Job Description

PURPOSE OF JOB
Responsible for the physical and nutritional pig product specifications and to attend to general nutritional items with regards to these species. Act as a principle intermediate between the clients nutritional and technical organization and the Formulations Department and the International Product Manager of Animal Nutrition.
KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS
Key Responsibilities

• Develop and manage the swine feed portfolio (including pre-starters, starters, growers, finishers, and sow diets).
• Lead new product development in collaboration with nutrition, procurement, and marketing teams.
• Formulate and optimize rations and premixes in line with nutritional requirements, raw material availability, and performance goals.
• Support the sales and technical teams with on-farm problem-solving and complaint resolution.
• Analyse production and performance data to identify opportunities for improvement and differentiation.
• Conduct competitor benchmarking and market intelligence gathering.
• Deliver technical training to internal sales teams and external customers.
• Collaborate with R&D teams locally and globally for innovation and best practices.

Nutrition
Manage the physical and nutritional specifications of pig products by:

• Monitoring and documenting feed production in line with legislation.
• Product registrations with the Department of Agriculture.
• Define standards for physical quality and feed structure for each feed mill and monitoring these quality standards by visiting mills regularly.
• Manage the requests for Standard Special Products (SSPs) for pigs. Approve these for production when required.
• Investigate and analyze customer complaints in accordance with the Customer Action Requests (CAR) and Non-Conformance Requests (NCR) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Both for the market and production.

Management of the pig feed ranges and individual products:

• Nutritional specifications of the standard feed ranges

• Nutritional specifications of custom diets, concentrates and macro packs.

• Review Global R&D reports for application in local feed ranges.

• Set up and manage local product trials if required.

• Frequent Product Manager meetings with the International Product Manager and the Formulations Department.
• Writing of technical articles for local and international company newsletters.
• Networking with:

• Breeding companies

• Veterinarians and animal health organisations

• Suppliers of feed additives and enzymes

• Customers, AFMA Technical Committee, AFMA Regulatory Committee

• Attending technical meetings and conferences where relevant.

• Manage raw material bounds to help realize margin budget.
• Create and maintain technical database (Library).
• Coordinate visits from International Pig Product Manager.

Purchase
Supporting and assisting Purchasing Department with:

• Decisions on specialised raw materials such as premixes, animal by-products, oils and grains for nutritional quality, physical quality, stability, and trustworthiness of supplier when required.
• In the quality audits of suppliers when required.

Sales
Provide nutritional support to the sales team:-

• By giving commercial answers and information to sales staff and customers.
• Do desk research if required.
• Give training to sales staff as required.
• Technical legal compliance support for advertising materials such as leaflets, brochures and bags.
• Assist with trouble shooting on farms when required.
• Formulate complete diets, concentrates and macro packs for special markets. Sell and support these products.
• Collect and analyze nutritional information and products on competitors.
• Monitor and analyze data on the technical and economic performance of our products and those of competitors in the field.
• Maintain Pig Sector plans in coordination with Sales and the International Product Manager

Production
Assist Production by:

• Investigate, when required, production matters concerning:

product variations in raw materials, nutrients, physical quality, ext. * Maintain the contamination protocols in conjunction with the Quality Manager. This will include updated contamination tables and production sequencing.

• Recoding of damaged or returned product into redress, sweepings or into another product code.

Marketing
Assist Marketing by:

• Planning with the Sales Team to write 2 articles each during the year on agreed topics.
• Providing information required to update the Website product profiles and articles.
• Providing information for social media posts.
• Planning farmers days.
• Supporting student days.

Knowledge, Qualifications & Experience

• BSc Agric / BSc Animal Science (Minimum) in animal husbandry
• MSc in Animal Nutrition (Advantageous)
• Possession of a valid code 08/EB drivers license
• Registered as an Animal Nutritionist (SANASP, Pri.Sci.Nat)
• 5 Years experience in a Swine Nutrition & Feed formulation
• Strong Understanding of the South African feed market, including raw materials dynamic
• Hands on on-farm experience in managing swine health, performance and growth challenges
• Practical experience with formulation software (eg. format, Bestmix, Brill)
• Ability to troubleshoot and resolve technical complaints related to nutrition, feed quality and on-farm performance.

Skills

• Problem solving and decision-making skills
• Conflict handling skills
• Communication and influencing skills
• Relationship building and team leadership skills
• Quality Awareness
• Computer skills (MS Office)
• Written communication skills
• Negotiation and Selling skills

Behaviours

• Positive, pro-active, results-driven attitude
• Innovative
• Highly ethical and principle-driven
• Committed, dedicated, motivated
• Self-starter and follow-though
• Energy, drive, courage and tenacity
• Required to work with minimum supervision

Adverse Working Conditions

• Travel and extended work hours from time to time

Skills Required