Senior Technical Manager

Role Overview

The Senior Technical Manager is responsible for the overall technical and quality performance across the apple and pear export value chain. Operating at a strategic level, this role ensures alignment between shareholder packhouses, upstream production, and downstream market requirements.

The role integrates technical execution across the value chain to optimise fruit quality, reduce claims, and support commercial outcomes. Reporting to senior leadership, the position leads a team of technical specialists and is accountable for all technical decisions, quality outcomes, and customer-facing technical engagements.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic oversight of all technical and quality functions across shareholder packhouses
• Lead and manage a team of technical specialists, ensuring performance, alignment, and accountability
• Ensure the consistent application of quality standards, specifications, and packhouse best practices
• Operate at the interface between upstream production and downstream market requirements, ensuring alignment across the value chain
• Translate market requirements into effective technical execution across packing operations
• Take full accountability for quality performance, pack-outs, and reduction of claims
• Oversee and manage all quality claims and customer complaints, including root cause analysis and implementation of corrective actions
• Engage with key international customers on technical matters and quality performance
• Act as primary liaison with PPECB and the Department of Agriculture (DoA), ensuring full compliance with all export and phytosanitary requirements
• Oversee audits, inspections, and certification processes across packhouses
• Ensure effective cold chain management from packhouse to market
• Identify and mitigate risks impacting fruit quality during storage and transit
• Drive continuous improvement, innovation, and the adoption of technical best practices across packhouses

Key Requirements

• Post graduate qualification from a recognised university in Horticulture, Agriculture, Plant Science, or a related field
• Minimum of 8–12 years’ experience in the fruit export industry
• Proven experience in a senior technical or quality leadership role, including team management
• Strong expertise in apple and pear quality, defects, and post-harvest handling
• Solid understanding of packhouse operations and export supply chains
• Demonstrated experience in managing quality claims and customer complaints at an international level
• In-depth knowledge of export regulations and phytosanitary requirements, including experience working with PPECB and the Department of Agriculture (DoA)
• Experience with retailer standards and certifications (e.g. GlobalG.A.P., BRC, etc.)
• Strong leadership ability, with a proven track record of driving accountability through a team
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, including engagement with international customers

Closing date for applications: Friday, 8 May 2026

Forward application to: info@tru-cape.co.za