Incubation Foreman

Location: Homabay

Are you a hands-on, detail-oriented, and results-driven professional passionate about efficient hatchery operations, team coordination, and achieving production targets? We are seeking a skilled Incubation Foreman to join Victory Farms Kenya. The role focuses on coordinating and supervising daily operations within the Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS), ensuring efficient incubation processes in line with established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), biosecurity standards, and production targets. You will play a key role in providing operational leadership, coordinating team activities, monitoring daily performance, and ensuring accountability while maintaining high standards of operational efficiency and production quality. You will contribute to the smooth running of incubation operations by ensuring tasks are effectively executed, operational challenges are addressed promptly, and team performance aligns with established production objectives. This is a hands-on supervisory role for someone who is proactive, highly organized, accountable, and committed to operational excellence, team performance, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities:

1.Daily Operations and System Management

• Coordinate daily activities across biosecurity, incubation and tray systems.
• Allocate tasks, monitor execution and ensure operational schedules are followed.
• Monitor water quality, water flow, sump levels and system tank levels.
• Ensure proper incubation, handling, stocking densities, jar exchanges and larvae transfers.
• Monitor tray management, fry development, mortalities and batch identification.

2.Biosecurity and SOP Compliance

• Ensure consistent implementation of biosecurity, sanitation and disinfection procedures.
• Monitor egg receiving, handling and disinfection processes.
• Ensure all operational activities follow established SOPs and quality standards.
• Identify and address biosecurity breaches and operational non-compliance.

3.Team Leadership and Development

• Organize daily workflows and allocate responsibilities to team members.
• Monitor attendance, punctuality, discipline and task completion.
• Provide practical training and guidance on incubation, tray management, biosecurity and water quality.
• Promote teamwork, accountability and a performance-oriented working environment.

4.Problem-Solving and Continuous Improvement

• Identify operational challenges, equipment failures and process inefficiencies.
• Investigate routine problems and implement corrective actions within the approved scope.
• Escalate critical technical and operational issues to the Supervisor or Manager.
• Follow up on reported issues and recommend improvements to operational processes.

5.Data Management and Reporting

• Ensure accurate daily recording of hatch rates, larvae production, fry production, mortalities and water quality.
• Monitor production performance against targets and identify deviations.
• Prepare comprehensive daily shift reports and ensure effective handovers.
• Support approved operational trials and ensure accurate data collection.

Qualifications & Requirements:

Minimum Requirements:

1. A Diploma or bachelor’s degree in Aquaculture, Fisheries, Animal Production, Engineering or a related field is preferred. However, candidates with strong practical experience and demonstrated technical knowledge will also be considered.
2. Must be willing and able to work both day and night shifts.
3. Must be physically fit and able to stand for extended periods.
4. Must be comfortable working in water and wet operational environments.
5. Must have no known skin allergies or adverse reactions to chemicals used in operations, particularly salt and Chloramine-T.
6. Basic computer literacy, including Microsoft Office skills.

Technical:

1. Good understanding of RAS operations and system components.
2. Practical knowledge of tilapia egg incubation, larvae and fry management.
3. Understanding of biosecurity and disease prevention.
4. Knowledge of water quality parameters and water circulation.
5. Basic data analysis, record keeping and reporting skills.

Leadership and Behavioral:

1. Strong team coordination and delegation skills.
2. Good communication and interpersonal skills.
3. Ability to train, coach and develop employees.
4. Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
5. High levels of accountability, discipline and ownership.
6. Ability to work under pressure and prioritise operational activities.

Expected Performance

The Foreman should:

• Independently coordinate daily incubation operations
• Lead the operational team, maintain system stability
• Ensure SOP compliance and contribute to production targets.

The role requires:

• Strong operational ownership,
• Effective people management
• Proactive problem-solving, while escalating major technical and operational decisions to the Supervisor or Manager

Benefit:

• Visibility into the world’s fastest growing aquaculture company.
• Ideal for a candidate looking to dive into a mission-oriented Organization.
• The team is committed to the candidate’s success and will provide coaching, mentorship, and unique exposure to people and experiences that come from the most successful leaders in the entrepreneurial community and the social sector.

About Victory Farms

Victory Farms (VF) was established on Lake Victoria in 2016 with both on-shore and off-shore facilities. The head office is in Nairobi, and its Farm site is in Homa Bay County, with distribution across Kenya. VF has since become one of the fastest growing companies in aquaculture globally. In its first eight months of operation, the Company became the largest aquaculture producer in Kenya. Victory Farms aims to become the leading tilapia farm in Africa over the next 5 years while maintaining the highest environmental and social standards; as the most sustainable tilapia farm in the world, adhering to global standards and best practices, and producing affordable, sustainable protein to feed millions of people across Africa. Today, it is the largest commercial aquaculture player in East Africa and operates one of largest hatcheries on the continent. The Company is continuing to rapidly expand its vertically integrated model: production, processing, and sales & distribution, to keep pace with the rapid growth in demand for protein. To support this, Victory Farms employs world class technologies, people, and processes to build its model for sustainable protein production on the continent. VF strives for the highest standards in performance, execution, culture, and integrity. VF’s growth trajectory provides enormous opportunity for excited professionals to uplift their careers and make an impact within a diverse operation. We recognize the utmost importance which contributions by individuals and teams have to the success of Victory Farms. We work to create a fantastic environment for our employees. An environment where employees have an opportunity to develop professionally and personally.

How to Apply

Please send your 2-page CV and cover letter expressing your interest and qualifications to recruit@victoryfarmskenya.com  indicating Incubation Foreman as the email subject.