Technical Specialist Plant Material

Job description summary

The role reports to the Head of Product Development and Plant Material and provides specialist leadership and technical oversight of plant material quality, propagation systems, mother plant programmes, plant health management, and genetic integrity across Marginpar's operations. The role holder is accountable for establishing technical standards, monitoring plant material performance, driving continuous improvement initiatives, and providing expert guidance that supports production excellence, data-driven decision-making, and successful varietal commercialisation. The incumbent works cross-functionally with NPD, Agronomy, Production, Planning, Quality Assurance, Supply Chain, and farm leadership teams while building strategic relationships with breeders, tissue culture laboratories, propagators, suppliers, research institutions, and regulatory bodies to ensure the consistent availability of high-quality plant material and compliance with technical and phytosanitary standards.

Key accountabilities & deliveries

• Plant Material Quality Management: Develop, implement, and continuously improve plant material quality standards and technical specifications to ensure all plant material supplied to production meets the required standards for health, vigor, uniformity, genetic integrity, and establishment performance, while supporting farms in identifying, resolving, and preventing plant material quality issues.

• Propagation Systems and Mother Plant Management: Lead the optimisation and continuous improvement of propagation systems and mother plant programmes by establishing best-practice protocols, monitoring performance, and implementing innovative propagation solutions that consistently deliver clean, vigorous, genetically true, and commercially viable planting material that supports production and business objectives.

• Plant Health, Hygiene and Disease Prevention: Provide specialist technical leadership in plant health, hygiene, and disease prevention by developing robust monitoring, compliance, and response systems that minimise plant health risks, safeguard biological assets, and ensure the consistent supply of healthy plant material throughout the production value chain.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration and Technical Support: Provide technical expertise and strategic support across New Product Development, Agronomy, Production, Planning, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to ensure effective integration of plant material requirements, successful commercialisation of new varieties, and alignment of technical solutions with business objectives.

• Performance Monitoring and Data Analytics: Drive data-driven decision-making through the monitoring, analysis, and interpretation of plant material performance data, generating actionable insights that improve propagation outcomes, supplier performance, crop establishment success, and overall business productivity.

• External Stakeholder Management: Develop and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders, including breeders, tissue culture laboratories, propagators, plant material suppliers, research partners, and regulatory agencies, to ensure alignment with Marginpar's quality, phytosanitary, and technical standards while driving continuous improvement, innovation, and a reliable supply of high-quality plant material.

Criteria

Academic and professional qualifications

Education

• Master's Degree in Horticulture, Agronomy, Plant Science, Crop Science, Biotechnology, Agriculture, Plant Physiology, Biological Sciences or any other related discipline (preferred)

• Bachelor's Degree in Horticulture, Agronomy, Plant Science, Crop Science, Biotechnology, Agriculture, Plant Physiology, Biological Sciences or any other related discipline (a must)

Professional

• Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification (a must)

• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) training (a must)

• Relevant professional certification or specialised training in one or more of the following areas will be an added advantage: Plant Health/Crop Protection Certification, Agricultural Research & Experimental Design Training, Project Management, Data Analytics & Statistics, Tissue Culture/Plant Propagation specialisation.

Experience

• Minimum of 5-7 years' progressive experience in horticulture, floriculture, plant science, agronomy, crop production, propagation, or related agricultural production systems, with demonstrated expertise in plant material quality management and performance.

• Proven experience in the development, management, and optimisation of propagation systems, including tissue culture (TC), cuttings, young plant production, and mother plant programmes.

• Demonstrated experience in plant health management, disease prevention, phytosanitary compliance, and hygiene systems.

• Strong experience in designing, conducting, and evaluating technical trials, propagation experiments, and plant performance assessments.

• Experience in analysing biological, propagation, and production performance data and translating findings into actionable business recommendations.

• Experience working with external stakeholders, including breeders, propagators, tissue culture laboratories, suppliers, and other technical partners.

• Experience supporting New Product Development (NPD) initiatives from trial through commercialisation.

Role competencies

(1-6 required, minimum of 7 competencies)

1. Technical Excellence and Innovation

2. Quality, Risk and Continuous Improvement Orientation

3. Strategic and Analytical Thinking

4. Planning, Execution and Results Delivery

5. Stakeholder Engagement and Influence

6. Knowledge Sharing and Coaching

7. Resilience and Adaptability

8. Integrity and Professionalism

9. Customer and Quality Focus

Essentials

• Frequent travel across farms and operational sites within Kenya and Ethiopia.

• Ability to work in greenhouse, nursery, propagation, and field production environments.

• Willingness to support operations during critical crop establishment periods.

• Ability to work effectively in multicultural environments.

Would you like to know more?

Contact: Bart Merkus
Head of Product Development and Plant Material via: b.merkus@marginpar.nl 

Interested?

Apply via recruitment@marginpar.biz
Application deadline: 27th July 2026