Orchard Maintenance Supervisor

Position Summary: Supervises the orchard maintenance operations including agricultural research / crop control, application of pesticides, mowing, and other cultural practices. Strives to utilize the latest IPM (Integrated Pest Management) techniques for KCOF’s effort to practice sustainable agriculture.

Primary Functions:

· Directs employees applying pesticides (herbicides and insecticides) to ensure proper methods of application to control weeds and harmful insects while preventing spray damage to the coffee plants and avoiding drift to non-target areas.

· Responsible for proper handling, reporting, and use of all pesticides to comply with Federal Worker Protection Standards (WPS), EPA regulations, and State regulations and programs.

· Uses innovative thinking to develop and implement a cost-effective and efficient pest control program using IPM techniques including cover crops, wind breaks, etc.

· Assist in implementation of Coffee Berry Borer (CBB) mitigation plan in collaboration with Pest Control Supervisor and outside agencies.

· Directs employees carrying out crop logging, ripening measurements, yield estimates, harvesting measurements, and field experiments. Analyzes results and makes recommendations.

· Responsible for accurate and timely production reports, timesheets, pesticide use reports, and other reporting as required.

· Responsible for input and tracking of pesticide usage with online, cloud-based collaborative data management platforms.

· Responsible for involvement in the preparation of annual budgets and capital expenditure requests 

· Recommends improvement projects to maximize company performance.

· Directs and coordinates the activities of subordinates to accomplish company and department objectives and goals. Responsible for selecting, training, and motivating a competent workforce.

· May assume the responsibility of Manager, Orchard Operations in his absence.

· Learns and supports other orchard operations to act as a relief supervisor if needed.

· Knowledgeable of and complies with all Federal, State, Local, and Company safety, health, and environmental regulations including Rainforest Alliance and Fair-Trade Certifications.

· Provides a safe working environment for all employees to minimize accidents and their related costs.

· Responsible for compliance with company rules and policies and with the Company/Union Agreement to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all employees.

· Assists in building a healthy, team-oriented work environment to ensure continued success of Kauai Coffee Company, LLC.

Qualifications/Skills/Knowledge Requirements:

• Requires at least a high school graduate with a two-year college degree or equivalent post-secondary training and five to seven years job experience in a related field.
• A four-year college degree in the agricultural or plant sciences is strongly preferred with two years job experience in an agricultural or horticultural environment. 
• Must possess (or receive within one year of hire) and maintain a “Certification for Private Applicators of Restricted Pesticides” license from the State of Hawaii.
• Must possess excellent administrative, personnel and communication skills and be computer literate.
• Three to five years supervisory experience preferred.