar international agricultural environment is considered a distinct advantage.