Senior Operations Manager Africa

Company Overview

Yara operates globally with a mission to address critical challenges such as resource scarcity, food security, and environmental changes by working profitably and responsibly.

Role Summary

The Senior Operations Manager Africa leads comprehensive operations spanning several countries to ensure dependable supply, cost management, and consistent quality. This position is accountable for guaranteeing raw material availability, maximizing production efficiency, and upholding strict safety, health, environmental and regulatory compliances. The role involves fostering high-performance operations at scale and supporting regional operational enhancements in Africa and Asia. The job is based in one of the following countries: South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, or Ghana.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee heads of operations in multiple African markets, ensuring implementation of key directives across all terminals and adherence by employees.
• Translate business strategies into actionable regional operating plans, setting measurable goals, budgets, and KPIs at site level.
• Manage operational expenses continent-wide within approved budgets.
• Lead, mentor and assess country or site leaders to promote high operational performance, discipline, and continuous process improvement.
• Standardize operating methods, escalation procedures, and performance governance across markets.
• Coordinate operations planning to balance demand, supply, and production capacity throughout Africa.
• Drive Operational Excellence initiatives such as the Yara Productivity System (YPS) and track relevant objectives and key results.
• Ensure availability of raw materials and packaging through effective forecasting and inventory management.
• Guarantee compliance with Yara’s standards, including TOPS and HESQ Procedures, at African operation sites.
• Collaborate with Procurement and Supply Management for contracts, lead time reductions, cost optimization, and monitor logistics and customs processing.
• Ensure products meet quality specifications and comply with regulations through robust QC/QA systems.
• Maintain audit readiness for internal, client, and regulatory assessments.
• Harmonize quality assurance standards and documentation practices across locations.
• Support sites in identifying and implementing operational improvements.
• Manage the Capital Value Process for projects, prioritizing and advancing initiatives to maximize returns for Africa and Asia operations.
• Assist sites with project framing and CAPEX definitions aligned with business needs.
• Partner with leadership to develop long-term infrastructure plans covering capacity, efficiency, storage, and distribution networks.
• Work with Finance to obtain approvals for capital expenditures supporting strategic growth.
• Cultivate an ethical, inclusive culture reflecting corporate values and local customs.
• Create and deploy an operations asset utilization framework to enhance performance and returns in Africa and Asia operations.
• Improve management and oversight of third-party warehouse performance by implementing best practices.
• Collaborate with VP HESQ & Operations on strategic projects in Asia and own operational improvement programs including risk reduction plans.
• Support the Senior Vice President (SVP) on various operational and project matters as required.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or Operations Management; Master’s or MBA preferred.
• Minimum 10-15 years’ experience leading manufacturing or operations with multi-site or multinational responsibility.
• Familiarity with regulatory standards including OSHA/ISO 45001, ISO 9001/22000, GMP, and environmental regulations.
• Proven expertise in P&L oversight, capital project leadership, and managing organizational change.
• Legal eligibility to live and work in South Africa, Kenya, Ghana or Tanzania is required.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Yara endorses diversity, equity, and inclusion as a cornerstone of its business strategy, maintaining dedicated global ambassador networks to foster an inclusive workplace. Equal opportunity employment is a priority.

Additional Information

Reference and background checks may be performed when necessary according to local laws and the nature of the role, with candidates notified in advance.

Application Deadline

Applications must be submitted by 14 August 2026.