Rainbow – Talent Pool – June

To apply, click on the link at the end of the posts and all the best with your applications

Talent Pool Advert: Calling all Poultry Industry experts

Click here to apply

Commercial Manager – Talent Pool (Multi-Region & Business Unit) 

For decades, Rainbow Chicken has been a trusted name in South Africa’s poultry industry — known for quality, resilience, and innovation. As we continue to grow, we’re looking for exceptional leaders to help shape the next chapter of our journey.

This opportunity is part of our Management Talent Pool — a proactive initiative to identify and engage top talent ahead of future leadership needs. While there may not be an immediate vacancy, joining the talent pool means you’ll be considered for upcoming roles aligned to your skills and experience as they arise.

If you’re passionate about driving excellence, sustainability, and feeding the nation, we invite you to express interest and become part of our pipeline for future leadership opportunities.

Requirements:

• B.Com, CIMA or CA(SA)
• 5–10 years’ experience in commercial and financial roles within agriculture, processing, or manufacturing
• People management and some exposure to processing or manufacturing environments

Key Responsibilities:
Budgeting and Forecasting

• Coordinate annual budgeting and quarterly forecasting for regional agricultural operations, raw meat, processing, and services
• Liaise with processing teams to coordinate the budget process
• Consolidate regional Agriculture budgets and forecasts
• Ensure departmental budgets and forecasts are completed and reasonable in relation to prior periods and economic indicators
• Manage budget and forecasting timetables
• Prepare the annual budget and quarterly forecast pack for the Commercial Executive
• Report budgets and forecasts according to formats supplied by National Office
• Interpret final budget and forecast outcomes to ensure alignment with strategic objectives and initiate changes where necessary
• Coordinate and consolidate regional budgets and forecasts
• Own budgeting, forecasting and performance reporting processes
• Reforecasting, budgeting, and business model updates

Capex Management

• Identify capex opportunities to unlock profit within the context of Group capex requirements and strategy
• Prepare and follow up on capex motivations and workflows
• Prepare post-capex reviews
• Review capex applications to ensure ROI requirements are met
• Comply with capex applications and procure-to-payment processes
• Evaluate capex vs. maintenance decisions using company guidelines and accounting practices
• Attend capex meetings to ensure financial aspects of projects are adhered to
• Lead ROI analysis and prioritisation of capex projects

Reporting and KPI Management

• Compile monthly reporting packs of operational results vs. budget
• Report key performance indicators daily, weekly, and monthly
• Analyse cost centre cost variance reports and MACS variance reports
• Review daily, weekly, and monthly KPI reports for accuracy and timeliness
• Measure, analyse, and explain KPI fluctuations and variances
• Consolidate monthly commentary for submission to the Commercial Executive
• Report financial performance of the regional agriculture function monthly
• Report on strategic commercial scenarios
• Prepare stock movement summaries
• Review cycle costing and provide feedback to the Agriculture team
• Review preliminary GL reports to ensure accurate cost allocation
• Deliver accurate monthly results, commentary and KPI tracking
• Month-end reporting, journal entries, accruals, reconciliations, and KPI dashboards
• Consolidate reporting and management packs
• Distribution of reports and tracking
• Board report compilation and stakeholder coordination
• Deliver accurate month-end results and board-level reporting

Product Costing and Margin Improvement

• Maintain close working relationships with the National Management Accounting team
• Continuously analyse and audit standard costs to reflect actual production processes
• Benchmark standard feed costs
• Analyse actual vs. standard cost variances monthly
• Liaise with regional sales teams to communicate cost changes
• Track product and customer profit margins monthly
• Review and provide insight into proposed changes to product costs
• Review calculations of approved product costing changes
• Monitor and review post-launch impact of product costing changes

Cost Control and Financial Management

• Analyse costs against budget/forecast and investigate variances monthly
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and influence corrective action
• Manage costs within budget and forecast constraints
• Provide input to drive efficiency optimization in plant environments
• Report regularly on actual KPIs vs. budget
• Authorise expenses within authority limits
• Implement and encourage cost management initiatives
• Mitigate business risks within budget constraints
• Manage external supplier relationships and contracts
• Review and authorise contract grower payments
• Set and document egg prices and depleted breeder prices
• Identify and eliminate inefficiencies across regions and divisions
• Drive group initiatives
• Review and authorise workflows, purchase orders, cost allocations, journals
• Ensure robust stock control and variance analysis
• Financial review and management
• Overhead review and management

