Head of Department, Production (Mother Stocks)

Our member who is in the floriculture industry business located in Kericho seeks to recruit a highly motivated and experienced grower with extensive knowledge and expertise in the propagation of summer flowers to join their team as Head of Production – Mother Plants. The ideal candidate should have proven experience in a similar role within the Kenyan flower industry, preferably in a breeding and/or plant propagation organisation. The position reports to the Director of Operations.

Job purpose

The Head of Department, Production (Mother Stocks) is responsible for strategically managing and overseeing the cultivation and production processes of all mother plants. The primary objective is to guarantee a consistent, predictable, and high-quality supply of cuttings in the correct quantities, delivered strictly on time to meet downstream planning schedules.

This role drives technical excellence in large-scale commercial floriculture, champions continuous improvement protocols (such as Root Cause Analysis), ensures rigorous compliance with phytosanitary and safety regulations, and builds a collaborative, high-morale work culture through the direct training and development of production supervisors and floor staff.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

1. Crop Management- Ensure all crop husbandry activities, including bed preparation, planting, weeding, irrigation, spraying and related activities, are carried out to the highest possible standard and within set timelines. Organise and plan all planting programmes.
2. Pest & Disease Management - Conduct regular crop walks in liaison with Scouts and report pest and disease incidences to the Director for appropriate action.Ensure actions taken in response to pest and disease incidences are documented and implemented in accordance with established SOPs.
3. Quality Management & Production - Ensure harvesting procedures, hygiene and quality protocols are followed. Conduct weekly production forecasts with minimal variance.

4.Irrigation & Spraying - Ensure the appropriate use of solve to prevent blockage of drip lines .Ensure timely and correct adjustments to the feeding programme in accordance with the Director’s recommendations.

5.Record Keeping - Ensure Team Leaders, Scouts and Supervisors maintain accurate daily records of all operations carried out within their sections. Ensure production records and other relevant documentation are maintained and kept up to date.

6.Production Planning & Resource Management - Plan departmental operations on a monthly, weekly and daily basis in consultation with the Director.Set daily and weekly objectives for Supervisors and communicate production plans and targets accordingly.

7.Audits & Compliance - Ensure company field operations comply with applicable regulatory and obligatory standard requirements and guidelines.

8.People Management  - Ensure production staffs perform their duties in accordance with their job descriptions and required standards.

9.Maintenance of Machine & Equipment - Ensure all operational and workplace standards are strictly followed in accordance with established SOPs. Coordinate the maintenance and general upkeep of the farm, including the repair of farm buildings, machinery and equipment.

10.Health & Safety - Ensure greenhouses are clean both internally and externally, all items are properly arranged, and unwanted materials are removed. Ensure a safe working environment by enforcing compliance with applicable health and safety regulations.

Desired Qualifications, skills and experience;

Academic Qualifications - Must have degree in Horticulture, Floriculture, Agronomy, or a closely matching plant science discipline from a recognized institution.

Experience & Track Record - Minimum of 3 to 5 years of proven hands-on leadership experience specifically focused on the propagation and management of flower mother stock within a commercial environment.

Demonstrated experience dealing with high-volume cutting protocols, managing complex stock turnover, and handling strict export/phytosanitary requirements.

Proven track record of managing structured teams, including supervising mid-level supervisors and coordinating diverse workforce.

Technical Skills & Competencies - Strong working knowledge of greenhouse climate control systems, irrigation delivery mechanisms, and fertigation.

Practical knowledge of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), chemical application protocols, biological controls, and early crop disease detection.

Competency in building crop prognoses, analysing yield variances, and managing spreadsheet-based metrics and running formal problem-solving frameworks (e.g., Root Cause Analysis)

Behavioural & Leadership Attributes - Ability to translate complex agronomic realities into simple instructions for workers, and high-level summaries for the Management.

Team collaborative and ability to work with other departments (Planning, Logistics, Maintenance, HR) to solve systemic challenges.

Only qualified candidates should apply by uploading their detailed curriculum vitae and cover letter by Wednesday 30th September 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

The client is an equal opportunity employer. Selection will be based on qualifications, experience, competence and suitability for the role.