Fruit Export Manager

Fruit Export Manager

Picture this: you’re at the heart of South Africa’s vibrant fresh fruit export scene, turning juicy grapes, crisp citrus, and seasonal deciduous delights into global successes. Based in bustling Bellville, Cape Town, this onsite role puts you in charge of sourcing top-notch produce, sealing exciting deals, and keeping the supply chain humming across international borders.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Dive into a role packed with action, from farm visits to trade show triumphs.
• Drive sales of premium fruit, close high-stakes deals, and become the go-to contact for international clients while hitting those juicy gross profit margins
• Source and procure grapes, citrus, and deciduous fruit from local heroes and global spots, building rock-solid relationships with suppliers and farmers
• Champion quality assurance by checking standards at farms, packhouses, and cold rooms – ensuring every shipment dazzles
• Master the network game: nurture ties with suppliers, distributors, and customers to keep partnerships thriving
• Tackle claims head-on, resolving quality, quantity, or safety hiccups and digging into data to spot patterns and prevent repeats
• Stay sharp on market trends, pricing shifts, exchange rates, and seasonal programmes while navigating trade laws, phytosanitary rules, and export regs
• Negotiate like a pro with growers, packhouses, and clients on terms, settlements, and payments – plus handle credit control and cost management
• Oversee supply chain logistics, from procurement to delivery timelines and inventory levels, liaising across the board
• Whip up reports, presentations, and forecasts on fruit availability, supporting the team’s big-picture moves
• Hit the road for travel to clients, trade shows, and seminars – your passport to fresh opportunities

REQUIREMENTS

• Bring your A-game with hands-on expertise in this fast-paced fruit world.
• 5+ years procuring grapes (preferred), citrus, or deciduous fruit, plus solid international trading chops including new business wins
• Deep know-how of fruit seasonality, quality standards, South African and global growers/packhouses, plus export processes, INCO terms, and regulations
• Established industry network, killer negotiation skills, and problem-solving flair to prioritise, decide fast, and meet deadlines
• Bachelor’s in Commerce, Business, International Trade, Supply Chain, Agriculture, or similar – bonus for INCO/export compliance certs
• Tech-savvy with Word, Excel, and Office; quick to adapt to new systems (Qlik a plus)
• Valid driver’s licence, clean crim record, and the drive to work independently with top communication
• Ready to make waves in the fresh fruit export adventure?