Dairy Product Manager Pastures

PURPOSE OF JOB

Responsible for the physical and nutritional product specifications and to attend to general nutritional items with regards to the species assigned.  Act as a principle intermediate between the De Heus South African nutritional and technical organization and the Formulations department and the international product manager of De Heus Animal Nutrition in The Netherlands. 
As Product / Junior Manager this position leads, coordinates and facilitates general product manager aspects items. 

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS 

Innovation

• Drive innovation in product development and customer service to maintain a competitive edge.

Legislation and Compliance

• Monitor and document legislation regarding feed production to ensure De Heus SA adheres to all regulations.
• Manage product registrations with the Department of Agriculture.
• Advise the Operations and Quality departments on contamination protocols, including updating contamination tables and production sequencing.

Quality Standards

• Define and monitor standards for physical quality and feed structure for each feed mill in collaboration with the International Formulation department of De Heus.
• Approval /Rejection of any feed that is produced over / under the nutrient requirement
• Create and maintain lists of standards, special, and medicated feeds, approving them for production as necessary.
• Analyse and investigate feed-related complaints in accordance with CAR, NCR, and SOPs, addressing issues both in the market and production.
• Management of product assortment and rations:
• Nutritional requirements of custom mixed feed, concentrates and macro packs.
• Nutritional requirements of standard De Heus assortments.
• Review R&D reports for application in local product assortments.
• Organize local product trials if needed.
• Assist / coordinate with stake holders to always have an updated mill factory passport.
• Ensure products specifications is always correct in Best Mix 

Product Development

• Develop and maintain the product assortment and rations, ensuring nutritional requirements for custom-mixed feed, concentrates, and macro packs.
• Ensure compliance with custom mix product legislation.
• Collaborate with the De Heus Technical Research team on the development of the premix range, advising the procurement department on product differences and research on minerals and vitamins.
• Formulate feeds, concentrates, and macro packs for special markets. Sell and support these products.
• Advising Pricing Department of value-added concepts to realize additional margin on value-added products.
• Advising Pricing Dept of difference between product portfolio and monitoring on a regular basis.

Collaboration and Communication

• Conduct regular product managers meetings with international product managers, the International Formulation department, and Regional Marketing Managers.
• Coordinate visits from International Product Managers.
• Write technical articles for local and international company newsletters and product-focused media articles for local marketing campaigns.
• Create and maintain technical database (Library).

Networking

• Network with breeding organizations, veterinarians, animal health organizations, suppliers of feed additives and enzymes, customers, and industry groups
• Attend relevant technical meetings and conferences.

Product Optimization

• Ensure optimal cost and quality ratios of products to meet margin budgets set by annual company budgets
• Evaluate and compare relevant raw material analyses with Bestmix matrix values, advising on necessary changes to formulations, production, and quality departments.
• Evaluate and compare product analyses with Bestmix product specification values, advising on necessary changes to formulations, production, and quality departments.

Purchase

• Supporting purchase decisions for specialized raw materials like for example premixes, animal grain by products, oils and grains for nutritional quality, physical quality, stability, trustworthiness of supplier when required.
• Supporting quality audits of suppliers when required. 

Sales Support and Customer Interaction

• Writing of specie sector plan when required
• Do necessary desk research to stay on top of nutritional developments
• Advising/monitoring in conjunction with Regional Sales Managers monthly margins per specie/product and per customer. Reporting of any deviance to National Sales Manager and Pricing Dept for further investigation
• Nutritional support to sales by giving commercial answers and information to sales staff and customers. Do desk research if necessary.
• Give required training to sales staff and ensure sales staff is well trained on nutritional concepts
• Assist the sales team in understanding and communicating product benefits and technical specifications to customers.
• Regular farm visits with sales TAs in different areas,
• Regular Key customers per region / Mill on a quarterly basis
• Quarterly visits to each Mill and sales team
• Trouble shooting on farms level.
• Evaluations and completion of CAR/NCR and financial claims 

Training and Development 

• Evaluation of new Technical Advisors after 3 and 6 months of employment, submitting motivation if they are competent
• Technical legal compliance support to marketing office in terms of advertising materials like for example leaflets, brochures and bags
• Coordinate nutritional training for technical specialists / TA’s and
• Organize visits from international product managers.
• Coordinate and give training to Sales team when required.
• Introduction and training to sales team when new products are implemented
• Ensure that all training registers are signed and supplied to HR on time after training

Market and Competitive Analysis

• Collect and analyse nutritional information and products on competitors. Use this information to benchmark De Heus products and advise on conclusions. Initiate required actions and improvements for De Heus products to become market leader in the sector.
• Monitor and analyse data on technical and economic performance of our products and those of competitors at our customers

Customer Engagement

• Customer Relationship Management: Develop and maintain strong relationships with key customers to understand their needs and preferences.
• Customer Feedback: Gather and analyse customer feedback to continuously improve product offerings.
• Customer Focus: Maintain a strong customer focus in all activities to ensure high levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Supplier Engagement

• Engage with Premix / Additive companies to stay abreast on latest mineral / vitamin/ additive research and benefits  

Production

• When required investigate production matters concerning:
  Product variations (raw materials, nutrients, physical quality, etc)
• Recoding damaged or returned products into redress, sweepings or into another product codes.
• Compiling of the correct feed structure criteria on products
• Ensure / monitoring of correct feed structure on a continuous basis
• Quality control checks at the time the mill is visited and reporting to National Sales Manager and Quality Manager any deviations from the quality protocols or work instructions 

Marketing Strategy

• Advice the marketing committee / National Sales manager / Regional Sales managers on marketing strategies related to the specific animal sector in different regions that can possibly add value to the profitability of the company
• Conduct regular market analysis to understand trends, demands, and competitive landscape in the market.
• Determine with the marketing committee key performance areas in the marketing of these products, in terms of distribution channels, logistics and determine a national marketing strategy. 

Marketing Tools and programs

• Initiate / develop and maintain tools to assist TA’s in delivering on farm added services
• Liaise and co-ordinate the addition of these tools to De Heus web-based platforms
• Regular update and maintenance of these programs

Knowledge, Qualifications & Experience

• University degree:  B.Sc M.sc Animal Nutrition (Focus Ruminants)
• Possession of a valid code 08/EB drivers license
• Holds a SACNASP registration
• 5 Years experience in a Feed Mill environment / Nutrition Field
• Knowledge in animal husbandry and nutrition
• Knowledge and understanding of linear programming and least cost formulation is required
• An understanding of  HACCP and ISO 22 000 quality systems would be advantageous

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-through
• Energy, drive, courage and tenacity
• Required to work with minimum supervision

Adverse Working Conditions

• Travel and extended work hours from time to time.

Applicants must submit a comprehensive CV, with work-related references to hrsa@deheus.com

Closing date:   30 November 2025

Please note that only applicants who meet the stipulated minimum requirements will be considered. If you have not been contacted within 2 weeks of the closing date, kindly consider your application unsuccessful. De Heus reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised.