Banana Plantation Director

About the role

A leading agribusiness organization, represented by its client, is looking for an experienced, commercially driven Director of a large-scale banana plantation and export business. The role covers the full banana value chain, from plantation establishment and crop production to post-harvest operations, quality management, logistics and export delivery, with a focus on operational excellence, profitability, sustainability and compliance with international standards.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute the overall business strategy and lead the establishment, expansion and management of large-scale banana plantation operations, including greenfield development.
• Translate capital investments into profitable operations and manage annual production plans, yield targets, cost budgets and long-term profitability objectives.
• Oversee agronomic planning (varietal selection, irrigation, drainage, nutrition, crop protection, soil health) and drive yield, fruit quality and export-grade recovery improvements.
• Implement precision agriculture, automation and climate-resilient farming practices.
• Manage cultivation, harvesting, grading, packing, cold chain, storage and export logistics, minimizing post-harvest losses.
• Lead quality assurance and compliance with international export standards, buyer specifications and certifications.
• Monitor CAPEX and OPEX, build risk management frameworks and coordinate with engineering, procurement, finance, HR, legal and logistics teams.
• Build relationships with government agencies, regulators, exporters, customers and communities; ensure compliance with agricultural, labour, environmental, health, safety and export regulations.
• Drive ESG initiatives, lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams, and oversee performance reporting, budgeting, forecasting and strategic planning.

Required profile

• Master's degree in Agriculture, Agronomy, Horticulture, Agricultural Engineering or a related field; a postgraduate qualification in Agribusiness, Agricultural Management or Business Administration is highly preferred.
• Minimum 15-20 years of experience managing large-scale agricultural operations, plantation projects or export-oriented agribusinesses.
• Proven track record in greenfield agricultural development and large-scale farm operations.
• Willingness to travel extensively across project sites and international markets.

Required skills

• Extensive knowledge of banana agronomy, irrigation, drainage, crop nutrition, pest and disease control and plantation science.
• Experience with post-harvest operations, quality assurance, cold chain logistics and international export requirements.
• Knowledge of Global G.A.P., phytosanitary regulations and export compliance.
• Experience managing large operational budgets, CAPEX projects and cost optimization.
• Experience with precision agriculture, automation systems and data-driven farming.
• Strong leadership, commercial acumen (negotiations, market development, pricing, customer relationships) and stakeholder management.