Grove Production Manager - Citrus Grower                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

COMPANY OVERVIEW

IMG Citrus, a leading integrated Citrus grower and marketer, based in Vero Beach Florida, is looking for a Grove Production Manager - Citrus Grower.  Located in Indian River County, IMG Citrus operates as one of Florida's main distributors of fresh citrus. The company is vertically integrated --farming over 5000 acres in Florida, and operating a state of the art Packinghouse, and a 1,000 pallet refrigerated distribution center. Marketing and sales of Citrus domestically and globally is a core competency of the Company and is supported by an in-house sales/marketing team and Company own production of all Florida citrus varieties: grapefruit, oranges and tangerines. The Company is committed to growth of its Florida program through aggressive new plantings, acquisition of existing grove and consolidation opportunities. Another area of fast growth is the summer import program from the Southern Hemisphere allowing IMG Citrus to provide year round citrus to the most demanding customers in the USA and Canada.

IMG Citrus is a subsidiary of IMG Enterprises, a 70 million dollar agri-business headquartered in Central Florida. Ranked the 35th Largest Privately Owned Company in Central Florida (OBJ 2017), IMG Enterprises is committed to building sustainable and innovative businesses that provide meaningful opportunities for employees, partners and customers. 


SUMMARY/OBJECTIVE
The Grove Production Manager will be responsible for the implementation of all tasks related to the maintenance of our citrus groves including pest management, disease management, water management, fertilization management and herbicide. Work directly with our Director of Grove Operations to review, implement and audit the processes and procedures in the groves to meet goals of fruit quality, tree health and operational efficiency. Effectively communicate to employees and contractors, and develop strong partnerships with both. Prior citrus cultivation and caretaking knowledge is desired but most importantly candidates need to be able to organize and prioritize the workload so that the implementation of all tasks are done efficiently and on time. This is a hands-on position which requires strong partnerships with the entire IMG Citrus groves operations team.

JOB FUNCTIONS

• Manage 2,500 acres of Fresh Citrus groves growing operations.  
• Manage the implementation of all tasks related to the maintenance of our citrus grove including pest management, disease management, water management, fertilization management, weed management, contractor coordination and strictly following companies’ processes and procedures.
• Provide direction, display leadership, provide training and guidance, and promote teamwork within the labor force and other departments within IMG Citrus for a productive and harmonious work atmosphere.
• Order all chemicals and fertilizer for the groves and coordinate delivery schedules.
• Request materials, parts and services needed for groves.
• Responsible for maintaining a safe, orderly and clean facility at all times
• Responsible for maintaining quality control programs and achieving 3rd party quality audit objectives.
• Responsible for overseeing all equipment used (tractors, sprayer, fertilizer spreader, etc.) and ensure preventative maintenance/repairs are followed and tracked
• Responsible for executing experiments pertaining to insect/disease control and tracking results.
• Assist with annual operating and capital budgeting
• Make sure laws and regulations are followed and promote safety procedures for the employees and the environment.
• Responsible for creating cultural work orders pertaining to pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, and fertilizers
• Ensure proper application methods are followed and implemented according to standards.
• Execute and assist with the development of citrus production plans and budgets.
• Continuously seek, develop and suggest new ways to combat citrus diseases such as Citrus Canker, Greening and other pests and pathogens.
• Coordinate and communicate effectively with contractors.       
• Constantly look for ways to improve efficiency and quality by being innovative, researching and introducing new tools & equipment, labor management, etc.
• Improve, develop, and track quality and efficiency standards for each task.
• Safety implementation of all tasks.

REQUIRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in Citrus Production or AG related a plus, but not required 
• 3+ years of Citrus Production or Caretaking experience desired.
• Commercial Pesticide Applicators License a plus, or must be able to acquire.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to multitask and adapt to changes. 
• Good computer skills with working knowledge of MS Excel,  and work order software.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred not required
• Valid Driver's License with clean MVR.

WORK HOURS & ENVIRONMENT

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 40+ hours per week. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

COMPANY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE JOB DESCRIPTION AND/OR REQUIRE ADDITIONAL DUTIES AT ITS DISCRETION.  DRUG FREE WORKPLACE & E-VERIFY