Aquaculture Manager

Job Purpose

• The Aquaculture Manager will provide overall strategic and operational leadership for the company, covering the RCD farm, hatchery, broodstock programme, academy and research activities.
• The role will translate business priorities into a clear Aquaculture strategy, annual operating plan and budget, while driving scientific credibility, production performance, capability development, biosecurity, safety and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities
Strategy and Centre Leadership:

• Define and execute the strategy, priorities and annual operating plan for the company.
• Provide integrated leadership across the RCD farm, hatchery, broodstock programme, academy and research portfolio.
• Establish governance routines, decision rights, performance standards and operating rhythms.
• Advise Management on aquaculture trends, technical risks, capability needs and strategic opportunities.
• Build a culture of scientific rigour, accountability, collaboration, safety and continuous improvement.

R&D Farm and Research Leadership:

• Set the RCD agenda in line with the company’s Aqua Technical and business priorities.
• Oversee the design, approval, execution and review of farm and hatchery trials.
• Ensure research protocols, controls, data collection and documentation meet defined standards.
• Translate validated findings into practical recommendations, training content and scalable operating practices.
• Coordinate technical partnerships with approved universities, laboratories, research bodies and industry stakeholders.

Hatchery, Nursery and Broodstock Oversight:

• Provide leadership oversight for breeding, incubation, pre-nursery rearing, packing and dispatch.
• Ensure effective broodstock development, tagging, grading, pure-line maintenance and family separation.
• Review production plans and critical indicators including spawning success, fertilisation, hatchability, survival and seed quality.
• Ensure strong traceability, fish-health management, water-quality control and biosecurity across operations.
• Drive corrective action for material production, quality, health or delivery variances.

Aquaculture Academy and Capability Development:

• Define the academy strategy, curriculum priorities and annual learning calendar.
• Ensure training programmes address the needs of employees, customers, farmers and technical partners.
• Oversee the development of practical modules, demonstrations, field learning and technical materials.
• Measure learning quality, participation and application, and use feedback to improve programmes.
• Develop internal technical talent and succession pipelines for critical aquaculture roles.

Budgeting and Resource Management:

• Prepare and manage the company’s annual operating and capital budgets.
• Align manpower, infrastructure, equipment, feed, laboratory and operational resources with approved priorities.
• Monitor expenditure, explain variances and implement appropriate cost-control actions.
• Evaluate investment requirements and prepare evidence-based business cases for Management.
• Ensure effective asset utilisation, maintenance planning, inventory control and procurement coordination.

Performance and Operational Excellence:

• Establish scorecards and KPIs across research, production, academy, quality, safety and financial performance.
• Lead routine performance reviews and ensure timely closure of agreed actions.
• Standardise critical processes through clear SOPs, controls, records and accountability.
• Drive productivity, reliability, quality, turnaround-time and cost improvements across the company.
• Benchmark performance and promote disciplined problem solving and continuous improvement.

Quality, Fish Health, Biosecurity and Safety:

• Ensure effective pathology, disease diagnosis, health-monitoring and preventive-health programmes.
• Set and enforce standards for water quality, microbiology, laboratory quality and data integrity.
• Own the implementation and periodic review of the company’s biosecurity controls.
• Ensure compliance with company safety, environmental, animal-welfare and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Lead the response to significant disease, mortality, safety, environmental or operational incidents.

Stakeholder Management and Reporting:

• Maintain effective relationships with Management, commercial teams, technical partners and relevant authorities.
• Present concise updates on strategy, projects, budget, risks and performance to Management.
• Ensure clear, accurate and timely operational, technical and financial reporting.
• Represent the company at approved technical, academic and industry engagements.
• Protect confidential research, breeding, commercial and operational information.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Aquaculture, Fisheries, Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science, Marine Biology or a related discipline.
• A postgraduate qualification in Aquaculture, Fisheries, Animal Health, Research Management or Business Administration is strongly preferred.
• 8+ Extensive leadership experience in aquaculture, hatchery, fish health, RCD, technical operations or a related environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing budgets, performance and operational improvement.
• Strong knowledge of hatchery operations, broodstock management, research design, fish health, water quality and biosecurity.
• Experience developing technical training, partnerships or farmer-capability programmes is desirable.

Application Closing Date
25th September, 2026.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV to: using the Job Title as the subject of the email.

Share this job: