Commercial Field Agronomist

Overview:


About PepsiCo


PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $79 billion in net revenue in 2021, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.


Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive (pep+). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people.


In South Africa (SA), you will find our products across the region at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. At the gym or on the field. In the office or on the go. We refresh, restore, and rejuvenate our consumers all day, every day with our key brands including Simba, Lay's, Liqui Fruit and Bokomo range of cereals. PepsiCo SA employs more than 13, 000 people across our three business divisions: Bakeries, Grains, Foods, Fruit, Snacks, Juice & Beverages. For more information, visit

Responsibilities:

What we're looking for: We're looking for a Commercial Field Agronomist based at Isando Plant Snacks. Succesful candidate will provide Agronomic leadership and technical growing support to Pioneer Oats growers and to Simba potato growers. Roll out revised agricultural best practices to new and existing growers to support IPS product design. Responsible for production information capturing, volume forecasting and the successful integration of new proprietary varieties within the BU’s agronomy productivity agenda.


  • Responsible for educating growers on latest agronomic practices that drive best in class small grain and potato quality, increased yields, reduce foreign objects, inspects and recommend farmer washing/grading operations and equipment.
  • Develop, implement and maintain good handling practices for potatoes to ensure high quality potatoes from field and storage to the factory.
  • Develop, implement and maintain good harvesting practices for Oats to ensure high quality potatoes from field and storage to the mill.
  • Provide growers with best in class, specialist agronomic support to deliver improved quality, monitor crop performance (SmartAgro) and implement sustainable improvements across all growers and growing regions.
  • Provide regional Agro management with monthly commercial crop volume estimates compared to contracted volumes, forecast crop losses where it occur, and/or identify potential supply risks in order to effectively plan for “short/over-supply” for commercial contract periods.
  • Interact with production schedulers regularly, Quality representatives , FLM’s and Operations Managers where needed to facilitate effective management of the supply chain from farm to production.
  • Facilitate the successful integration of potato varieties into SA Program (identify suitable fields and areas for field trials, monitor fields and crop progress regularly, monitor crop quality, arrange plant trials and jointly collate and analyze conversion and consumer performance).
  • Assist Agro Manager in selecting regional strategic planting areas and farmers that will minimize risk and maximize productivity.
  • Facilitate and execute research projects (new plant materials, fertilizers and chemical, planting and irrigation practices), which will contribute positively to sustainability and productivity programs.
  • Stay updated with latest/best available technology in the agricultural industry in order to be able to assist farmers in making informed decisions.
  • Drive practices that stem from the Pep Positive agenda by drawing up and excecuting plans against Regenerative and Sustainable Agriculture
  • Ensure that all farmers and supply adheres the SQA requirements
Qualifications:
  • Specialist Agronomical Knowledge of Small Grain and/or Potato Crop, with emphasis on quantity and quality forecasting (Preferably B.Sc. (Agric) degree or Diploma in agriculture).
  • Knowledge and experience of agricultural industry (5 + years).
  • Good technical and planning skills.
  • High level of computer literacy.
  • Bilingual
  • Experience in the processing sector would be an advantage.
  • Experience in Agronomy related food safety programs.
  • Experience in Logistics would be beneficial.
Back to blog

Other Jobs To Apply

No other job posts for this day.

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...