Job Description

Rainbow is a fully integrated broiler producer, leading the industry in all stages of chicken production from farm to fork. They are involved in every step of the process delivering fresh, frozen and further processed chicken of superior quality.

Rainbow is currently seeking an Hatchery Manager. The role will be based in Carolina. The successful candidate will be required to manage the operations and resources of a Hatchery including equipment and man load and to set the maximum number of
eggs with maximum hatchability to ensure the highest standards are met and produce good quality chicks at the lowest cost.

Minimum requirements

• Degree or Diploma in Agriculture (3 years)
• Valid Code EB drivers' license
• Minimum of 5 years in a similar environment,
• 3 years Grand Parent Production experience will be advantageous.
• Hatchery production
• Agricultural and hatchery operations and processes
• Labour relations, legislation and procedures
• ISO, health and safety and environmental legislation
• National Best practices standards
• Systems for SHERQ
• Plant and animal organisms
• Business and management principles
• Mechanical design, uses, repairs and maintenance

Duties and responsibilities

Production Management

• Develop and implement policies and practices for the operation of the Hatchery to ensure attainment of goals and profitable operation.
• Conduct operational planning for future production including planning equipment and supply needs, production and work schedules.
• Through the planner, arrange with Farmers to supply eggs or obtain eggs form company-owned flocks.
• Direct and coordinate, through subordinate supervisory personnel, hatchery activities such as:
• Receiving and preparing eggs for incubation (egg candling, sorting and traying).
• Incubating eggs.
• Hatching eggs.
• Sorting, grading, vaccinating and shipping chicks.
• Ensure the highest standard fertile eggs are set to optimize chick production.
• Manage cold room stock and egg rotation.
• Ensure the correct number of eggs are set per week as per the plan provided by the Agricultural Planner.
• Prepare hatching schedules for chicks considering such factors as planning targets and hatchery facilities and equipment.
• Monitor thermometers, gauges and chart recorders to detect equipment malfunctions and to verify compliance with incubator temperature and ventilation standards.
• Supervise the adjustment of controls to maintain specified incubating conditions.
• Periodically inspect eggs in incubator trays to ascertain hatching progress, and order the removal of chicks.
• Observe the packing of chicks to verify adherence to shipping instructions and oversees the distribution of chickens.
• Supervise all operations relating to stock control, disinfection, and maintenance of incubators.
• Ensure that stand by electricity generators, water- and air-cooling systems, cold storerooms and compressors used in the
• production of quality day old chicks assure optimum biosecurity.
• Control the status of vaccines and eh logistics associated with the vaccination syringes and the care of sterilizers, staff training on efficient and safe vaccination procedures and environmentally friendly waste disposal.
• Plan, organize and supervise the bio-security and management practices for profitable production of quality chicks under safe and hygienic conditions.
• Interpret hatchery records and genetic data on chicks and make any necessary operational adjustments.
• Analyse and prepare reports on hatchery activities, such as chick production.
• Prepare reports on chick production and incubation parameters such as temperature, humidity, ventilation, turning and
• controlling the stock and cold storage of vaccines.
• Ensure that the ventilation and lighting systems are working properly to enable correct levels of production output.
• Ensure the submission of samples to the laboratory (blood, water, dust, mortality and feed) as required by best operating practices to enable proactive management of potential health issues.
• Ensure that all mortalities are removed from the chicken sheds as per best operating procedure and removed from site on a daily basis to prevent potential contamination and bio-security issues.
• Manage the vaccination process to ensure immunizations and vaccinations are done in time and according to the RPM,
• BOP and veterinary specifications.
• Ensure that hygiene standards are maintained through fumigation in accordance with BOP.
• Ensure that the egg bank is balanced.

