CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
RWANDA FARMER’S COFFE COMPANY / GORILLA’S COFFEE
JOB DESCRIPTION
December 2022
WHO WE ARE
Rwanda Farmers Coffee Company (RFCC) is Rwanda’s leading roasted coffee producer, best known for its Gorilla’s Coffee line of products.
With its state-of-the-art roasting machinery, RFCC has the capacity to produce three tons of roasted coffee per day. The company is roasting, grinding, and packing 100% Arabica coffee, as well as distributing its new instant coffee line. RFCC’s ability to produce high volumes of consistent quality roast profiles makes the company an ideal supplier of freshly roasted high-end quality coffee in the domestic, regional, and international markets.
RFCC was incorporated in 2009, and its coffee roasting facility in Kigali was commissioned in 2014. RFCC is the first company privatized in the Government of Rwanda’s new privatization approach. As the company looks to its next phase of growth, we seek a new CEO to lead the expansion.
RFCC conducts itself based on the core principles of fair trade and community growth and support and prides itself on its uncompromising commitment to its workforce, communities, trade partners, and customers and the quality of its coffee.
THE ROLE
RFCC CEO oversees the organization’s entire operational, sales, and financial strategies, processes, and procedures. He/she sets the operational execution path for the company’s vision and works with the full team to realize the company’s strategic, operational and financial goals. The CEO reports to the RFCC Board of Directors. The position is full-time, based in Kigali, Rwanda. The CEO is expected to be on premises during business days, unless traveling for, or otherwise engaged in, corporate business elsewhere.
The CEO’s main responsibilities include:
Strategic direction
- Implementing and realizing the strategic direction as set by the Board of Directors
- Regularly evaluating the company performance and financial position and results against the business plan, operational goals, and revenue targets and adjusting ways of working to enable optimal performance
Organizational and operational management
- Engaging full responsibility and accountability for all company operations
- Supporting optimized operational processes
- Driving operational growth. This includes building and managing operations in new territories and countries.
- Ensuring food safety and compliance and keeping all certifications up to date
- Ensuring the health and safety of company employees
- Build, plan, and optimize the warehouse for growth
- Overseeing all equipment sourcing, maintenance, planning, and parts inventory
- Identifying opportunities for reducing spend and maximizing revenue
- Review and advise on contracts for suppliers, contractors, and staff
Financial management
- Oversee management of all financial processes
- Ensure strong financial controls and profitability
- Manage all taxes and regulations, and ensure RFCC is in compliance with tax regulations
- Work with the CFO to develop an effective budgeting and tax strategy
- Oversee internal accounting capacity, systems, record-keeping, internal controls, and financial team
- Manage cash flow and recommend any effective financing options
- Consider borrowing needs and manage appropriate leverage and interest rate considerations
- Oversee day-to-day cash management systems and oversee treasury cash management—including all accounts receivable and payable
- Negotiate and maximize supplier and client payment terms
- Build financial forecasts and budgets including scenario considerations
- Contract internal auditing services and manage regular internal audits and if applicable, external audit
- Oversee financial risk considerations including customer credit, currency, or interest rate risks
Growing sales and expanding domestic and export market reach; managing our brand
- Develop sales leads, and negotiate contracts with suppliers, distributors, and consumers
- Develop existing markets and expand to new markets and expand customer reach within each market
- Work with the marketing team to position Gorilla’s Coffee as the “national” coffee of Rwanda
- Establish product differentiation and marketing strategy to maintain a market leadership position in each target market.
