General Manager – Black Buffalo International, Ghana.

Job Description

Company Profile

The Company with its operations in Togo and Ghana has a project to Support and empower women and youth in Ghana’s Upper East and Togo’s Savannah Regions to increase production of certified organic and fair-trade shea butter and artisanal hand-woven baskets for the growing global natural products market. 

JOB SUMMARY

The General Manager will provide oversight responsibilities to all managers at the BBI LTD partner centers such as BBI Spintex Facility, BBI Bolga project and all related centers/entities and to perform the following main and specific tasks/works: 

• The BBI LTD General Manager is responsible for establishing the Company’s goals and strategies and presiding over the entire rural workforce. The GM oversees budgets and ensures resources are properly allocated. She ensures the various departments and Companies under BBI Limited meet individual goals and oversees company operations to ensure production efficiency, quality, service and cost-effective management of resources.

• The General Manager is also responsible for coordinating the entire activities of BBI Ghana projects and offering the best possible advice to the CEO/FOUNDER. 

• You will be responsible for the overall implementation of the mission and operation of Black Buffalo International (BBI). Notably, this will require that you provide personal/professional leadership and opportunities for development to all BBI staff, directly and/or indirectly, via your Management and Supervisory Team(s); 

You will coordinate and implement your management activities via, but not exclusively, through each of the following: 

• The Internal Control System (ICS) Manager and his/her team; this will be to ensure an efficient and suitable supply of semi-raw materials are supplied to BBI USA, under organic/fair-trade and other certification schemes as directed by the CEO/Founder;

• The Head of Production and his/her team; this will be to ensure production of product is carried out in an efficient manner, in accordance with BBI’s modus operandi of sustainable production;

• The Financial Manager and his/her team; this will be to ensure all certification, legislative, and operational financial requirements are met;

• You will liaise with the Head of Human Resources to ensure that human resources are managed such that all certification, legislative, and operational requirements are met;

• The Head, Transparency and Community Impact; this will ensure that all external facets of BBI, such as the implementation of community development programs, are fully managed, with support and assistance from your Peers, both directly and when appropriate, or as instructed by the CEO/Founder;

Duties/Responsibilities 

GENERAL:

In the discharge of your duties, the following will be required of you:

a) You shall provide oversight support for the planned expansion of the BBI project facilities.

b) You shall be responsible for the efficient day-to-day running of the BBI project. Specifically, you shall collaborate with ICS staff to ensure that the Grower Group farmers who meet the Project’s quality standards; are enrolled to supply farm produce to BBI for processing to meet export requirements; shall see to the efficient organization of raw materials delivery to the BBI facility; ensure efficient production of quality semi-finished products that meets the company’s quality specifications and ensure a high sense of health and safety and kept good environment (SHE); and ensure that routine maintenance programs for machinery and equipment are thoroughly developed and implemented. 

c) Working with high standards of ethics, initiative, responsibility, economy and sense of pride and belonging;

d) Co-ordination and co-operation with other colleagues in the Company and Group;

e) Shall nurture excellent relationships between the project and farmer communities and local government authorities within the operational areas;

f) Shall participate in the detailed planning of any modifications and expansions of the BBI Project;

g) Shall ensure in collaboration with BBI USA Management – that all departments are provided with the necessary logistics/resources to perform their duties effectively.

Additionally, your responsibility shall include but are not limited to the following functions;

Management Roles and Oversight of Plant Improvement Works

• Shall lead in strategic annual operational planning and implementation of strategic plans;

• Shall lead in organizing periodic management meetings to evaluate performance and plan regular activities;

• Shall represent management in various stakeholder engagements and serve, with support from BBI management, as a key interface between mill and other stakeholders i.e. government, private sector and or development organizations; 

• Shall provide oversight and coordination to on-going project facilities expansion and development, including repairs and construction of facilities, together with the repair and replacement of equipment; 

• To ensure that all contractors/artisans deliver services in accordance with agreed upon specifications;

• Ensure a higher sense of transparency and accountability for company construction processes.

• Develop and maintain relationships with existing partners/clients. 

• To evaluate current challenges faced by BBI Limited in executing the audit findings and offer immediate guidance and directions to departmental managers to enable them address such challenges for the achievement of the key project objectives.

• To direct & control the Company’s operations, to be responsible to the BBI Board of Directors and CEO/FOUNDER to ensure that the implementation of the mission, policies, objectives and operation of Black Buffalo International Limited are fulfilled;

• To assist the respective Management teams under BBI Limited, in ensuring the Company’s strategy is geared towards the growth and development of the Company and its modus operandi in achieving this;

• To oversee financial management and budgets and regular reporting to the BBI LTD management;

• To oversee all other executives and staff within the organization;

• To be responsible for the performance management of the executive management team;

• To spearhead efforts to collect and evaluate operations data and to improve operational efficiencies; 

Management

• To coordinate the development and implementation of new programs;

• To convene meetings with the CEO/FOUNDER and manage communication between the CEO/FOUNDER and executive BBI LTD management team; Cultivate a strong and transparent working relationship with theCEO/FOUNDER and ensure open communication about the measurement of financial, programmatic, certification and impact performance against stated targets and goals;

Facility Management

• Shall develop strategies to ensure the implementation of a preventative maintenance schedule for all machinery and equipment;

• Shall ensure that the processing facility is equipped with the tools necessary to make on-site repairs; 

• Shall ensure that the entire facilities of the Company, as well as all assets are well secured;

• Shall ensure that plant and premises are generally well maintained and project a positive image;

• Will take the lead and be fully active in negotiating services and supplies provided to BBI.