Information, data management and reporting

• Use relevant information from Agric cubes and Mtech to analyze and to make the right decisions with regards to operational management and costs.
• Maintain and report management information to the Regional Agriculture Manager.
• Ensure all checks are performed and recorded on the correct documents.
• Conduct weekly review meetings with Hatchery Foreman and the Maintenance Artisan.
• Report on mortality and health status of chicks.
• Report on flock performance, MTech systems, vaccination programme and total hatchery supply chain.
• Report all variances in relation to standard, egg numbers, quality of eggs and fertility.

Budget and cost control

• Provide input into and utilize the financial budget optimally.
• Ensure the hatchery meets budgetary targets by working within the agreed financial boundaries.
• Manage immoveable and moveable operational assets to ensure optimal usage in line with best production practice.
• Provide input into annual CAPEX requirements and implement approved CAPEX programmes.
• Motivate required CAPEX and major maintenance projects.
• Manage fixed and loose assets.
• Take accountability for buying and stores requisitions.
• Manage key and cost control.
• Oversee that diesel and coal control is utilized optimally.
• Manage the housing register.

Administration

• Ensure that daily incubation data is captured accurately and promptly into the information system daily.
• Place and follow up on orders well in advance of potential shortages.
• Ensure that daily, weekly and monthly reports are comprehensive and submitted on time to enable effective decision-making and proactive trend analysis.
• Ensure that daily utility meter readings (water/gas/electricity) are taken and communicated to the relevant administration clerk.
• Monitor and record feed levels on a daily basis to enable the calculation of relevant statistics.
• Ensure that immovable and movable asset registers are updated monthly.

Team Supervision

• With support from HR and the Regional Agricultural Manager, employ hatchery staff in vacant and approved posts.
• Supervise the activities of the team to ensure production targets are met.
• Coach and support team members where necessary to achieve individual hatchery and strategic objectives.
• Manage leave and general time management issues in line with company policy.
• Authorize all time sheets and attendance registers on a daily basis.
• Authorize leave application forms and submit them to the relevant clerk when necessary
• Comply with employment equity legislation within the team to ensure that representivity is achieved at all levels and hat statutory targets and requirements are met.
• Implement training and development plans for the team as agreed with the Regional Agricultural Manager.
• Manage the employee relations climate and ensure corrective action is taken where required in line with legislation and company policy.
• Chair or initiate disciplinary hearings as needed according to RPM standards.
• Conduct regular performance appraisals with subordinates and ensure that the process is cascaded throughout the hatchery team.

Bio-security Management

• Ensure that protective clothing is always available and clean for staff and visitors.
• Ensure that staff and visitors always shower when entering and exiting.
• Ensure that all material that enters the site is fumigated.
• Apply all other bio-security standards in accordance with BOP and the RPM.
• Ensure that effective rodent control measures are in place.
• Ensure that cleanout and housekeeping are done properly (ie. The hatchery is properly washed and sanitized at cleanout, lawn and grass under the fencing is kept short, drains on site are kept clean, all waste and debris from the site is removed and buildings on site are properly maintained.
• Ensure that all security procedures are adhered to and that access doors and gates are locked at all times to prevent unauthorized and unmonitored access.

Hatchery compliance

• Ensure the hatchery and all its operations comply with all relevant TQMS, health and safety and environmental requirements as well as legal requirements relating to fire breaks, water usage and effluent management.
• Implement and ensure compliance with the national best operation practices.
• Ensure that Alexander Forbes and KFC standards are maintained and enforced.

Maintenance

• Ensure maintenance of areas that require specialist attention.
• Resolve daily maintenance and urgent maintenance issues in conjunction with the responsible maintenance personnel.
• Test equipment and the standby generator on a weekly basis to ensure reliability and good working order.
• Test the alarms in the morning and afternoon, on a daily basis to ensure working order.
• Ensure that all breakdowns are attended to immediately.
• Ensure that assets, plant and equipment are appropriately maintained to ensure that the operate at a optimum level.
• Manage the implementation of capital and major maintenance projects.
• Order or arrange for purchases of equipment and supplies, such as brooders, incubators, feeds and medicines.
• Maintain the hatchery grounds

Closing Date: 13 February 2024

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