Chief Executive Officer

Job Description : CEO EAST AFRICA The CEO will act as the Operational & Manufacturing Head of the company, leading all factory operations, driving process efficiencies, ensuring product quality, and building a strong production backbone to support business growth. This is a hands-on role for a leader who thrives in factory environments and has deep expertise in food processing technologies, especially for Air Dried, Freeze Dried, and IQF categories. The ideal candidate is a manufacturing-first leader with strong technical acumen, capable of transforming plant performance while aligning production output with sales and customer demand globally. 1. Manufacturing Leadership Own end-to-end responsibility for all Air Dried, Freeze Dried, and IQF manufacturing units — ensuring maximum uptime, optimized production costs, and consistent product quality. Deploy Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) methodologies to reduce waste, improve yields, and enhance productivity. Implement robust production planning and scheduling aligned to sales forecasts and export order pipelines. Drive strict adherence to food safety certifications (BRC, FSSC 22000, HACCP, FDA, etc.) and ensure audit readiness at all times. Lead capex planning for plant expansions, equipment upgrades, and automation. Drive energy efficiency, water recycling, and waste minimization to enhance sustainability and cost savings. Ensure seamless handling of seasonal raw material arrivals, cold storage management, and inventory control. 2. Process Innovation & Technology Adoption Introduce advanced drying, freezing, and packaging technologies to improve product quality and shelf life. Collaborate with equipment suppliers and technology partners to bring cutting-edge solutions into the plants. Drive real-time production monitoring using ERP, SCADA, and IoT systems. Champion continuous process innovation for better texture, color retention, nutrient preservation, and faster throughput. 3. Cost Control & Efficiency Improvement Continuously monitor and control Cost of Production (COP) across each product line. Benchmark against global best practices and drive down conversion costs. Negotiate with suppliers to reduce input costs (energy, packaging, raw materials, etc.). Develop clear metrics for OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness), yield losses, downtime, and productivity — and drive regular reviews. 4. Quality Assurance & Compliance Build a strong QA/QC culture across all shifts, ensuring zero deviation from product specifications. Set up advanced in-line quality control systems to detect issues early in the process. Work closely with R&D and QA teams to align process parameters with product innovation needs. Own and drive all regulatory, export documentation, and food safety audits personally. 5. Team Development & Culture Building Build a world-class plant leadership team including production managers, engineers, quality heads, and maintenance teams. Set up clear SOPs, training programs, and performance KPIs for each function. Foster a culture of discipline, ownership, and continuous improvement on the shop floor. Drive strong worker engagement programs to improve retention and safety. 6. Business & Commercial Alignment Work closely with Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams to align production capacities with market demand. Provide manufacturing feasibility inputs for new product development. Contribute to costing and pricing strategies based on real-time manufacturing costs. Attend key customer visits or audits to showcase manufacturing strengths and capabilities. Key Qualifications: Experience: 20+ years in food manufacturing, with at least 5 years leading multiple plants/factories in the Air Dried, Freeze Dried, or IQF segments. Education: Degree in Food Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Process Engineering, or Production Management. Additional MBA/Management degrees are a plus but not mandatory. Core Expertise: Deep understanding of drying, freezing, and preservation technologies, production automation, process control, and food safety. Certifications: Knowledge of FSSC 22000, BRC, HACCP, GMP, and export documentation is mandatory. Hands-On Approach: Must be comfortable spending a majority of time on the shop floor rather than in the boardroom.

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