Position Title: Field Production Manager

Employment Status: Full Time – Exempt

Department: Field Department

Reports to: District Filed Manager

Summary Description:

This position requires self-reliance and the ability to work traveling throughout the Southeast. This California Giant Southeast Field Production Manager will oversee field operations for all commodities in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. This person will report daily updates to the sales and field department about fruit quality, field conditions, production information, and all other district operations information. This person will communicate with growers within the district to provide current market conditions, sales price, and quality concerns. This person will oversee grower budgets, cost analysis, and assess potential district growth with growers and ranches. This position will supervise harvest operations to ensure fruit quality as well as food and personnel safety procedures according to California Giant standards.

Essential Job Duties/Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain grower relations.
• Daily communication with growers on market conditions and fruit quality
• Assist in responding to grower and ranch manager requests for information.
• Discuss production, labor, fruit quality, and other grower concerns.
• Communicate with growers on budgets and growing cost analysis.
• Assist growers in ordering materials, supplies, and plants upon request.
• Coordinate and allocate special packs to growers and carton shed.
• Review and approve grower advance requests for payroll and accounts payable.
• Coordinate and communicate with California Giant field personnel.
• Keep sales and coolers aware of all estimates and changes from field.
• Network with industry peers throughout district
• Develop relationships with potential growers and district landlords.
• Renewing and negotiating master leases with landlords
• Identify potential opportunity and business development with growers and ranches.
• Manage subleases with growers and assist in coordinating crop rotations.
• Manage and maintain company field assets within district.
• Support product quality team
• Manage quality control and field department personnel.
• Represent California Giants Quality Control Program to help achieve the main goal of providing fresh fruit to our customers.
• Keep California Giant Sales department aware of fruit quality.
• Advise Sales and cooling facility on shipping selected lots, local or long distance.
• Follow up on rejected product.
• Supervise harvest crew’s procedures for food safety and personnel safety.
• Provide field and sales departments with photos and written reports on quality.

Qualifications:

• 5 years’ experience
• The ability to work without direct supervision.
• Travel throughout Southeast
• Home base will be in plant city or surrounding area.
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills
• Bilingual preferred
• Detail-oriented

Physical Requirements:

• This position must be able to stand for long periods of time inspecting fruit.
• Must be able to lift 25-30 lbs.
• This position is subject to harvesting schedules and could work as much as 9-10-hour days.
• Be prepared to work in the cooler with temps ranging from 32 – 34 degrees – hours vary.