Director, Growing & Harvesting Operations
About The Position
The Director of Growing & Harvesting Operations oversees end-to-end crop production, harvesting, and inbound raw-material logistics across all regions. This role leads raw-product supply contract negotiations, ensures adherence to pound and acre supply agreements, manages costs, and safeguards product quality. The Director drives field execution for iceberg, romaine, brassica, and mixed-leaf crops; provides accurate supply estimates; mitigates quality and food-safety risks; and ensures operational readiness across Santa Maria, Salinas, Yuma, and other regions. The role partners closely with sourcing and operations teams to address supply gaps and maintain disciplined budget performance. The position leads, coaches, and develops production and harvesting teams and promotes continuous improvement across field operations, logistics, and quality management. Frequent travel across growing regions is required. The role is based on-site in Salinas and reports to the VP of AgOps.
Requirements
- At least 10 years of experience in growing operations, harvesting management, agricultural supply chain, or fresh produce leadership.
- Deep knowledge of crop cycles, yield forecasting, field operations, and quality management.
- Proven experience negotiating agricultural contracts and managing vendor and grower relationships.
- Strong understanding of perishable supply chains and inbound raw-material logistics.
- Demonstrated success managing large field teams across multiple regions.
- Strong financial acumen and experience managing budgets and cost-control initiatives.
- Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agronomy, Plant Science, Ag Business, Supply Chain, or equivalent experience.
- Ability to travel frequently across growing regions.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree.
Responsibilities
- Direct production and harvesting operations across multi-region locations, including Santa Maria, Salinas, and Yuma.
- Provide accurate, timely supply estimates and field-availability updates for iceberg, romaine, brassica, and mixed-leaf crops.
- Ensure raw product meets quality, food-safety, and customer specifications.
- Lead contract negotiations with grower partners and vendors across production regions.
- Ensure adherence to pound and acre agreements for internal production and outside purchases.
- Monitor contract performance, escalate compliance gaps, and resolve contractual issues.
- Own harvesting cost performance, including labor, equipment, and logistics.
- Maintain budget discipline and identify cost-efficiency opportunities.
- Partner with finance to create seasonal and annual harvest budgets.
- Mitigate field-level quality challenges, including weather impacts, pest pressure, and yield variability.
- Ensure harvesting operations meet company and regulatory food-safety requirements.
- Implement corrective actions when field deviations or quality risks occur.
- Partner with sourcing, raw-material planning, and supply-planning teams to align supply with demand.
- Coordinate sourcing solutions, including outside purchases, when supply gaps occur.
- Communicate real-time field updates to internal stakeholders to support planning and customer service.
- Lead, coach, and develop production and harvesting teams.
- Promote continuous improvement across field operations, logistics, and quality management.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
