Senior Technical Consultant – Certified Potato Seed Production

4 days ago

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa Allied Talent Partners Full time R45 000 - R115 250 per year
Senior Technical Consultant – Certified Potato Seed Production

Department: Technical

Employment Type: Fixed Term Contract

Location: Africa

Reporting To: Senior Lead


Description Allied Talent Partners (ATP), a Three Cairns Group initiative, is a mission-driven, not-for-profit talent marketplace focused on solving the human capital bottlenecks slowing down sustainable development efforts in emerging economies, with an initial focus on Africa.  ATP connects vetted, experienced, context-relevant professionals to high-impact opportunities in energy access and sustainable development – strengthening local capacity and fuelling economic vitality. We specialize in fixed-term, deliverable-driven engagements – from interim leadership and generalist projects to niche technical expertise – handling project scoping, talent vetting and matching, contracting, payroll, and compliance so that our clients can focus on impact.

High-Level Overview 

The Client seeks a specialised technical consultant who can introduce global best practices adapted to tropical and sub-tropical environments. Across two critical production seasons, the consultant will deliver advanced agronomic support, strengthen quality systems, embed cost-efficient production processes, and equip internal teams with the skills required for sustained operational excellence. 

The ideal consultant is a recognised expert in certified seed systems, with substantial leadership experience in high-performance production environments and a proven ability to build capability and optimise operations in complex agronomic settings. 

Role and Responsibilities
Role: Senior Technical Consultant – Certified Potato Seed Production
Direct Report: Senior Lead  
Candidates Required: 1

Key Deliverables: Pre-Season Diagnostic & Strategic Technical Plan (per season)
  • Comprehensive assessment of production sites, readiness, disease pressure, and cost-efficiency gaps. 
  • Clear strategic plan linking interventions to productivity and cost outcomes. 
  • Prioritised investment roadmap to optimise resources prior to season launch. 
  • Established performance expectations and technical foundations for the season.
     

Weekly Technical Advisory Briefs (during on-site deployment)
  • Continuous expert oversight ensuring adherence to best practices in seed production. 
  • Rapid detection and mitigation of field challenges, including disease outbreaks and agronomic errors. 
  • Real-time advisory briefs to inform leadership decisions and improve responsiveness. 
  • Enhanced operational consistency and discipline across production sites.
     

Specialised Training Sessions & Technical Manuals for Staff
  • Practical, in-field capacity building for operational teams. Minimum of three high-impact training modules per season (disease management, seed quality, post-harvest handling).
  • Development of standardised SOPs and technical manuals tailored to local conditions. 
  • Strengthened institutional knowledge and improved long-term technical independence.


Knowledge Transfer & Internal Capacity Strengthening
  • Progressive handover of technical processes, tools, and systems to internal staff. Establishment of a core "Seed Production Expert Team" equipped to sustain high standards. 
  • Structured mentorship plan with performance tracking for local technical leads. 
Codification of innovations and best practices for replication.

End-of-Season Performance & Improvement Report
  • Evidence-based evaluation of yield, quality, and cost performance against targets. 
  • Root-cause analysis of challenges and operational gaps. Prioritised recommendations and next-season technical roadmap. 
  • Financial modelling of cost-reduction opportunities and efficiency gains. 


Requirements Experience Required:
  • Recognised international expert in certified potato seed production, with a strong record of work in tropical and sub-tropical agricultural systems. 
  • 10–15+ years of senior leadership experience in large-scale commercial and/or R&D seed production environments. 
  • Proven success introducing and institutionalising high-yield, cost-efficient seed production models. 
  • Extensive experience in training, mentoring, and building capacity within diverse field teams. 
  • Deep understanding of disease management, varietal optimisation, and climate-resilient seed production systems. 

Technical Requirements:
  • Expert knowledge of seed physiology, seed-generation systems, and advanced crop management practices. 
  • Ability to diagnose production risks and design context-appropriate mitigation strategies. 
  • Experience developing SOPs, training materials, and scalable technical manuals. 
  • Strong competency in quality assurance, post-harvest handling, and seed storage systems. 
  • High proficiency in interpreting agronomic data, performance indicators, and diagnostic insights. 

Other Skills:
  • Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence multidisciplinary teams. 
  • Effective communicator with a clear, practical, and instructional style. 
  • Highly analytical, structured, and solutions-oriented. 
  • Adaptable, culturally sensitive, and comfortable working across diverse field contexts. 
  • Proactive and collaborative, driving alignment, quality, and operational momentum 
Additional information about desired profiles:
  • Preference for candidates with experience across multiple African agricultural systems. 
  • Consultant must be comfortable working in dynamic, field-intensive production environments. 


Working Arrangement
Location: Rwanda
Travel:On-site presence during key seasonal windows (approximately 12 weeks total, split across two seasons)

Terms of agreement:
Start Date: TBD
Contracting Period: 12 weeks per year, split across two seasons 

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