Head of Agro at SAO Group

Role Summary

• The Head of Agro Services provides strategic and operational leadership for all agricultural activities under SAO Agro, overseeing the full farm cycle—crop production, livestock management, farm operations, and sales. The role ensures high-quality output, sustainable farming practices, strong workforce supervision, and profitable commercialization of farm produce and by-products. This leader drives innovation, efficiency, and growth while mitigating risks and ensuring compliance with industry standards.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive agricultural strategy aligned with SAO Agro’s vision and SAO Group’s overall goals.
• Lead the end-to-end management of farm operations including crop production, livestock systems, inputs, mechanization, and harvest cycles.
• Develop and implement annual production plans, budgets, and resource allocation strategies.
• Introduce best-practice farming methods, modern technologies, and sustainable agriculture models.
• Identify and develop useful partnerships with different market players
• Identify growth opportunities in crop and livestock production, Agro-processing and Agriculture advisory Services.

Farm Management & Workforce Supervision

• Oversee all aspects of farm operations for various agricultural projects, including production, processing, and sales within the framework of SAPZ (Special Agricultural Processing Zones).
• Oversee daily farm activities, ensuring quality, productivity, and compliance with health and safety standards.
• Manage and mentor farm supervisors, technical staff, and farm laborers to ensure high performance and accountability.
• Set operational procedures and performance targets for all farm activities.

Risk Management & Compliance

• Identify, evaluate, and mitigate risks in crop farming, livestock, logistics, storage, disease control, and environmental factors.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, identify new technologies, and implement innovative practices that enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability.
• Monitor biosecurity, food safety standards, and regulatory compliance.
• Develop contingency plans to address operational disruptions and climate-related risks.
• Implement climate-smart, sustainable agriculture practices to optimize yields and environmental stewardship.

Business Development & Commercialization

• Partner with Business Development and marketing to find potential market for farm produce, livestock products, and farm waste (manure, by-products, etc.).
• Establish profitable market linkages, partnerships, and off-taker agreements.
• Analyze trends to improve pricing, product quality, and revenue streams.

Data, Reporting & Performance Tracking

• Conducting financial analyses, including cost-benefit analyses, profitability assessment, and risk management, to determine the financial feasibility and sustainability of various agribusiness activities of our projects.
• Maintain detailed farm records and operational data to drive decision-making.
• Provide periodic performance reports on production, sales, costs, and profitability.
• Use data insights to refine techniques and boost operational efficiency.

Stakeholder engagement

• Strengthen relationships with government ministries (Federal & State), farmers’ cooperatives, DFIs, agritech innovators, and investors.
• Represent SAO Agro at national and international forums.
• Build trust with host communities across Nigeria to secure broad support.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, Animal Science, Agronomy, Agricultural Economics, or related fields.
• Master’s Degree (preferred).
• 15+ years’ experience managing large-scale farm operations (crop & livestock).
• Proven expertise in full farm cycle management—from land preparation to harvest and sales.
• Strong understanding of farm risk management, biosecurity, climate challenges, and market dynamics.
• Experience supervising large farm teams and managing multi-site operations.
• Strong business acumen and experience in sales, distribution, and farm product commercialization.

Key Competencies

• Excellent leadership and people-management skills
• Strong analytical and planning capabilities
• Hands-on knowledge of modern farming technologies and practices
• Commercial awareness and negotiation skills
• Problem-solving & decision-making
• High integrity and professionalism