About the Opportunity

This Production Manager owns all aspect of the Rubus department and is accountable for the development and success of the plan created to ensure growers and Driscolls in business for year to come.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own the Santa Maria Blackberry and Raspberry five-year strategic plans, in order to deliver on Driscoll’s Mission through delightful fruit at the right time, that creates an attractive and sustainable investment opportunity for our berry Growers.
   
• Develop and optimize the variety and application portfolio with a deep understanding of each application’s performance. Lead the Local Commercialization Team to evaluate and successfully deploy promising new genetics.
   
• Understand and communicate grower non-harvest and harvest costs.
   
• Ensure that the sum of growers’ individual plans within the district align with the district’s strategic plan targets.
   
• Design and develop short-term and long-range projects to fulfill the goals and objectives of the plan, in collaboration with Agronomy, Applied Research, Growers and other groups.
   
• Execute the plan to deliver on key business outcomes for Driscoll’s and its Grower base.
   
• Manage challenges and opportunities that emerge throughout the season in partnership with Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Distribution, and other groups.
   
• Manage nursery plant ordering and plant distribution processes on time and in alignment with strategic plans.
   
• Build strong and aligned relationships with our Santa Maria Blackberry and Raspberry growers.
   
• Develop individual multi-year growth plans with each grower, taking into account a deep understanding of the grower’s key business performance metrics.
   
• Manage and coordinate communication with growers on all vital aspects of the business, including field tours, meetings, and production reports.
   
• Facilitate and channel support to growers from internal Driscoll’s resources and external industry resources.
   
• Support deployment and optimization of Driscoll’s new grower-facing business processes.
   
• Recruitment of new growers and retention and success of existing growers. 
   
• Lead the Santa Maria Rubus Production team.
   
• Support team members’ growth through clear goals, reviews, and personal development plans.
   
• Manage the team’s efforts to forecast and communicate supply trends effectively, utilizing recommended tools and processes.
   
• Manage GPS mapping activities.
   
• Represent Driscoll’s well in Community and Sustainability efforts.
   
• Identify and communicate best practices related to environmentally and financially sustainable farming practices, including field plastic recycling and farming input optimization. 
   
• Develops strong community connections, including in the agricultural and blackberry and raspberry farming community at large.
   
• Lead by example and place a high priority on representing Driscoll’s in a positive and Values-driven manner.  
   
• Follow Company policies and practices while representing Driscoll’s in an ethical and business-like manner in all interactions with employees, governmental agencies, growers, customers, etc.
   
• Ensure the security of Driscoll’s confidential and proprietary information and materials.  Other duties as assigned by District Manager
   
• This job description is intended to describe the general nature of the work performed by employees in this job.  It is not an exhaustive list of all the job's responsibilities.  At Driscoll’s, all of our jobs include broad responsibilities for continually improving the processes we use to develop our products.

Candidate Profile

The Santa Maria Rubus Production Manager contributes importantly to Driscoll’s Mission through managing Driscoll’s blackberry and raspberry business in Santa Maria Valley, both through development and ownership of a strong and holistic five-year plan, and through execution of all aspects of that plan. The Production Manager is accountable for developing supply of delightful blackberries and raspberries for our berry Consumers, delivering on time and at volume that serves Driscoll’s Customers, creating an attractive and sustainable investment opportunity for our berry Growers.

In order to accomplish this, the Production Manager must work closely with cross functional departments across the Santa Maria district, including Agronomy, Applied Research, Quality Assurance, Food Safety, and Logistics, collaborate tightly with Driscoll’s National Forecasting and Supply Leadership teams, and tap into Environment and Global R&D resources. The Production Manager reports to the District Manager and is a member of the Santa Maria District Leadership team, and directly manages the Rubus Production team in the district. The Production Manager holds strong and highly aligned relationships with our berry Growers. The Production Manager must instill and exemplify Driscoll’s Values, and support the development of the Santa Maria Rubus Production team members and all collaborators.    

Qualifications:

• Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Business, Science; or, related discipline and 5-10 years of work experience in an Agriculture production environment.
• Two or more years of experience in agriculture production management, or equivalent experience
• Three to five years of progressively responsible management experience
• Specific experience in Raspberry and Blackberry production or advanced greenhouse/protected production systems desired
• Technical crop management knowledge and experience required
• Strong business knowledge of perishable commodities, production, and grower relations
• The Rubus Manager should be self-motivated and able to complete assigned tasks with minimal supervision.
• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written, along with advanced interpersonal skills are necessary.
• Proven leadership abilities; strong organizational skills and the ability to set and achieve goals as well as influence people.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and empower team members to achieve optimum potential and support corporate objectives.
• Ability to communicate effectively across all levels in the organization and influence change in areas where there are not direct reporting relationships.
• Computer skills required include Microsoft Office Suite (spreadsheet and database knowledge/experience), and a working knowledge of Tableau, SharePoint, DAX and other cloud-based platforms is preferred. 
• A valid passport and driver’s license, and the ability to travel internationally without restrictions required. 
• Licensed Pest Control Adviser (PCA) and/or Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) preferred
• Travel will be required (up to 20% domestic and international)
• California driver’s license and the ability to be covered under company-sponsored vehicle insurance program are also required
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) fluency required

Compensation & Benefits:

The following information is provided in good faith as a general description of the salary range and benefits for the position posted.  The actual compensation offered to the successful candidate is dependent upon experience, skills, education, work location, internal pay equity, and other objective job-related factors.

Salary Range estimated for the RUBUS Production Manager: $87, 552 to $135,900 USD.

Driscoll’s is committed to a culture of care and offers an attractive benefits package that includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, and disability coverage for positions working more than 30 hours per week. Other benefits include:  401(k) with employer match, profit-sharing participation, paid sick time, paid vacation, paid personal and family care leave, and a free Employee Assistance Program (EAP).  More detailed information regarding the benefits package, will be shared during the application process.

About Driscolls

Driscoll's is the global market leader for fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. With more than 100 years of farming heritage and hundreds of independent growers around the world, Driscoll's is passionate about growing fresh, beautiful and delicious berries. Our values of humility, passion and trustworthiness have guided our mission to delight consumers around the world.

Driscoll's exclusive patented berry varieties are developed through years of research using only natural breeding methods – meaning, no GMOs. From farm-to-table, we focus on delivering a high quality, premium berry experience with our many supply chain partners.

Driscoll's is the trusted brand for Only the Finest Berries™.

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Driscoll's es el proveedor líder en la comercialización de Fresas, Frambuesas, Zarzamoras y Arándanos Azules en el mundo. Con más de 100 años de herencia en agricultura y cientos de productores independiente alrededor del mundo, Driscoll's es una compañía apasionada por cultivar Berries frescas, hermosas y deliciosas. Nuestros valores de humildad, pasión y confianza han guiado nuestra misión de deleitar a los consumidores en el mundo.

Las variedades exclusivas de Driscoll's han sido desarrolladas a través de años de investigación usando sólo métodos de mejoramiento natural. De la granja a la mesa, nos enfocamos en ofrecer una experiencia de alta calidad con apoyo de nuestros socios de la cadena de suministro.

Driscoll's es la marca de confianza de sólo las mejores Berries.