Job Purpose:- To provide strategic and operational leadership for the Specialty Coffee Division, ensuring the sourcing, processing, quality management, product development, marketing, and commercialization of high-quality specialty coffee for domestic and international markets. The role is responsible for developing and implementing divisional strategies that enhance coffee quality, strengthen relationships with producers and international buyers, expand market presence, maximize revenue and profitability, and promote sustainability, traceability, and compliance with international specialty coffee standards. The position also leads divisional teams, manages budgets and resources, establishes performance targets, and drives continuous improvement to strengthen the company's competitiveness and position Ethiopian specialty coffee in the global market.
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities
Strategic Leadership and Business Planning
- Develop and implement the Division's annual strategy, business plan, budget, and KPIs in alignment with corporate objectives.
- Identify growth opportunities in specialty coffee, new markets, differentiated products, and strategic partnerships.
- Monitor market trends and divisional performance, providing periodic reports, forecasts, and strategic recommendations to management.
Commercial Performance and Financial Accountability
- Own the Division's commercial results, including revenue, export volume, specialty premiums, gross margin, and profitability.
- Establish pricing strategies and lead negotiations for specialty coffee contracts, key accounts, and strategic customer agreements within delegated authority.
- Monitor financial performance, control costs, and implement corrective actions to achieve approved commercial targets.
Farm-to-Export Value Chain Management
- Oversee the entire specialty coffee value chain, from sourcing and traceability to quality assessment, lot preparation, sales, and export readiness.
- Coordinate sourcing, processing, warehousing, and logistics to ensure product availability, operational efficiency, and timely fulfillment of customer commitments.
- Maintain accurate lot records, traceability documentation, and operational controls while addressing bottlenecks and performance gaps.
Quality Governance and Specialty Coffee Excellence
- Collaborate with the Head of Quality to assess and jointly approve specialty coffee lots for sale in accordance with established quality standards and customer specifications.
- Promote quality consistency, traceability, processing innovation, and product differentiation to strengthen specialty coffee value and premium realization.
- Monitor quality deviations and customer complaints, ensuring root-cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement.
International Market Development and Customer Relationship Management
- Develop international market opportunities and strengthen relationships with specialty coffee buyers, importers, roasters, and strategic partners.
- Lead customer engagement, commercial presentations, sample programs, and negotiations to expand sales and improve customer retention.
- Represent the Division at trade fairs, cupping sessions, industry events, and strategic business meetings to enhance market presence and brand reputation.
Specialty Coffee Offers, Events, and Microlot Auction Management
- Approve specialty coffee offer lists, product positioning, pricing, and customer-facing commercial information within delegated authority.
- Plan and oversee the annual specialty coffee event calendar and Kerchanshe Microlot Auction, ensuring effective coordination, buyer engagement, and commercial readiness.
- Evaluate event and auction performance against revenue, buyer participation, lot sell-through, and premium realization targets.
Cross-Functional Coordination and Commercial Governance
- Maintain clear roles and decision-making boundaries between the Specialty Coffee Division and the Commercial team to prevent conflicting commitments and pricing inconsistencies.
- Coordinate with Quality, Sourcing, Finance, Marketing, and Export & Logistics to align resources, customer commitments, and operational priorities.
- Resolve first-level commercial and operational disputes, ensuring adherence to company policies, approval limits, and escalation procedures.
Team Leadership, Performance Management, and Capability Development
- Lead, coach, and motivate all Division staff, establishing clear responsibilities, performance objectives, and accountability for results.
- Conduct regular performance reviews and appraisals, identify competency gaps, and implement training and professional development initiatives.
- Foster a high-performance culture built on collaboration, integrity, continuous learning, and achievement of divisional objectives.
Risk Management, Compliance, and Internal Controls
- Maintain and approve the Division's risk register, mitigation plans, and corrective actions covering commercial, operational, financial, quality, and reputational risks.
- Ensure compliance with contractual obligations, export requirements, company policies, traceability standards, and applicable quality and sustainability requirements.
- Monitor risk exposure, investigate significant deviations, and ensure timely corrective action and escalation of material issues to management.
Performance Monitoring, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement
- Chair the weekly Specialty Coffee Division review meeting to assess sales, sourcing, quality, operations, customer commitments, and outstanding actions.
- Monitor divisional KPIs and prepare periodic performance reports, forecasts, and management updates, highlighting achievements, risks, and corrective measures.
- Drive continuous improvement through data-driven decisions, process optimization, cost efficiency, and systematic follow-up on agreed action plans.