GENERAL MANAGER – OPERATIONS

Application Form: https://forms.gle/dwe9qDGwMD7QbEHA8

1. Position Information

Position Title: General Manager – Operations

Duty Station: CHL Hatchery, PTDP Phase II, Phuentsholing, with responsibility for all CHL hatchery, nursery and grow-out operations

Reporting To: Chief Executive Officer

Supervises: Managers, officers and employees assigned to hatchery, nursery, grow-out and related operational functions

Employment Type: Contract

Contract Tenure: Three years, renewable based on performance and organisational requirements

2. Position Purpose

The General Manager – Operations shall provide overall leadership, direction and management oversight for CHL’s hatchery, nursery and grow-out operations. The GM shall be accountable for achieving approved production, operational and financial targets and for ensuring that the Company’s operational units function in a coordinated, efficient and commercially sustainable manner.

The GM shall lead and supervise the managers, officers and technical personnel responsible for day-to-day production, water quality, animal health, biosecurity, maintenance and other specialised functions. Routine technical and field activities shall be performed by the respective officers and employees under the GM’s direction and oversight.

3. Scope of Accountability

1. Overall performance of the hatchery, nursery and grow-out operations;
2. Achievement of approved production, survival, growth, quality and cost targets;
3. Effective deployment and performance of operational personnel;
4. Coordination among operational units and with supporting departments;
5. Timely identification and resolution of operational constraints and risks;
6. Efficient utilisation of budgets, assets, inputs and other resources; and
7. Accurate and timely reporting to the CEO and Management.

4. Key Responsibilities

4.1 Operational Leadership and Direction

• Provide overall leadership and direction for all hatchery, nursery, grow-out and related operational functions.
• Translate the Company’s strategic plan, annual business plan and production targets into coordinated operational priorities for implementation by the respective managers and officers.
• Ensure that operational units work as an integrated production system and that responsibilities, reporting lines and performance expectations are clearly defined.
• Delegate day-to-day operational and technical functions to competent managers and officers while retaining overall accountability for performance.
• Chair regular operational review meetings, assess progress against targets and direct timely corrective action where performance is below expectation.
• Identify major operational bottlenecks, establish priorities and escalate matters requiring the CEO’s or Management’s intervention.

4.2 Production and Performance Management

• Review and approve annual, quarterly, monthly and batch-wise production plans prepared by the responsible operational teams.
• Establish performance targets for broodstock, fry production, nursery, grow-out, survival, growth, feed efficiency, harvesting and production cost.
• Review consolidated production reports and performance dashboards and hold the responsible managers and officers accountable for results.
• Ensure that significant production deviations, abnormal mortality, low survival or other performance issues are analysed by the relevant officers and addressed through approved corrective measures.
• Provide Management with realistic production forecasts and advise on operational capacity, constraints and resource requirements.

4.3 People Leadership and Organisational Capability

• Lead, supervise and evaluate the performance of managers, officers and employees under the Operations function.
• Ensure appropriate staffing, delegation of responsibilities, duty arrangements and accountability across all operational sites.
• Set performance expectations for subordinate managers and officers and ensure that individual work plans support the Company’s production targets.
• Identify competency gaps and ensure appropriate training, mentoring, succession planning and transfer of knowledge from technical partners and specialists.
• Promote teamwork, discipline, accountability, safety and a performance-oriented work culture.

4.4 Interdepartmental Coordination and Streamlining of Operations

• Liaise with Finance, Procurement, Human Resources, Engineering and Maintenance, Marketing and other relevant departments to ensure timely support for operational requirements.
• Establish clear interdepartmental workflows, responsibilities and timelines for procurement, inventory, staffing, maintenance, production planning, sales coordination and management reporting.
• Ensure that production forecasts, procurement needs, staffing requirements, maintenance priorities and emerging risks are communicated to the relevant departments sufficiently in advance.
• Streamline processes across hatchery, nursery and grow-out operations to reduce duplication, delays, resource wastage and interruptions to production.
• Follow up on agreed actions and escalate unresolved interdepartmental matters that may affect production, cost, animal health, biosecurity or delivery commitments.

4.5 Financial and Resource Management

• Prepare and manage the annual operational budget in alignment with the approved business and production plans.
• Monitor operational expenditure, production cost and budget variances and direct appropriate cost-control measures.
• Ensure efficient utilisation of feed, utilities, labour, equipment, consumables and other operational resources.
• Review and prioritise procurement and capital requirements submitted by operational teams and recommend them to the competent authority.
• Ensure adequate inventory and contingency arrangements for critical production inputs, equipment and services.

