Investee Companies
Investee Company – General Manager
Role Purpose
With a vision to empower farmers globally to leverage the benefits of nature, the company is in the process of expansion in the Vietnam market. Over the coming years, they are focusing on expanding their distribution network and obtaining registration for their organic fertilizer products.
The Country Manager will be responsible for managing the organization’s operations in Vietnam organized in three areas: Business Development, Operations, and Accounting/Administration.
About the company: They are a leader in producing biofertilizers. Their products sequester carbon back into the soil and combined with natural ingredients help reduce dependence on synthetic fertilizers, promoting sustainable farming practices.
Farmers choose their biochar-based fertilizers over traditional ones due to their cost-effectiveness and their ability to promote long-term soil health, protect crops, and enhance water and nutrient efficiency leading to an increase in resilience to climate stress, higher yields, and better income.
Farmers choose their biochar-based fertilizers over traditional ones due to their cost-effectiveness and their ability to promote long-term soil health, protect crops, and enhance water and nutrient efficiency leading to an increase in resilience to climate stress, higher yields, and better income.
Key Accountabilities
1. Business Development: Manage the implementation of the sales strategy to reach the target of sales revenues. The company sells biofertilizers and biostimulants to provincial distributors, agricultural cooperatives, and large farms across Vietnam and has started exporting to SE Asia.
- Develop new distribution partners and work with existing ones to ensure contracts and terms negotiated are delivered.
- Identify new direct clients and negotiate distribution contracts including terms and conditions related to pricing, delivery, payment schedules, and marketing.
- Manage relationships with distributors to unfold distribution agreements into concrete marketing activities to push sales.
- Manage the marketing and communications budget, strategy, and implementation in-house or outsourced to agencies.
- Manage incentive schemes for sales team retention and motivation.
- Provide monthly sales reports and input to the sales plan and strategy to the Director of Global Business Development.
2. Operations: Ensure a cost-effective, safe, and high-quality production of biochar-based fertilizers and carbon credits at the production facility.
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Supervise operations team to ensure the successful commissioning and installation of new pyrolysis unit and secondary production equipment to be able to produce the expected volume.
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Monitor operations team performance according to company production targets and budget.
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Lead negotiations and manage relationships with key input suppliers and contractors to ensure the best pricing and conditions for the company.
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Support operations manager to recruit and retain a production team and monitor fair bonus policies and incentives.
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Supervise the operations manager to provide the operations team with training as required, including risk management, health and safety policies, and emergency procedures.
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Supervise effective quality control and monitoring procedures are followed and ensure compliance is maintained for the company’s products, including MAFF registration and carbon credit standards.
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Ensure effective coordination between the operations team and sales team for effective stock management and delivery procedures of biofertilizers and carbon credits to clients.
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Report to the executive team on monthly production targets, budgets, and other KPIs.
3. Administration & Finance: Ensure all legal, accounting, financial, and HR reporting requirements for the company in Vietnam are met for the Vietnamese public authorities, donors, and investors.
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Manage the annual budget to the agreed % of deviation providing quarterly reports of actuals versus budget to the executive team.
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Review monthly management accounts (P&L and Balance Sheet) provided by external accountants.
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Supervise the admin officer to approve the following on a monthly basis:
- Payroll including relevant bonuses, per diems and other compensations.
- Monthly tax and annual tax as prepared by the accountant.
- Monthly petty cash expenditure for each department.
- Operate bank transactions in accordance with company procedures and protocols.
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Ensure all activities are maintained as fully compliant with Vietnamese and international regulations as appropriate.
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Support export team with regulatory requirements for exporting the company products to other countries in SE Asia and supervise procedures as required.
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Represent the company in any legal or due diligence process related to regulatory purposes, fundraising, or other requirements.
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Represent the company in events and activities related to promoting the company, fundraising, and other activities that help the company achieve its mission.
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Develop company HR and key stakeholder policies as deemed necessary including Employee
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Code of Conduct, Environmental/Social Policy, anti-corruption, child protection, etc, and ensure fully adhered to by all company staff.
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Review monthly management accounts (P&L and Balance Sheet) provided by external accountants.
Key Requirements
- Proven history of working in the agricultural sector and engaging with a wide range of stakeholders across the industry, including producers, cooperatives, governmental organizations, input suppliers, and others
- Demonstrated experience in business development, marketing, public relations, and sales highly desirable.
- Proven history of managing people, with strong organizational skills and the ability to maintain a strong team culture and sustain enthusiasm and motivation.
- Demonstrated strong organizational skills including project management, setting targets, and monitoring progress.
- Demonstrated financial literacy with the ability to review management accounts, and budgets and report to donors and investors. Adept use of MS Excel.
- Demonstrated ability to work with communities, cooperatives, and public entities.
- Demonstrated to be a strong leader and an energetic and passionate leader for rural development, soil regeneration, and climate change.
- Demonstrated ability to provide effective oral and written correspondence, proposals, grants, and solicitations.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree required in agronomy, business, or engineering, Masters’s degree preferred
- Experience: A minimum of 10 years of professional experience, preferably directly involved with the agriculture sector, with at least 5 years of experience in a managerial position
- Languages: Fluent in written and spoken English & Vietnamese, and other SE Asian languages valued
- Excellent level of knowledge in agricultural inputs and regenerative agriculture, biochar experience, and export highly valued.
Interested?
