Manger- Estate & Factory Administration

Job description

Business Context

Established in 1947, Devagiri is one of the oldest tea estates in the Low Grown Elevation; in its heyday it was amongst the top 10.

In January 2022, Devagiri was bought by GB Ceylon Tea Holdings (pvt) Ltd, a Sri Lankan company with UK and US backing, and a British Managing Director. And, under this new ownership, the estate is undergoing transformational change.

The scale of manufacture has more than doubled so far and is set to double again within the next 6 months. And the owners have developed an export brand with ambitious growth targets. Beyond this, they have a vision of modernising the approach to tea production, such that it is more in-step with modern approaches to production lines and people (like the garment industry!).

Role Description

We wish to streamline the administrative processes of the estate; maximising the use of technology, minimising human effort (and error!) and unlocking data insights.

We therefore seek a mid-career finance and admin professional with an interest in data analytics. While experience in the tea industry would be valuable, it is not essential. Instead, we would prioritise evidence of a track record of creating efficiencies and innovation in an administration context.

We are looking for a hands-on professional, who collaborates well with others, leads by example and is committed to the continuous improvement of themselves and business processes.

This role would be an ideal stepping stone to a complex finance process transformation role in a large organisation.

Desired Attributes
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in finance and business administration.
• An accounting qualification and / or undergraduate degree.
• Awareness of modern approaches to managing people in a manufacturing environment.
• The ability to collaborate with others and benefit from constructive challenge.
• A commitment to continuous improvement, in terms of personal development as well as business process.
• Proficient in MS Office and Google Applications.
• Basic proficiency in English.

Key Responsibilities
• In your first 3 months, develop a thorough understanding of Devagiri’s Finance and Administrative function; how data is gathered and how the financial statements and other reports are produced.
• Reporting directly to the General Manager, over time, take on a leadership role, overseeing the Finance and Administration Team (2-3) people and taking full accountability for this function.
• Work with the General Manager and Managing Directors to improve processes, maximise the use of automated systems and deliver improved data insights.
• Be an active participant of Devagiri’s middle management team; collaborating with your peers and visibly contributing to the development of a culture of excellence at Devagiri.