Regional Planning and Commercial Insight

• Support regional planners in mix optimization
• Provide commercial insight into mix changes
• Liaise with Head of Value Add and Commercial Executive
• Coordinate investigations and audits
• Provide strategic input on new projects, processes, cost and pricing
• Apply financial modelling and scenario analysis
• Engage with internal and external stakeholders

Stock Control

• Investigate raw material and finished goods stock variances
• Assess stock control procedures
• Ensure robust stock control and variance analysis
• Inventory aging and tariff submissions

Information and Data Management

• Ensure team members accurately and regularly capture data
• Share relevant data with management teams

Functional Strategy into Action Contribution

• Work with Commercial Executive, Head of Value Add, Regional Agriculture Executive, and Regional Director
• Communicate operational capacity, asset utilization, and capex requirements
• Work closely with cross-functional teams
• Suggest improvements to the annual Strategy into Action plan
• Ensure agreed SIA is implemented
• Co-create and implement commercial strategy
• Translate strategic targets into operational plans
• Drive integrated commercial alignment

Staff Management

• Lead and develop staff in line with labour legislation
• Monitor staff performance and provide feedback
• Manage staff activities and service levels
• Coach and support staff
• Manage staff leave and time management
• Deliver on succession plans
• Champion training and development
• Conduct regular performance appraisals
• Establish labour organizing and communication structures
• Lead the team toward strategy and target achievement
• Drive employment equity
• Develop and manage high-performance multidisciplinary teams
• Conduct regular meetings and ensure delivery of action plans
• Lead and develop a high-performance commercial team
• Drive succession planning, training and performance management
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement

Contract Grower Management

• Prepare contract grower payments
• Set grower standards for cycle payments
• Measure and explain grower KPI fluctuations
• Communicate cycle payments and variables to growers

Governance and Self-Management

• Ensure adherence to ethical standards and RPM requirements
• Report and escalate non-compliance
• Take ownership and demonstrate effective self-management
• Maintain quality and productivity standards
• Communicate risks and missed deadlines
• Manage expectations and support team goals
• Ensure compliance with IFRS, tax legislation and internal controls
• Lead post-implementation reviews and audit readiness

Operational Tasks (Monthly, Weekly, Ad Hoc)

• Month-end reporting, journal entries, accruals, reconciliations, and KPI dashboards
• Time table management
• Journal and month end close processes
• Financial review and management
• Overhead review and management
• Consolidate reporting and management packs
• Distribution of reports and tracking
• Board report compilation and stakeholder coordination
• Reforecasting, budgeting, and business model updates
• Imports, insurance, inventory aging, and tariff submissions
• Ad hoc support to Finance Exec and senior leadership

Click here to apply

Technical Manager – Talent Pool (Epol)

For decades, Rainbow Chicken has been a trusted name in South Africa’s poultry industry — known for quality, resilience, and innovation. As we continue to grow, we’re looking for exceptional leaders to help shape the next chapter of our journey.

This opportunity is part of our Management Talent Pool — a proactive initiative to identify and engage top talent ahead of future leadership needs. While there may not be an immediate vacancy, joining the talent pool means you’ll be considered for upcoming roles aligned to your skills and experience as they arise.

If you’re passionate about driving excellence, sustainability, and feeding the nation, we invite you to express interest and become part of our pipeline for future leadership opportunities.

Requirements:

• 3-year Degree, preferably Bsc Agriculture Animal Science
• 6 Years experience in a technical or nutrition environment

Key Responsibilities:

Contributes to Functional Strategy into Action

• Provides input into Business Unit strategy, based on a 5 year view of requirements.
• Provides input to annual functional “Strategy in to Action, and executes annual objectives for Technical department.
• Provides input and contributes to the relationship between cross functional mill management team, driving formulation and quality team outputs   in order to ensure service delivery.

• Provides input into National Technical Team by keeping up to date with the latest trends and developments in animal nutrition.
• Provides input to support integrated supply chain delivery through interaction with cross functional regional teams

Operations Management

• Supports Operations asset productivity through agreed KPIs and efficiencies.
• Reports on a weekly basis on actual technical KPI’s versus budget and works with team to address the areas of non conformance or concern proactively and timeously.

