Volcafe, has been trading coffee since 1851. Today, we provide beans for 80 billion cups each year and there is only one thing we prioritise above coffee itself – partnership.

About the job

ED&F Man has an opportunity for an experienced and high calibre Coffee Quality Control Expert to join a world leading trader of agricultural commodities within a wholly owned subsidiary of our Coffee Trading Division – VOLCAFE. This position offers a broad spectrum of opportunity, scope, commercial activity and authority.

The successful candidate will cover the position of Head of Quality Control based in Addis Ababa to manage a team, standardise processes, perform daily cuppings and liaise with internal and external stakeholders.

VOLCAFE Ltd. is one of the world’s leading international green coffee trading companies with its head office in Winterthur, Switzerland, operating in over 20 countries globally, in coffee procurement, sustainability, blending and export as well as importing and distribution, and it supplies the world’s major coffee roasters and retail distributors with their green coffee requirements, with significant strategic growth ambitions for the future. Volcafe has built and operated certified, sustainable supply chains across all our origins, addressing key economic, social and environmental issues in coffee farming communities. Since 2014 Volcafe has been providing direct technical assistance to farmers, helping them to improve their coffee quality, farm productivity and yields via our Volcafe Way Farmer Support Organizations (FSOs).

Responsibilities to include, but are not limited to:

• Efficiently manage communication with the quality control and trade teams at destination on quality related matters
• Manage the communication of feedback to suppliers and internal clients on quality findings
• Give special attention and focus to the quality requirements of strategic clients
• Provide occasional training for staff and suppliers on coffee quality parameters and control processes
• Oversee the process of physical and sensory analysis on coffee samples
• Oversee the management of the coffee quality laboratory, including the optimal management of samples
• Manage the preparation distribution of cupping reports to the relevant team members
• Provide technical guidance to members of the quality control team and ensure their professional development
• Perform other related assignments as directed by the general manager

Skills and Expertise

• Substantial experience working in quality control combined with experience of managing a team
• Extensive coffee cupping experience is essential
• Experience within a multi-national environment is highly beneficial
• Demonstrable experience of standardising processes
• Excellent communication skills
• Experience working within an export company preferred
• Team management skills

HIGHLY COMPETITIVE PAY AND BENEFITS PACKAGE

And as an ever-friendly reminder: Researchers have found that men apply to roles when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria. Women and other underrepresented groups tend to apply only when they check every box. If you are interested, but don’t feel like you meet every single point on the job description, please still apply!

Essential Behaviours

Here at ED&F Man we are guided by our five company values: Respect, Integrity, Meritocracy, Client Focus and Entrepreneurship. Our values are underpinned by a set of essential behaviours, which form part of our performance management approach. Delivering on our objectives is very much about ‘what’ we do, but these essential behaviours also provide a guide and measure for ‘how’ we do things. Our performance essentials are Take Initiative, Self‐Management, Deliver Results and Collaboration