Fruit Drying Operations Manager

Role Overview

This role leads the daily fruit drying operation at Best Tropical Fruits Ltd, near Masii town in Machakos County, with a strong focus on mango and banana processing. You will coordinate people, equipment, and schedules so that raw fruit moves through industrial dehydrators and coldstores efficiently while quality and output targets are met. The position matters because reliable drying and storage directly affect product consistency, waste levels, and the company’s ability to fulfil orders on time.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and run daily drying schedules for mango and banana batches, balancing fruit intake, dehydrator capacity, and coldstore availability.
• Supervise both professional staff and casual workers, assigning duties, monitoring performance, and keeping the team focused on safe, efficient production.
• Operate and monitor industrial dehydrators, checking temperature, airflow, and drying times to achieve consistent results for each fruit type.
• Manage coldstore activity, including loading, rotation, temperature checks, and stock movement, to protect fruit quality before and after drying.
• Maintain accurate production records such as batch logs, yields, drying times, staff rosters, and quality control checks.
• Track output against targets, spot bottlenecks, and introduce practical improvements that raise efficiency and reduce losses.
• Uphold high quality and hygiene standards across drying, handling, and storage, minimising rejected product and waste.
• Report equipment faults or maintenance needs promptly so that dehydrators and coldstores remain reliable and production continues without unnecessary delays.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Candidates must be 30 years of age or older.
• Five or more years of hands-on fruit drying experience, with substantial exposure to mango and banana.
• A certified university degree in a food-sector discipline.
• Demonstrated experience managing both professional and casual staff in a production setting.
• Strong ability to plan work, keep dependable records, meet targets, improve efficiency, and maintain high quality standards.
• Practical knowledge of how industrial dehydrators and coldstores work, including monitoring and basic troubleshooting.
• Excellent references that can be verified.
• Willingness and ability to work at Best Tropical Fruits Ltd, close to Masii town in Machakos County.