Financial Management

• Shall ensure the financial department is serviced and supported, such that it can effectively deliver on the following – financial planning, including budgets, financial controls, legislative requirements, and all reporting requirements to a high standard;

• To deliver on all financial requirements to meet the smooth and efficient financial operational requirements/responsibilities of BBI, for example, payment of salaries, farmer payments and payments to all suppliers of services and goods to the Company;

• Shall in collaboration with the Finance and  Accounts Department ensure that clear and timely financial plans are submitted for approval;

• Shall ensure, in collaboration with accounting and production staff, that all requests for fund utilization are scrutinized and approved before funds are released;

• Shall ensure complete transparency and documentation of all expenditures, including advances are met;

• Shall ensure a strict adherence to the company’s financial procedures.Functional ICS and Fruits and Raw Materials Supply

• That the ICS is serviced and supported, such that it can successfully and effectively meet all certification requirements. This includes, delivery of ‘internal inspections’, farmer extension services and other training as required by the farmers, to meet all certification requirements;

• Coordinate transportation and purchase of farm produce with ICS and other BBI staff; also to maintain and cultivate excellent cooperation with farmers and in doing so take the lead and be fully active in supporting and participating in all FFB price negotiations, incentives and planning with BBI’s Member farmers;

• Shall support the ICS and other management team in addressing community and farm level issues relating to fruit supply and community engagements;

• Shall participate in strategic planning sessions to improve farm level productivity and quality, in part through agronomic improvements; 

• Shall support and assist, in the introduction of appropriate technology and practices. Optimum & Efficient Production Capacity

• Shall ensure that the production department(s) is serviced and supported, such that it can successfully and effectively produce the quantities at the agreed qualities (technical and certification), as directed by the CEO/Founder;

• Ensure efficient raw material supplies systems are developed to ensure continuous supply for processing; 

• Provide quality leadership to ensure that the palm oil mill operates at the targeted capacity and achieves a high extraction efficiency, with a below average industry production cost; whilst meeting all quality specifications;

• Ensure that a qualified, experienced and motivated team is put in place and supervised to achieve a high level of machine performance and maintenance culture;

• Shall institute systems to monitor product losses and adapt procedures to ensure losses are reduced to the minimum;

• Ensure appropriate post-harvest logistics and infrastructure systems are in place to ensure shipment of semi-finished products per agreed schedules;

• Ensure that equipment breakdowns and other production bottlenecks are prevented such as to maximize production and output; 

• You shall manage the development and implementation of a maintenance program.Quality Control

• Ensure that all production activities conform to the Company’s core quality labels and specifications i.e. product quality for export;

• Establish systems to monitor product quality and efficiencies and adapt procedures to ensure losses are minimized. Coordinate these activities with managers involved in receiving raw materials and production. For purpose of facility efficiency and quality requirements, you shall see to the development of appropriate systems and structures to ensure that on regular basis raw materials samples are taken and analysed for management action. Human Resources

• Ensure that all the requirements of human resources, including all training requirements, are serviced and supported both directly and/or indirectly, as appropriate, via departmental Managers and Supervisors, such that all legislative and all certification requirements are fully met;

• Ensure  recruitment of key members to the production team and their supervision to achieve a high level of machine performance, maintenance culture and general working style and atmosphere; 

Recruitment& Staffing

• Organize and provide appropriate and high quality training to technical staff and supervisory team;

• Organize appropriate staff management systems and structure to address day-to-day staff issues whilst implement corporate staff plans and programs.

Safety, Health and Environment (SHE)

• Develop and implement Health, Safety and Environment (SHE) strategy and monitor compliance with that strategy;

• Shall identify all processing related waste and ensure that the right systems and personnel are put in place to manage such waste in accordance to best practices and all certification and legislative requirements;

• Shall ensure that the Health and Safety concerns of the operations are met at all times;

• Shall ensure that all staffs are provided with the appropriate health and safety trainings to enable them implement the safety regulations as stated in the company’s SHE regulations;

• Shall ensure that all BBI partner centres’ personnel abide by our safety requirement and use safety equipment provided to them. 

Fair-Trade/Community/Visitor Activities

• You will take the lead and be fully active in dealing with and managing official authorities and traditional authorities, such as the Chief ‘system of patronage’;

• You will take the lead and be fully active in supporting and participating in all the business activities of BBI; including attendance of management meetings, the implementation, execution and maintenance of community development projects; including the negotiation, with external service providers, together with the planning and financial responsibility thereof;

• You will take the lead in receiving and managing visitors, such as certifiers, customers and other interested parties to the BBI Project and provide them with a comprehensive and truthful overview of the project.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• A master’s degree in business management, Project Management, Agribusiness, Human Resources Management, Business Administration or any Business-related areas with at least 10 years of relevant experience in manufacturing and enterprise development.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 

• Excellent management skills. 

• Thorough understanding of product supply chain. 

• Organized with attention to detail. 

• Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with clients. 

• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.

APPLY NOW

Send Your CV To: edem.nyarko@ayeya.com

(Please use  job role as Subject)