RAS Hatchery Assistant Manager

Location: Homabay, Kenya

Are you an experienced and detail-oriented aquaculture professional passionate about hatchery management, fish health, and sustainable fish production?
Victory Farms Kenya is seeking a proactive and skilled Assistant Manager to oversee the operations of our Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS), with a primary focus on the hatching, incubation, and production of healthy, high-quality fry.
You will play a key role in ensuring efficient hatchery operations, maintaining optimal fish health, and supporting consistent fry production while upholding high standards of operational efficiency, quality, and sustainability.
This is a hands-on leadership role for someone with a strong background in aquaculture systems and hatchery management, who is analytical, solutions-oriented, and committed to achieving production targets. The role also requires flexibility to work approximately 10–15-night shifts, depending on operational schedules and the month.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Assist in managing the daily operations of the RAS, specifically focusing on the hatching, incubating, and producing of fry.
2. Oversee and monitor the egg incubation process, ensuring optimal water quality, temperature, and environmental conditions for successful hatching.
3. Manage fry production, ensuring that fry are properly maintained, monitored, and fed throughout their early growth stages.
4. Implement and maintain protocols for fish health and biosecurity, including disease prevention, treatment, and the monitoring of water quality parameters.
5. Work with the management team to develop and execute hatchery and production schedules, ensuring timely and efficient production cycles.
6. Monitor the growth and development of fry, adjusting environmental factors such as water flow rates, oxygen levels.
7. Supervise a team of hatchery technicians and support staff, providing guidance, training, and ensuring adherence to safety and operational procedures.
8. Maintain records of egg hatching rates, fry health, water quality, and any treatments or interventions, providing regular reports to management.
9. Conduct routine inspections of equipment and infrastructure, identifying potential issues and ensuring maintenance is carried out in a timely manner.
10. Collaborate with the management team on research and development initiatives to improve hatchery processes, egg survival rates, and fry quality.
11. Assist with the procurement and management of necessary supplies and materials for hatchery operations.
12. Contribute to the continual improvement of hatchery operations, fostering innovation and adopting best practices for sustainable aquaculture production.
13. Assessing and scoring team, completing departmental and individual appraisals.

Qualifications & Requirements:

1. Education: Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries, Aquaculture, Animal Production, or a related field.
2. Experience: Minimum of 2 years’ experience in tilapia farming, specifically in RAS system, incubation, or fry production operations.
3. Communication: Good command of spoken and written English, with the ability to communicate effectively with teams and management.
4. Shift Flexibility: Willingness and ability to work night shifts as required by hatchery operations.
5. Physical Fitness: Ability to walk for extended periods and work in wet environments inside and around tanks, ponds, and water systems.
6. Computer Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, with basic data analysis, reporting, and data visualisation skills.

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 RAS Hatchery Assistant Manager as the email subject.