Ellepot Production Manager, Spekboom Restoration Project Nursery Department – Ellepot Production Facility, Eastern Cape Location: Kariega (Uitenhage) area, Eastern Cape Start Date: 1 August 2026 Reports to: Ellepot Facility Manager Are you ready to embark on an extraordinary adventure that will revitalise landscapes, combat climate change, and promote sustainable agriculture? Join NatCarbon Africa: a mission-driven, proudly African organisation dedicated to high-quality implementation of large-scale carbon, climate, and biodiversity projects. We embrace the power of innovative technology to enhance project execution. Community engagement lies at the heart of our projects, driven by a genuine commitment to meaningful and inclusive participation and co-benefits, such as biodiversity conservation and socioeconomic upliftment. NatCarbon Africa seeks an Ellepot Production Manager in the Nursery Department for the large-scale Spekboom Restoration Project in the Eastern and Western Cape Provinces of South Africa. With our partner, Imperative Global, our aim is to restore up to 100,000 hectares of degraded subtropical thicket biome. The Project entails planting Spekboom (Portulacaria afra) on privately owned land to improve ecosystem functioning and agricultural productivity over time, promote biodiversity, improve soil filtration, enhance water storage capabilities, and to reduce soil erosion. The Project is estimated to permanently store large quantities of Carbon Dioxide over the Project life, thus positively contributing towards climate change mitigation. Position Summary: To lead day-to-day manufacturing operations of the Ellepot Production Facility, overseeing machine performance, production output, substrate preparation, quality execution and the production team while supporting traceability, raw material receiving and floor-level safety. Roles and Responsibilities: Direct supervision of Machine Supervisor and Technician, Substrate Supervisor, Tray Washing team and general production staff. Ensure machine uptime, scheduling, maintenance coordination and troubleshooting. Drive daily production planning and output targets. Oversee substrate mixing and quality for the production lines. Support floor-level quality assurance, process optimisation and raw material usage monitoring. Manage production and technical team training with performance management. Own day-to-day raw material receiving process, coordinating with Forklift Driver, Substrate Supervisor, Quality Controller and Admin Manager for inventory accuracy, quality approval and traceability. Identify and resolve production bottlenecks. Identify hazards on the floor, implement safe work procedures and support the Facility Manager’s safety initiatives. Take reasonable care for own health and safety and that of the team; ensure OHS Act compliance, PPE use and incident reporting. Collaborate with the Facility Manager on improvement initiatives and scaling. General: Embrace a culture of continuous learning by adapting to evolving job responsibilities, driven by NatCarbon Africa’s commitment to innovation, personal growth, and shifting operational priorities. Some travel within the Eastern and Western Cape may be required, including to remote locations, with occasional weekend or holiday work to accommodate schedules. Work hours may be irregular. This outline of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive. The employer reserves the right to assign additional duties or responsibilities at any time, provided they are reasonably aligned with the scope of the role or necessitated by operational requirements. The functions and responsibilities detailed within this job description may be subject to modification at the employer’s discretion, based on evolving operational requirements, while remaining consistent with the parameters of the employee’s position. Skills: Strong technical knowledge of automated production machinery. Excellent team leadership, training and problem-solving skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a manufacturing environment. Qualifications: Tertiary qualification in Production Management, Mechanical Engineering or related field. Knowledge of OHS Act and practical implementation in manufacturing. Knowledge and Experience: Minimum 5 - 7 years’ experience in manufacturing, with at least 3 years in a supervisory/managerial role. Strong technical knowledge of automated production machinery. Experience with Ellepot or similar high-speed manufacturing equipment (advantageous). Performance Areas: Production efficiency and output targets. Equipment reliability and minimal downtime. Manufacturing quality standards. Team productivity, safety on the floor, and full traceability compliance. Working Conditions Predominantly on the manufacturing floor with some office time. Frequent travel within the Eastern and Western Cape anticipated, including to remote locations. Travel may on occasion cross weekends and holidays to accommodate schedules. Work hours may be irregular. Compensation To help us attract and retain top talent, NatCarbon Africa pays employees competitively to the market, depending on experience. Salary is one component of NatCarbon Africa’s total compensation package which also includes health care and life insurance, contributions to each employee’s retirement plan, paid time off and funds to support professional development. We will recognise employees who go beyond expected performance with salary increases and/or promotions. In return, we expect each employee to, at a minimum: Meet expectations in terms of work effort and performance. Take the initiative to build the skills and knowledge needed to do their job effectively; and Embody the values of NatCarbon Africa. NatCarbon Africa provides equal opportunity for all job applicants and employees and is committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination. #J-18808-Ljbffr