Assistant Manager - Nursery

Assistant Manager - Nursery - Plantation Site - Nigeria, Ondo State Reference Number: DBJP-TP-002 About the Group: Our client's group is a Nigeria-based integrated agri-allied group with operations spanning the edible-oil and the agricultural value chain including raw-material sourcing, soybean processing, solvent extraction, edible-oil refining, bulk storage, value-added processing, distribution and commodity exports. The business is fast growing and an ambitious associate company of the group and is aggressively ramping up its palm plantation and allied operations. About the Job: The Assistant Manager - Nursery is based at the plantation in Ondo State, Nigeria, West Africa and is responsible for producing high-quality oil palm seedlings for a large-scale plantation that is expanding from its existing 5,000 planted hectares towards 25,000 hectares. The role owns end-to-end seedling production, from seed receipt and germination through pre-nursery and main nursery to the dispatch of field-ready seedlings, so that planting material is available on time, at the right quality and at the right cost for the estate's planting programme. The role requires comprehensive, hands-on knowledge of oil palm nursery operations: land preparation, bag preparation, seed sowing, pre-nursery management, transplanting, irrigation, fertilisation, pest, disease and weed control, culling and seedling hardening. The Assistant Nursery Manager will monitor germination, survival and plantable seedling rates, control the inventory of seeds, fertilisers, chemicals, tools and consumables, and keep accurate nursery records and reporting. The Assistant Nursery Manager will supervise and allocate the nursery workforce, monitor productivity against established standards, and ensure the upkeep and preventive maintenance of irrigation systems, pumps, water supply networks, nursery structures and equipment. Cost consciousness, sound planning and a strong commitment to health, safety and environmental (HSE) standards are critical to success in this role. Key Result Areas (KRAs): Seedling Production: Achieve agreed seedling production targets in line with the plantation planting programme, supporting a nursery pipeline of 400,000-480,000 seedlings per annum as the estate is built out. Planning & Forecasting: Prepare and implement daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly nursery operational plans; forecast seedling requirements and ensure timely availability of field-ready seedlings to meet planting schedules. Nursery Operations: Manage nursery activities from seed receipt and germination through to dispatch, including land preparation, bag preparation, seed sowing, pre-nursery, transplanting, irrigation, fertilisation and seedling hardening. Seedling Quality & Health: Monitor germination, survival and plantable seedling rates, and run effective pest, disease and weed management so that only quality seedlings are dispatched to the field. Cost & Resource Control: Manage cost per seedling produced; control inventory of seeds, fertilisers, chemicals, tools and consumables; and allocate manpower efficiently against productivity standards. Maintenance & Equipment: Ensure the upkeep of irrigation systems, pumps, water supply networks, nursery structures and equipment, and coordinate preventive maintenance to minimise downtime. People Leadership: Supervise, allocate and monitor the nursery team; identify training and development needs; and foster a productive work environment that encourages teamwork, performance and development. Continuous Improvement: Implement continuous improvement initiatives, including TQM and TPM, to enhance nursery efficiency. MIS & Reporting: Maintain accurate nursery records and operational documentation, and prepare timely reports in line with company policies and reporting standards. Health, Safety & Environment: Maintain full HSE compliance across nursery operations, with a target of zero lost-time incidents. Reporting & Organisation: Reports to (functional): Plantation Manager / Head of Agronomy Reports to (administrative): General Manager Department: Operations Team: Nursery supervisors and nursery gangs [team size to be confirmed] Key interfaces: Estate / Field Managers (planting programme), Agronomy and Plant Protection, Plantation Engineering (irrigation and equipment), Stores and field procurement, Plantation HR & Admin Qualifications & Experience: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Plantation Management, Agronomy, Forestry or a related discipline. Minimum 5 years of relevant post-qualification experience in oil palm nursery management, including at least 3 years in a supervisory or higher role specifically in nursery operations. Comprehensive knowledge of nursery operations, from land preparation and pre-nursery management to irrigation, main nursery management, fertilisation and transplanting. Strong operational and administrative skills. Willingness to relocate and work in Nigeria. Key Skills & Competencies: Technical: pre-nursery and main nursery management, germination and transplanting, irrigation and water management, fertilisation, pest, disease and weed control, seedling culling and hardening. Planning: planning and organising skills; seedling forecasting against planting schedules; inventory control. Commercial: cost consciousness and resource management; cost per seedling discipline. Leadership: people management and interpersonal skills; supervising and developing nursery teams. IT: MS Office reporting and data analysis. Candidate Profile: A hands-on nursery practitioner who spends the working day in the nursery rather than the office. Proven in delivering seedling volume, quality and survival targets on a commercial oil palm estate. Able to lead and develop a local nursery workforce and supervisors. Willing to relocate and be based on the plantation in Nigeria. Indicative Organisation Structure: General Manager / Business Head -> Plantation Manager / Head of Agronomy -> Assistant Nursery Manager -> Nursery Supervisors -> nursery gangs. The Assistant Nursery Manager reports functionally to the Plantation Manager / Head of Agronomy and administratively to the General Manager. If you wish to apply, please send your CV to Justin Peach at jpeach@caglobalint.com.