Raw Materials and Finished Goods Management

• Supports Business Unit raw material stock against target levels in order to ensure both financial and production requirements are met by:
  Supplying accurate monthly raw material requirements to central procurement and Raw Material Planner.
• Supports regional processing team to ensure PBY volume, quality and nutrients are maximised within region.
• Provides technical support to Feed Mill Manager and Raw Material Planner with regard to Macro and Micro raw material usage and variance analysis.
• Manages Mixer meal, Rework and Sweeper log.

Management of Safety Health Environment, Risk and Quality (SHEQ) 

• Guides the technical team to ensure that all legislative and Industry standards are achieved and timeous action is taken where required to ensure that there are no areas of noncompliance in terms of the act pertaining to farm feeds.
• Measures and manages sustainability practices within area of responsibility.
• Drives technical department occupational health and safety compliance to all relevant legal requirements.
• Drives the adherence and maintenance of ISO 9000/22 000/14 000/ 18 000 standards within the Total Integrated Management System by:
  Chairing the Feed Safety and Quality Committee meetiing
  Promoting  documentation required within the TIMS, is maintained and applied consistently throughout the Business Unit

Drives inbound, outbound and in–process quality control by-

•  Co-ordinating the Site Hygiene Program measuring TEC and reacting on any variances.
• Establishing and co-ordinating quality control and laboratory processes as per the TIMS and reacting on non conforming product.
  • This includes outbound, inbound and in-process product.
•  Co-ordinating submissions of feed and raw material samples to both central and external laboratories and the interpretation and reaction to results.     
• Supports traceability through process documentation and effective sample archiving.
• Suggesting innovative methods to continually improve quality control and laboratory processes.
• Ensures site and manufacturing process meets feed safety standards

Manages optimal nutrient delivery to the supply chain and external customers by

• Controlling Raw material matrix to ensure optimal nutrients in finished feed and least cost formulations.      
• Matching formula ingredient make-up to plant restrictions and expected quality parameters.
• Controlling optimal nutrient in finished feed, optimal performance for agric
• and external customers and medication in feeds in line with legal requirements.   
• Managing on site laboratory and QA facility and equipment to ensure accurate results and optimal equipment life cycle.

Customer Service Management

• Drives technical customer service through KPI and efficiency achievement.
• Collaborates with regional sales team on strategic technical customer liaison.
• Supports Rainbow Agricultural  Division by  conducting farm visits and contributing to the monthly supply chain technical meeting.

Provide Leadership

• Leads technical team towards meeting strategy and targets – through regular communication and utilisation of full organisational talent management tool set.
• Champions training and development of technical team through utilising available training opportunities or contributing to the development of new training solutions in collaboration with regional and national training specialists.
• Conducts regular performance appraisals with subordinates and ensure that the process is cascaded throughout the technical team.
• Conducts technical meetings and ensure that records are kept and shared across the team and that action plans agreed to within team meetings are delivered upon.  Ensures all other relevant technical meetings take place.
• Manages technical employee relations climate and ensure corrective action is taken where required in line with relevant legislation and company policy.

Financial Management

• Reports on and manages all input costs within Technical department and manage any budget over or under spend appropriately to ensure that issues are addressed before significant financial loss occurs.
• Liaises with Mill and financial teams regarding Reformulation variances on a monthly basis. Reacts to any variances from standard.
• Authorises Technical expenses within level of authority and monitor spending activity within teams to ensure compliance to financial and ethical standards.
• Implements and encourages cost cutting initiatives within the Technical department where these do not impact on long term business sustainability.
• Drives the process of setting budgeted feed costs and standard feed cost for the relevant mill.
• Compiles quarterly Rainbow price list.

Click here to apply

Sales Manager – Talent Pool (Epol) 

For decades, Rainbow Chicken has been a trusted name in South Africa’s poultry industry — known for quality, resilience, and innovation. As we continue to grow, we’re looking for exceptional leaders to help shape the next chapter of our journey.

This opportunity is part of our Management Talent Pool — a proactive initiative to identify and engage top talent ahead of future leadership needs. While there may not be an immediate vacancy, joining the talent pool means you’ll be considered for upcoming roles aligned to your skills and experience as they arise.

