Senior Operations Manager Africa – Yara

Job Title: Senior Operations Manager Africa
Organization: Yara International
Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (Position may also be based in South Africa, Kenya, or Ghana)
Job Type: Permanent / Full-Time
Work Mode: On-site + Home Office
Job Requisition ID: 25471
Date Posted: 30 July 2026
Application Deadline: 14 August 2026

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About Yara

Yara is a global company focused on solving key challenges related to resource scarcity, food security, and environmental sustainability. The company works across agricultural and industrial sectors by providing solutions that improve productivity while promoting responsible resource use.

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Job Summary

The Senior Operations Manager Africa will lead end-to-end operations across multiple African markets, ensuring reliable supply, cost efficiency, product quality, and compliance with safety, health, environmental, and regulatory standards.

The role is responsible for managing regional operations leaders, improving operational performance, driving continuous improvement programs, optimizing costs, ensuring supply chain efficiency, and supporting strategic operational projects across Africa and Asia.

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Key Responsibilities

1. Regional Operations Leadership

• Manage Heads of Operations across African markets and ensure implementation of operational directives across all terminals.
• Develop and execute the regional operating plan aligned with business strategy.
• Translate business objectives into:
  • Site-level goals.
  • Budgets.
  • Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Take ownership of operational costs across Africa and manage performance within approved budgets.
• Lead, coach, and evaluate country and site leaders to improve:
  • Operational discipline.
  • Performance.
  • Continuous improvement.

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2. Operational Excellence and Performance Improvement

• Standardize:
  • Operating procedures.
  • Escalation processes.
  • Performance management systems across markets.
• Lead operational improvement initiatives, including implementation of the Yara Productivity System (YPS).
• Monitor objectives and key results (OKRs).
• Identify improvement opportunities and support sites in implementing solutions.
• Develop asset utilization performance frameworks to improve operational returns across Africa and Asia.

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3. Supply Chain and Operations Planning

• Oversee operations planning across Africa to align:
  • Demand.
  • Supply.
  • Production capacity.
• Ensure availability of:
  • Raw materials.
  • Packaging materials.
• Strengthen forecasting and inventory management processes.
• Collaborate with Procurement and Supply Management teams on:
  • Contracts.
  • Lead times.
  • Cost optimization.
• Monitor:
  • International logistics.
  • Customs clearance processes.
  • Cross-border supply activities.

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4. Safety, Quality, Health and Environmental Compliance

• Ensure operational sites comply with Yara best practices, including:
  • TOPS procedures.
  • HESQ standards.
• Ensure products meet:
  • Quality specifications.
  • Regulatory requirements.
• Maintain effective:
  • Quality Control (QC).
  • Quality Assurance (QA) systems.
• Ensure audit readiness for:
  • Internal audits.
  • Customer audits.
  • Regulatory inspections.
• Harmonize quality standards and documentation across operating locations.

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5. Capital Projects and Infrastructure Development

• Own and manage the Capital Value Process (CVP) for Africa operations projects.
• Establish project prioritization and development processes to maximize returns.
• Support sites in:
  • Project planning.
  • CAPEX definition.
  • Successful project execution.
• Develop long-term infrastructure strategies covering:
  • Terminal capacity.
  • Storage solutions.
  • Operational efficiency.
  • Distribution networks.
• Collaborate with Finance to secure CAPEX approvals aligned with business growth priorities.

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6. Third-Party Operations Management

• Improve performance management of third-party warehouses.
• Develop and implement operational best practices across Africa and Asia.
• Strengthen operational governance and risk management frameworks.

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7. Leadership and Culture Development

• Promote an inclusive and ethical workplace culture aligned with company values.
• Support leadership teams in building high-performing operations.
• Drive operational accountability and employee engagement.

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Requirements

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in:

• Engineering.
• Supply Chain Management.
• Operations Management.

Preferred: Master’s Degree or MBA.

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Professional Experience

• 10–15+ years of experience in manufacturing or operations leadership.
• Experience managing:
  • Multi-site operations.
  • Multi-country operations.
  • Large operational teams.
• Strong background in:
  • Regulatory compliance.
  • Operational excellence.
  • Supply chain management.
  • Manufacturing environments.

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Technical Knowledge and Skills

Experience with regulatory and management frameworks such as:

• OSHA standards.
• ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety).
• ISO 9001/22000 (Quality Management Systems).
• GMP standards.
• Environmental regulations.

Additional expertise required:

• Strong P&L management experience.
• CAPEX project leadership.
• Change management skills.
• Strategic planning and execution.

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Work Authorization Requirement

Applicants must have legal authorization to live and work in one of the following locations:

• Tanzania
• Kenya
• Ghana
• South Africa

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How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit their applications through the official Yara recruitment platform using the application link provided in the vacancy announcement.

Position: Senior Operations Manager Africa
Company: Yara
Deadline: 14 August 2026
Job Type: Permanent / Full-Time

Applicants are encouraged to review the requirements carefully and ensure they meet the required leadership experience before applying.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY