Procurement Manager - Agriculture

Our client is seeking an experienced Procurement Manager - Agriculture, to join their Pietermaritzburg team, Develop and maintain a 12-month national procurement programme aligned with forecast sales demand Map fruit supply by region, grower, packhouse, variety and season, and proactively identify future supply gaps Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with strategic growers and packhouses through regular farm and packhouse visits Develop a detailed understanding of expected crops, harvest timing, varieties, sizes, quality and market conditions Identify and develop new growers, packhouses and supply regions Lead commercial negotiations relating to fruit pricing, volumes, supply programmes, packing and procurement terms Manage the transition between South Africa's different growing regions and develop appropriate import programmes where required to maintain year-round supply Build a diversified supplier base that reduces reliance on individual growers, packhouses or production regions Monitor supplier performance across quality, reliability, pricing and volume commitments, working closely with Quality Assurance and Operations Requirements Grade 12 Bachelor's Degree or National Diploma in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Logistics, Business Management, or a related field Valid driver's licence and willingness to travel extensively throughout South Africa. Minimum 5 years' experience in fresh produce procurement, sourcing, fruit trading, agricultural supply chain management, or a related commercial role Minimum 5 years' experience managing grower, packhouse and supplier relationships within the fruit industry Demonstrated experience procuring citrus, deciduous fruit, subtropical fruit, table grapes, or other fresh produce commodities Proven experience negotiating commercial agreements, pricing structures, supply programmes and procurement contracts Experience working with crop forecasts, seasonal planning, demand forecasting and supply chain optimisation Previous experience leading and managing procurement teams Sound understanding of South African fruit production regions, growing seasons, packhouses and export markets