If you’re passionate about driving excellence, sustainability, and feeding the nation, we invite you to express interest and become part of our pipeline for future leadership opportunities.

Requirements:

• Relevant degree or diploma in Sales and Marketing, BSc Agriculture beneficial but not required.
• Minimum 5 years relevant experience with preferably 3 years in a management role.

Key Responsibilities:

Budgeting (Sales Operational Budget)

• Sets sales budget for feed including sales volumes and margins with a view to maximising profitability.
• Decides advertising and travelling budgets

Sales Management and Benchmarking

• Manages the sales function in accordance with budgeted objectives, volumes, margins and customer service.
• Performs planned visits to current and potential clients with the Technical/Sales Advisor
• Controls discounts given to customers in conjunction with the National Manager (Marketing & Sales)
• Analyses deviation in customer purchases
• Establishes sales areas and decides which area should be concentrated on
• Controls depot and agent sales
• Arranges and conducts sales meetings
•  Monitors volumes and margins by customer sales report
• Checks discounts ensuring they have been issued accurately
• Ensures benchmarking is done per species/customer on a monthly basis

Service and Technical Back-up to Customers

• Ensures customer queries/claims received from Technical Advisors are resolved timeously
• Provides technical support/advice to customers
• Ensures that clientele are updated on the latest developments within the technical arena

Sales Co-ordination

• Ensures that proper communication between customers and the company is maintained
• Communicates with Sales Coordinators/ Orders Clerks regarding orders/delivery issues on a daily basis
• Ensures that carry – overs and late deliveries are managed effectively

Prices

• Draws up a sales price list by taking into account the quarterly standard price list from the technical department
• Performs adjustments regarding price increases
• Manages margins
• Ensures cost effective transport is provided to external clientele

Market Research

• Establishes size of animal feed market
• Identifies type of clientele and product requirements in the animal feed market
• Sets up own market share
• Determines competitor market share
• Monitors opposition in concurrence with sales reps
• Establishes demand for specific products
• Plans and assists in the formulation of new products and product launch
• Handles complaints regarding packing material
• Advises management regarding new packing materials

Bad Debts and Credit Control

• Monitors credit control, debtor days and ensure timeous opening of accounts
• Ensures proper completion of all relevant documentation for new customers
• Makes sure representatives follow up on their customers’ monthly aged analysis and responds to problems

Staff Management and Training

• Completes travel and expense claims
• Manages weekly work plan of Technical Sales Advisors
• Establishes and sets performance goals and standards
• Ensures that Technical Sales Advisor key performance areas are kept up to date

Company Image

• Builds good customer relationships by attending shows and open days
• Arranges farmer days

Integrated Management System (IMS)

• Takes responsibility for the total IMS and adherence to ISO 9001 and 22 000 standards and requirements

Operational Management

• Manages direct report on a daily basis to ensure that the team attains the KPI’s
• Drive a culture of commitment to Key Performance Indicator’s (KPI’s) by creating awareness and providing recognition for attainment of KPI’s within the team
• Utilise regular communication channels and team meetings to promote continuous improvement and best practice
• Measures and deliver on KPI’s in terms of procurement contracts and SLA’s and motivate the team to surpass the standard to deliver overall functional strategic goals
• Participate in cross function team meetings to deliver on operational requirements and translate this into action items

Information and Data Management

• Ensure assistant accurately and regularly captures data onto the information system to enable access to reliable data and reporting for trend analysis and decision making
• Share relevant data with management teams to enable reliable business decision making

Technical Expertise

• Provide technical expertise and training to internal customers and colleagues
• Provide expertise in management team meetings and recommend solutions based on findings

Management of Safety Health Environment and Quality (SHEQ)

• Manages documentation relative to Quality Assurance and Conformance
• Updates and maintains the Approved Supplier List
• Upkeeps the contract register and pricing database as well as the stores catalogue for the region
• Completes all necessary documentation relating to ISO 2200 and “Supplier Assessment Towards Excellence”
• Supports the audit documentation conducted by YUM
• Ensure that the team implement all legislative standards and action is taken where required prevent areas of non-compliance
• Measure and manage sustainability practices within area of responsibility
• Suggest amendments to policies and practices relating to packaging and raw material ingredients to the Group Procurement Manager
• Ensure that and documentation required within the Total Quality Management system, is maintained and applied consistently throughout the region
• Action any policy and procedure training required highlighted in the training needs analysis

