Sakuma Bros. Processing, Inc. is seeking a full-time Grower Liaison to join our team. This position serves as a liaison between the company and growers. Working in unison with the grower, provides consultation on best horticulture practices including food safety, crop evaluation, harvest projections, harvest execution, and quality assurance (from field to packaging).
The candidate must have excellent interpersonal skills, excellent verbal and written communication skills, strong organizational, mathematical and computer skills and the ability to build solid relations between the processing plant and farm organization. The candidate must be able to work in a team-based environment with extended hours during harvest season. An in-depth working knowledge of the small fruit industry is required.
Sakuma Bros. offers a competitive wage and benefit package for this full-time position. Please send your resume and cover letter via the Apply Now button below, and go to www.sakumabros.com to submit an application.
- Working knowledge of the small fruit industry
- Knowledge and skill in providing consultation on fertilizer and chemical applications in the small fruit industry.
- Working knowledge of the life cycle of nursery plants harvested for commercial and retail sales and the ability to develop a working knowledge of the differences between the nursery plant varieties harvested and sold by Sakuma Bros. Farms and Norcal Nursery.
- Working knowledge of processing plant operations, fresh market sales, nursery sales, resource and information management, research and development, and overall business management.
- Must handle in a constructive manner, the multiple business, organizational, and interpersonal changes or stresses that may exist in the employee’s work, work processes, dealing with other personnel, and supervision (provided or received). (“Work processes” include, but are not limited to, how work is performed, supervised or distributed; how problems are solved; and how decisions are made.)
- Must adapt, with minimal or no advance notice, to changes in how business is conducted and work is accomplished.
The Grower Liaison is responsible for developing and maintaining positive relationships with all growers that ship strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries to Sakuma Bros. Processing Plant in order to foster short and long term procurement of the fruit. The requirement may include other fruit and vegetables. This requires ongoing consultation and oversight to the grower on best horticulture practices, harvest projections, harvest execution, and quality assurance (from field to packaging). Works closely with other key staff in planning the best use of fruit coming into the plant.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Initiate and develop a working relationship with all growers that ship fruit to Sakuma Bros. Processing Plant for both fresh and frozen production. Develop and maintain a grower database with all pertinent information for current use and historical purposes.
- Develop and execute grower contracts to fulfill processing plant raw product requirements for volume and quality for defined product lines.
- Provide ongoing consultation and oversight to the grower on best horticulture practices, harvest projections, harvest execution, and quality assurance (from field to packaging). Develop and execute a system that will provide daily feedback to individual growers on fruit quality and methods to increase quality, when applicable.
- Develop and execute efficient and effective procedures for shipping and receiving fruit at the processing plant receiving station for both incoming and outgoing products.
- Assist in the optimal utilization of the processing plant by providing the plant manager with timely and accurate harvest projections that, at a minimum, should include information related to varieties, volume, quality and timing.
- Develop and maintain a grower base to provide required volumes by commodity, quality and variety in California, British Columbia, Oregon and Washington. This may include all necessary logistics and positioning of necessary harvesting items (i.e. lugs or flats).
- Maintain all grower pesticide records and all water sample records. Coordinate with QA Supervisor in developing a template for customer requirements.
- Develop and maintain all grower records for the various plant certifications and buyer requirements.
- Coordinate fresh market program with grower base. Coordinate custom harvest or other custom requirements with Sakuma Farms. Coordinate all 3rd party audits with outside growers for both frozen and fresh shipments. Support in 3rd part audits (AIB, Organic, SQF, etc.).
- Represent the farm and processing at professional meetings and conferences. Provide feedback to other managers on topics of interest to the appropriate division.
- Assist growers with recommendations of plant varieties and procurement of nursery plants.
- Assist in Norcal/Sakuma nursery harvest as defined by supervisor.
- Perform related duties as required. Related duties as required are duties that may not be specifically listed in the Position Description, but are within the general occupational series and responsibility level typically associated with the employee’s classification of work.
- Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Soils, Crop Science or related Agricultural Sciences required.
- Masters degree desired. 3-5 years of field experience, grower/manager experience, sales or consulting preferred.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required to effectively work with Corporate Management, growers, breeders, resource agencies and any other individuals that have contact with the company.
- Good communication and interpersonal skills are required to work with and supervise employees with a wide range of skill sets, educational levels and personalities.
- Must have skill in nurturing strong, credible relationships with a variety of people that have varying backgrounds/personalities.
- Proficiency in working with spreadsheets, word processing systems and electronic communications.
- Ability to make projections based on minimal data.
- Ability to work independently using effective time management and organizational skills.
- Ability to make critical decisions under intense pressure, specifically during periods of peak operations or intense negotiations.
- Ability to adapt to change and growth in overall business operations and concepts.
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Ability to speak conversational Spanish is desired.
- LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS: Valid Washington State driver’s license, Private Consultants License, Dealer/Manager Chemical License and CPR and First Aid certificates.
