Citrus Procurement Manager

SUMMARY:

A well-established company involved in growing, packing, exporting, importing, and distributing fresh citrus, with operational presence in South Africa, Argentina, and Spain, is seeking a motivated and energetic Procurement Manager to lead citrus sourcing in Northern South Africa (Limpopo, KZN) and across Botswana, Mozambique, Egypt, and Morocco.

POSITION INFO:

Minimum requirements for the role:

• Ideally have a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agronomy, Business, or related field
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in citrus/fresh fruit procurement, farm management, or sourcing roles
• Practical farming roots or family background in agriculture are strongly valued
• Experience dealing with growers and understanding their technical and commercial challenges
• Exposure to international citrus trade is an advantage
• Strong quality assessment and technical knowledge of citrus
• Excellent negotiation and relationship management skills
• Strong analytical and commercial acumen with the ability to align customer needs to grower offers
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel
• Excellent presentation and communication skills

• Identifying and developing new citrus sourcing opportunities in Limpopo, KZN, Botswana, Mozambique, Egypt, and Morocco.
• Building and maintaining strong, trust-based relationships with growers.
• Onboarding new growers, ensuring compliance with quality, food safety, and market requirements (MRLs, varietal specs, protocols).
• Supporting growers in improving fruit flow, pack out %, and profitability.
• Conducting frequent farm visits to assess crop quality, yields, and harvesting standards.
• Checking fruit quality at source and collaborating with packhouses.
• Assisting in negotiating with customers when quality claims arise, protecting both grower and client relationships.
• Acting as the bridge between growers and the commercial team.
• Translating customer demands and market pricing into fair and transparent grower offers.
• Providing growers with regular updates on pricing trends, sales progress, and market dynamics.
• Negotiating and closing procurement agreements while balancing profitability with long-term grower trust.
• Monitoring and analyzing production volumes, market conditions, and grower performance.
• Preparing professional presentations and updates for growers, showing sales accounts, balances payable, and market outlooks.
• Reporting regularly to management on sourcing status, risks, and opportunities.
• Maintaining clear and accurate records of fruit purchases, prices offered, balances payable to growers, and contract terms.
• Ensuring compliance with company policies, protocols, and reporting standards.