Technical Assistant

Role Overview

This role ensures that contracted farms follow the company’s strict production code, delivering raw material that meets both quality and quantity targets safely and efficiently. Day to day, you will monitor crop health, soil conditions, and pest pressures, issue precise input plans through a crop management system, and coordinate harvesting schedules. Your work directly supports export-standard compliance and helps the technical manager maintain consistent, high-grade output from the grower network.

Key Responsibilities

• Issue daily ticket plans for seeds, fertiliser, and chemicals via the crop management platform (e.g., Greenlight Grower Management), then verify at farm level that those plans have been applied.
• Generate earliest-harvest-date reports and release blocks for harvesting only once positive confirmation is received.
• Maintain and distribute the current crop protection product list (PPPL), ensuring farms always work from the latest version.
• Conduct spot checks on produce quality in the field and at packhouse intake, recording pest and disease prevalence that could affect yield or export standards.
• Prepare farms for internal and external audits – including GlobalG.A.P., Tesco Nature, M&S, LEAF Marque, and SMETA – by verifying that all required structures and documentation are in place.
• Coach farm workers on best practices in herb cultivation, follow up on water, crop, and soil sample collection per the sampling schedule, and support scout teams to maintain accurate operational scouting records.
• Record crop yields, weather patterns (humidity and temperature), and soil test data to inform decisions, and capture minutes in production meetings.
• Promote eco-friendly practices such as composting, water conservation, and integrated pest management while enforcing food safety, farm hygiene, and health & safety policies.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Degree or diploma in Agronomy, Horticulture, or a closely related field.
• At least five years of hands-on experience in the agricultural industry, preferably in fresh produce or herb cultivation.
• Strong strategic planning skills, with the ability to multi-task, work under pressure, and meet tight deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for both internal teams and external growers.
• Process-driven and self-motivated, capable of leading a team while also contributing as an active team member.
• Thorough knowledge of agricultural equipment, handling of chemicals and fertilisers, and integrated pest management principles.