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Tupande Dried Fruit Quality and Compliance Supervisor (Fixed-Term)

Ruiru, Kenya

About One Acre Fund

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund equips 5.5 million smallholder farmers to make their farms more productive. Across nine countries that together are home to two-thirds of Africa's farmers, we provide high-quality farm supplies, tree seedlings, accessible credit, modern agronomic training, and a wide range of other agricultural services. On average, this model enables any farmer to increase their income and assets on supported land by more than 35 percent, while permanently improving their resilience. This is all made possible by our team of 9,000+ full-time staff, drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions. To learn more, please see our Why Work Here blog post.

Our Kenya program, founded in 2006, operates under the local brand Tupande. Close to 500 staff in our Kakamega headquarters support 1,747 field staff and serve more than 1 million farmers. In Nairobi, around 50 staff support global functions like procurement, recruitment, government relations, and communications

About the Role

Seeking a detail-oriented Quality Assurance Supervisor to lead food safety, compliance, and quality control in a fast-scaling dried fruit factory.  

Responsibilities

Receiving

  • Inspect incoming fruits for quality, ripeness, pest damage, contamination, and compliance with raw material specifications.
  • Strengthen and implement improved sampling methods and plans.
  • Conduct random sampling and monitor: Brix levels, external/internal defects, and other rejection factors (e.g., undersized fruit).
  • Record intake quality data and supplier performance metrics and share feedback with the sourcing team.

Storage and Ripening Monitoring

  • Ensure proper storage and ripening conditions are maintained pre-processing.
  • Monitor and record ripening conditions per lot received to support production planning.
  • Conduct ripening assessments, including firmness checks and stage verification.
  • Flag deviations and recommend corrective actions.

Sorting, Peeling, Slicing and Preservation

  • Verify grading standards and reject thresholds.
  • Monitor peeling and slicing quality to ensure alignment with customer specifications.
  • Supervise preservation processes, ensuring correct dosing and tracking of preservatives.

Drying Operations

  • Monitor Critical Control Points (CCPs), including drying temperature, drying time, and moisture reduction curves.
  • Conduct moisture content and water activity testing.
  • Verify dryer loading practices and tray hygiene compliance.

Finished Product Testing

  • Test finished product against specifications, including moisture content, water activity, customer spec alignment, and organoleptic properties (colour, texture).
  • Approve or reject batches immediately after drying and again prior to packing.
  • Report findings and recommend corrective actions.
  • Ensure non-conforming batches is documented in line with FSSC/BRC and rework is completed within agreed timelines (<2 days from drying).

Storage Quality Monitoring

  • Monitor finished product storage conditions, including temperature, humidity, and pest control.
  • Conduct periodic shelf-life and stability checks.
  • Monitor oxidative changes, mould risk, and product degradation, and report any non-conformities.
  • Ensure the production team is maintaining FIFO/FEFO inventory compliance.

Laboratory Testing & Sampling Systems

  • Implement sampling plans for: Raw fruit, in-process product, finished goods
  • Manage all laboratory testing schedules and documentation.
  • Coordinate external lab testing where required (microbial, sulphur, pesticide residues, etc.)

Process Water, Wastewater & Effluent Monitoring

  • Monitor and track chlorine levels in fruit washing and conduct routine water testing (key parameters) to ensure compliance with safety and quality standards.
  • Ensure water used for equipment cleaning, tray washing, fruit washing, handwashing, and sanitation systems meets required food safety standards.

Food Safety Implementation (SHEQ & FSMS), Compliance and Certification

  • Implement all Safety, Health, Environment, and Quality (SHEQ) requirements during shifts.
  • Support execution of the Food Safety Management System (FSMS).
  • Participate in: Food safety meetings, HACCP reviews, internal audits, external certification audits.
  • Ensure compliance with: BRC Global Standards, FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, GMP & HACCP

Career Growth and Development

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You'll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You'll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications

Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, you will have:

  • Bachelor's/Diploma/certificate in chemistry, food engineering or Production Engineering or equivalent qualifications from a recognised University/college.
  • 3+ years working experience in Manufacturing companies in the quality department/ lab technician or supervisory position in the same position is an added advantage.
  • Knowledge and experience in the Food Safety Management System (e.g., HACCP BRC/FSSC), Environmental, and Occupational Health and Safety in the workplace
  • Strong verbal/ written communication skills can help you explain ways to improve processes to other people so they can achieve set quality standards.
  • Ability to work as part of a team

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Ruiru, Kenya

Benefits

Health insurance, paid time off

Contract Duration

1 Year

Eligibility

This role is only open to citizens or permanent residents of Kenya.

Application Deadline

25 May 2026. Please note that we hire on a rolling basis which means that applications are reviewed and processed on a continuous basis until a hire is made.

One Acre Fund never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process. Official One Acre Fund emails will always arrive from an @oneacrefund.org address. Please report any suspicious communication here (globalhotline@oneacrefund.org), but do not send applications or application materials to this email address.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and anti-racism are deeply connected to our organization's mission and purpose. One Acre Fund aspires to build a culture where all staff feel consistently valued, represented, and connected – so that our team can thrive as professionals, and achieve exceptional impact for the farmers we serve.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

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