Financial Management

• Manage costs to ensure the optimal utilisation of assets and budgets
• Report to manager on a regular basis on actual KPI’s versus budget and work with team to address and areas of non conformance or concern proactively and timeously
• Authorises expenses within level of authority and monitor spending activity to ensure compliance to financial and ethical standards

Click here to apply

Corporate Communications Manager – Talent Pool

For decades, Rainbow Chicken has been a trusted name in South Africa’s poultry industry — known for quality, resilience, and innovation. As we continue to grow, we’re looking for exceptional leaders to help shape the next chapter of our journey.

This opportunity is part of our Management Talent Pool — a proactive initiative to identify and engage top talent ahead of future leadership needs. While there may not be an immediate vacancy, joining the talent pool means you’ll be considered for upcoming roles aligned to your skills and experience as they arise.

If you’re passionate about driving excellence, sustainability, and feeding the nation, we invite you to express interest and become part of our pipeline for future leadership opportunities.

Requirements:

• A degree or diploma in Corporate Communications (3 years)
• Valid Code EB drivers’ licence
• 3 years relevant experience in a similar environment

Key Responsibilities:

External Corporate Communications:

• Develop and manage external communications strategy that supports the overall business strategy
• Develop and manage the corporate digital communication strategy that supports the overall business strategy
• Develop and execute PR strategy that supports the overall business objectives
• Developing an external corporate communication dialogue:
  • Proactive Public relations (driving visibility of top-tier EXCO to support Rainbow vision of being industry leaders)
  • Financial Results communication (considering corporate governance & possible Company Secretary support)
  • Proactive media coverage
  • General news monitoring and response plan (including crisis management/unfavourable mentions)
• Manage internal stakeholders across BU’s (HR, Brand, Sales, Technical, Agric etc.)  to incorporate internal narrative fit for purpose (product range, catalogues, special projects/company initiatives etc.)
• Ensure narrative is driven across all Stakeholders and Comms Platforms
• Manage the organisations reputation, corporate image and ability to do business
• Manage Crisis Communication in partnership with Executive

Internal Corporate Communications:

• Develop and execute internal communication strategy that supports the overall business strategy
• Develop and execute corporate digital communication plan to drive employee engagement
• Develop in partnership with IT/Partners all internal communication platforms/channels (emailers, intranet, apps etc.)
• Engage with stakeholders to sufficiently understand relevent brief as well as set-up and follow stakeholder approval/sign-off process
• Management & coordination of Rainbow App development and full utilisation (if investment is approved)

General:

• Responsible for all design & execution of Corporate branding and Communications
• Update corporate brand centre, image/video library, library of templates
• Responsible for ensuring all communications aligns with the business communication standards, including structure, creativity, language, tone, style and terminology
• Assist with all issues relating to company branding.
• Manage Corporate Comms Budget

Cost Management:

Vigilantly monitor and control operational costs within the communications budget, seeking opportunities for cost reductions without compromising quality or service.

Performance Metrics:

• Establish and monitor operational Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to Corporate Communications Strategy
• Regularly assess and report on KPIs to ensure alignment with overall communication and business goals

People Management:
When and if there is a direct report to this role: –

• Lead and develop staff within the context of the Labour Relations Act, Employment Equity Act, Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the Skills Development Act.
• Monitor staff performance in line with the Talent Management system and provide feedback to ensure high performing teams
• Manage staff activities, ensuring service levels are met and protocols are adhered to.
• Coach and support staff where necessary to achieve objectives
• Manage and deliver on succession plans to enable the development of a future generation of leaders and specialists and ensure optimal turnover and retention levels are maintained.
• Champion staff training and development through the utilisation of available training opportunities or contributing to the development of new training solutions in collaboration with HR
• Drive employment equity within the team to ensure that diversity is achieved at all levels and that statutory targets and requirements are met.
• Conduct regular meetings and ensure that records are kept and shared across the team and that action plans agreed to within team meetings are delivered upon
• Your Assistant will need direction from you and workload regulation in line with your priority project and on-going needs.

Click here to apply

We wish you all the best with your applications