4.6 Management Oversight of Technical, Risk and Compliance Functions

• Provide management oversight of production, water quality, animal health, biosecurity, maintenance, occupational safety and environmental functions carried out by the designated managers and technical officers.
• Ensure that appropriate monitoring systems, standard operating procedures, reporting arrangements and escalation protocols are established and followed.
• Review significant technical findings, incidents and risks reported by the responsible officers and ensure that appropriate corrective action is taken.
• Ensure that emergency and business-continuity arrangements are maintained for disease outbreaks, abnormal mortality, water-quality deterioration, power or water interruption and critical equipment failure.
• Ensure that operations comply with applicable laws, permits, licences, environmental requirements, Company policies and approved technical protocols.

4.7 Technical Partner and Stakeholder Coordination

• Serve as the principal management-level focal person for operational coordination with CHL’s technical partner, consultants and specialists.
• Ensure that technical recommendations are assessed, assigned to the responsible officers and implemented within agreed timelines.
• Coordinate, as required, with regulators, laboratories, utility agencies, suppliers, farmers, contractors and other operational stakeholders.
• Ensure that externally provided services, inputs and technical support meet CHL’s operational and contractual requirements.

4.8 Management Reporting and Governance

• Submit consolidated monthly, quarterly and annual operational reports to the CEO, covering performance against targets, key variances, financial position, major risks and corrective actions.
• Immediately report material incidents, production failures, disease outbreaks, major system interruptions and other matters requiring Management attention.
• Present operational proposals, performance updates and matters requiring decisions to Management or the Board when directed by the CEO.
• Ensure that operational records and reports maintained by subordinate units are complete, reliable, timely and auditable.

5. Key Performance Areas

The GM’s performance shall be evaluated through an annual performance compact containing measurable targets under the following areas:

• Achievement of approved hatchery, nursery and grow-out production targets;
• Overall survival, growth, quality and production-cost performance;
• Effectiveness of operational planning, supervision and corrective action;
• Performance and accountability of managers, officers and operational teams;
• Operational cost, budget and resource control;
• Reliability and continuity of operations;
• Effectiveness of interdepartmental coordination and resolution of operational bottlenecks;
• Management of material operational, animal-health, biosecurity, safety and compliance risks;
• Implementation of Management and Board decisions and agreed technical recommendations; and
• Timeliness and quality of reporting to the CEO and Management.

6. Qualification and Experience

6.1 Qualification

A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Aquaculture, Fisheries Science, Aquatic Biology, Animal Science, Agriculture, Farm or Production Management, Business Administration, or another discipline relevant to commercial aquaculture operations.

A master’s degree in a relevant field shall be preferred. Where the Company’s Service Rules require a master’s degree for appointment at General Manager level, such requirement shall apply.

6.2 Experience

• At least ten years of relevant professional experience, including a minimum of five years in a managerial or senior operational leadership role.
• Practical experience managing, or holding a senior operational position in, a commercial aquaculture hatchery, nursery, grow-out farm or a closely comparable aquatic production facility.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing production targets, budgets, resources, risks and operational performance.
• Experience with freshwater crustaceans, shrimp, prawns or recirculating aquaculture systems shall be an advantage.
• Experience stabilising, scaling up or improving the performance of a commercial aquaculture operation shall be an advantage.

8. Required Competencies

• Strong leadership, delegation and people-management capability;
• Sound understanding of commercial hatchery, nursery and grow-out operations;
• Ability to manage through subordinate managers, officers and technical specialists;
• Strong operational planning, performance-management and decision-making skills;
• Ability to interpret production and financial information and direct corrective action;
• Strong coordination, communication, negotiation and stakeholder-management skills;
• Sound understanding of operational risk, animal health, biosecurity, safety and compliance at the management level;
• Ability to manage budgets, resources and competing operational priorities; and
• High standards of integrity, accountability and professional conduct.

9. Employment Terms and Benefits

The selected candidate shall be appointed on contract for a period of three years. The contract may be renewed based on satisfactory performance, continued organisational requirements and approval by the competent authority.

Salary, contract allowance, performance-based variable allowance and other benefits shall be provided in accordance with the Company’s approved salary structure and Service Rules and Regulations in force at the time of appointment.

10. Mandatory Documents

Applicants shall submit:

• Curriculum vitae clearly describing relevant aquaculture, operational and managerial experience, together with the names and contact details of two referees;
• Degree certificates and complete academic transcripts;
• Documentary evidence of the required professional and managerial experience;
• Valid Citizenship Identity Card;
• Valid security clearance;
• Valid audit clearance, where applicable; and
• Other documents required under the Company’s recruitment procedures.

The selected candidate shall submit, before appointment:

• Valid medical-fitness certificate;
• No-objection or relieving letter from the current employer, where applicable; and
• Original academic, professional and experience documents for verification.