- Develop a strong base of consumer insights per target market
- Develop new distributor relationships within key target markets
- Develop innovative new ways to broaden consumer reach
- Ensure payment terms are adhered to for distributors
Supply chain and logistics management
- Focus on raw materials provision, ensuring the persons responsible are setting up effective supply contracts, and monitoring market price
- Ensure that RFCC’s trade partners are appropriately vetted and operate in adherence to RFCC expected quality requirements and conduct and trade practices expectations
- Ensure priority sourcing from countries with trade agreements and optimize taxes across jurisdictions (such as EAC and Comesa countries)
- Responsible for sourcing planning and ensuring quantities of raw materials will be available to avoid supply interruptions
- Build fleet management protocol and process
- Oversee optimal daily delivery routing and driver tracking
- Manage all imports and exports
- Manage and track all incoming logistics for products sourced outside of Rwanda including East Africa, South Africa, Europe, and Asia
- Develop a proprietary farm strategy to secure a consistent coffee supply
- Build predictive volume models to ensure minimal spoilage and maximize turnover
HR management
- Oversee all aspects of staff management
- Oversee performance reviews and setting of performance targets
- Oversee compensation policies and set compensation targets and incentive goals
- Lead RFCC to maintain a positive workplace culture
- Optimize team for execution and growth as well as offer opportunities for individual growth
- Ensure HR policies are aligned with national policies and protocols
- Ensure HR compliance with national laws
- Work to enhance the wellness and well-being of RFCC employees and ensure a safe work environment
- Enable RFCC to be an employer of choice in Rwanda
Product management
- Manage the development of new products and build product portfolio to grow share of wallet for existing customers and increase attraction to new ones
- Ensure all products are price-competitive
- Negotiate and set product purchasing and pricing schemes
- As applicable, consider marketing and development joint ventures or acquisitions
Risk management and reporting
- Develop, oversee, and implement risk management and mitigation strategy
- Ensure all risk reporting is done effectively and efficiently
- Effectively apply the Board decisions as agreed, providing detailed monitoring indicators and options analysis to aid effective decision making
WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR
- An individual who is highly aligned to RFCC’s purpose and culture and who is highly energized and committed to helping us further elevate the Gorilla’s Coffee brand
- Demonstration of progressively senior roles in private sector companies
- At least 10 years of work experience, with a focus on at least 5 years of experience in direct or indirect involvement in the coffee or commodities sector, preferably in Rwanda
- Strong familiarization with the constraints and approaches to working in an African context
- Experienced in growth management
- Strong ability to attract, manage and develop employees
- Strong experience in financial management, budget management, reporting, and controls
- Managed company or a divisional-level budgeting and cash flow, ideally companies with a large inventory and high turnover (retail/hotel management/FMCG supply preferred)
- Familiarization with managing finances and operations for multinational corporations
- Built customer networks and grown sales for both domestic and international channels
- Managed export and/or multi-country distribution
- Deep working experience with African logistics
- Deeply experienced in managing supplier relationships, contracts, and terms
- Must have sound knowledge of methodologies and best practices in quality improvement, supportive supervision, and mentoring approaches.
- Proven experience in developing and maximizing data analytics
- Strong analytical and computer skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, web-based research)
- Strong written and oral communication skills for high-level policy audiences
- Demonstrated ability to effectively interact with senior officials, regulatory bodies, executives, and the board of directors while equally with employees, suppliers, and trade partners
- Understanding of integrating technology solutions for increased operational efficiency
- Highly honed management experience of large teams; thrives managing and developing a team
- Understanding of risk management, including currency, supply chain, and operational risks
- Unrelated commitment to personal ethics and ethical leadership and to fully meeting laws and regulatory expectations
- Undergraduate degree; Master’s Degree or equivalent in business administration, management, or a related field is preferred
- The individual will have 4 years of marketing or trade marketing experience gained in an FMCG environment.
- Experienced in managing agencies and support services to marketing, is aware of the brand planning and execution process.
- Fluency in English required
How to Apply:
Application documents including a letter addressed to the Chairperson of the Board of directors, Curriculum Vitae, ID/Passport, and academic/professional/experience docs, … should be sent to email: info@gorillascoffee.com with a copy to gerard.k@gorillascoffee.com; by January 6th, 2023. No hard copies are allowed.
Only shortlisted candidates shall be contacted.
RFCC Management
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