Director of Nursery Operations

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IMPERATIVE

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Port Elizabeth, South Africa

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Director of Nursery Operations for the Spekboom Reforestation Carbon Credit Project


About Us

Imperative is a global carbon project development company that aims to be in the top decile for quality in the carbon projects market. We have a build-own-operate model and specialise in the design, development and operation of carbon credit projects that help combat climate change while promoting biodiversity conservation, economic growth and social development in the countries in which we operate. With a strong commitment to environmental and social responsibility, we are seeking a highly skilled and experienced nursery director to join our dynamic team.


Position Summary 

We are seeking a highly experienced, resilient, and resourceful Director of Nursery Operations to lead our current commercial nursery and the further establishment and operation of multiple field nurseries and depots in remote, rural areas of the Eastern and Western Cape provinces in South Africa. You will also oversee the establishment of an Ellepot production facility with multiple high production machines. This is a foundational role in a pioneering native forest regeneration project that aims to produce over 300 million native Spekboom plants to restore a planting area of 100,000 hectares, spread over a total project area of more than 1 million hectares.

This is not a traditional nursery management role. The nurseries will be located approximately 100km from the nearest major city, operating with limited existing infrastructure and requiring a high degree of self-sufficiency. As the Director of Nursery Operations, you will be responsible for the full lifecycle of nursery operations, from infrastructure development to plant production, while leading a large, dispersed team and managing complex logistics in a challenging, resource-constrained environment. You will report directly to the Project Director and will be a key leader in achieving the project's ambitious goals.


Key Responsibilities

1. Leadership and Team Management: 

  • Provide strategic leadership to the field nursery team(s), fostering a collaborative and positive work environment.
  • Oversee the recruitment, training, and development of staff, ensuring expertise in plant propagation, cultivation, and customer service. 
  • Lead a diverse team of senior nursery operation and maintenance managers, horticulturalists, propagation specialists and Ellepot production personnel.
  • Implement robust communication and management systems to effectively lead a dispersed team without constant physical oversight.
  • Empower and mentor local supervisors to build their capacity for independent site management.


2. Plant Production and Quality Control: 

  • Develop and implement standardized, efficient plant propagation and cultivation processes to ensure consistent quality and to meet production targets. 
  • Establish and maintain a robust plant quality index (PQI), to monitor and control measures to ensure the health, vitality, and uniformity of plants. 


3. Inventory Management: 

  • Utilising a best-in-class digital platform, manage plant inventory, including tracking stock levels, conducting regular audits, and optimizing stock turnover. 
  • Implement effective inventory control measures to minimize losses and waste. 


4. Compliance and Environmental Stewardship: 

  • Ensure compliance with relevant regulations, permits, and environmental standards governing plant nurseries in South Africa. 
  • Promote environmentally sustainable practices in plant production and nursery operations. 


5. Budgeting and Financial Management: 

  • Develop and manage the CAPEX and OPEX budgets and with the support of the project controls team, track costs against it.
  • Implement cost-effective measures without compromising the quality of plants and services provided. 


6. Infrastructure Development and Maintenance:

  • Lead the establishment of all new on-site infrastructure, including water systems, power generation (where needed), security fencing, and staff facilities, from the ground up.
  • Develop and implement a maintenance schedule for all infrastructure and equipment, ensuring operational continuity in a remote setting.


7. Health, Safety, and Security:

  • Develop and enforce robust health and safety protocols to ensure a secure working environment for all staff.
  • Regularly review and update safety procedures to comply with national and international standards.


Experience

  • The position requires approximately 15+ years’ experience in relevant general and/or operations management. 
  • Experience in developing and running large-scale nurseries and/or factories would be beneficial
  • Significant experience managing teams and serving in leadership roles is critical. 


Skills

  • A self-starter who can lead a significant scope of work in a remote location with a high degree of independence.
  • Demonstrate a high level of personal integrity and be passionate about making a positive difference to the world.
  • Ability to lead and has strong strategic planning and execution skills for large-scale infrastructure projects.
  • Have extremely well-developed communication skills at both the executive level and in the field. 
  • Sound contractual administration abilities.
  • Strong digital literacy for inventory, reporting, and operational management systems.


Desired Attributes

  • Pioneering Spirit: A forward-thinker who is not afraid to challenge the status quo and introduce innovative methods to improve nursery operations and project outcomes.
  • Resilience and Adaptability: The ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and navigate the unique challenges of a large-scale, remote project.
  • Passion for Conservation: A genuine commitment to environmental restoration and the mission of the project.


Language

  • Fluency in spoken and written English is a requirement.
  • The ability to speak Afrikaans and/or isiXhosa would be beneficial.


Education

  • A degree from an internationally recognized university and strong academic record is highly regarded for this senior role.


Position Location

Graaff-Reinet/Jansenville area (preferred for the first year) then Gqeberha (previously Port Elizabeth), South Africa with regular travel to nursery site(s) in the Eastern & Western Cape provinces.


Values 

At Imperative, we are passionate about our values are encourage all team members to embrace them. 

• Integrity: We act honourably and are guided by a strong moral compass. If things go wrong, we put our hand up, admit it and adapt.

• Momentum: Speed matters. We have a bias to action. We think quick, we plan tirelessly, we mitigate risks but above all, we take action.

· Purpose: We are driven by our desire to make the world better, with every interaction, process and project.

· Accountability: We do what we say, and we deliver. We seek to be the best at what we do.

· Collaboration: We celebrate diversity of thought, values and backgrounds and seek to harness the strength of our people and partners to achieve more than we individually can, through teamwork and creativity.

· Tenacity: We are highly ambitious, driven and hardworking. We persist until we deliver impact.