About Kivu Choice:

Kivu Choice is Rwanda’s largest protein producer and one of the fastest-growing aquaculture companies in Africa. Founded in 2022, Kivu Choice is the sister company to Victory Farms, East Africa’s leading aquaculture platform based in Kenya. The company operates a fully vertically integrated aquaculture model, encompassing hatchery operations, cage-based grow-out, processing, distribution, and sales. Kivu Choice is also one of the country’s largest employers, with over 700 employees, and plans to grow to 1,200 employees within the next three years, reflecting its strong commitment to job creation and inclusive economic development. Over the next five years, Kivu Choice aims to scale into Africa’s largest and most sustainable protein producer, producing and distributing 30,000 tons of fish annually for the Rwandan market and for export across the region.

Job Purpose:

The Fish Harvest Foreman is responsible for supervising and coordinating all fish harvesting activities, ensuring that fish are harvested safely, efficiently, and according to the required quality, quantity, and production schedule. The role leads the harvest team and ensures proper handling of fish from the cage through crowding, netting, pumping, transfer, and delivery to the designated destination.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Harvest Operations

• Supervise daily fish harvesting activities according to the production plan.
• Ensure the correct cages are harvested according to the schedule and instructions.
• Coordinate crowding, netting, and pumping activities.
• Ensure fish are handled carefully to minimize stress, damage, and mortality.
• Monitor harvest rates and ensure production targets are achieved.
• Ensure harvesting activities are carried out according to approved procedures.

2. Team Supervision

• Allocate duties to harvest team members and supervise their performance.
• Conduct daily checklists before harvesting activities.
• Ensure employees follow correct harvesting procedures and work instructions.
• Monitor attendance, discipline, productivity, and adherence to company procedures.
• Train new team members on safe and correct fish-handling and harvesting practices.
• Provide guidance and support to team members to ensure efficient harvesting operations.

3. Fish Quality & Handling

• Ensure fish are handled hygienically throughout the harvesting process.
• Monitor fish condition and report abnormal mortality, injuries, or quality concerns.
• Ensure harvested fish are properly sorted, weighed, counted, and transferred.
• Minimize physical damage, scale loss, and unnecessary stress during handling.
• Ensure fish quality is maintained throughout the harvesting and transfer process.

4. Equipment & Safety

• Inspect harvesting equipment before operations.
• Ensure nets, pumps, and other equipment are used correctly and safely.
• Report damaged or defective equipment immediately.
• Ensure all team members comply with health and safety requirements.
• Stop unsafe work and report incidents or near misses.
• Ensure harvesting equipment is properly maintained and available when required.

5. Records & Reporting

• Complete and maintain daily pump and cage inspection checklists.
• Report daily harvest performance to the supervisor or manager.
• Maintain accurate records of harvest quantity, fish numbers, biomass, and other relevant information.
• Communicate operational challenges or deviations immediately.
• Ensure all required harvest records are accurate and submitted on time.

6. Coordination

• Coordinate with Production, Cage Operations, Logistics, Quality, and Processing/Dispatch teams.
• Ensure harvested fish are transferred on time to the designated destination.
• Communicate changes to the harvest plan to the team.
• Support smooth coordination between harvesting and downstream operations.

7. Health, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with company health, safety, and environmental procedures.
• Identify and report workplace hazards and operational risks.
• Ensure team members follow safe working practices.
• Maintain a clean and safe working environment during harvesting activities.
• Perform any other duties related to fish production and harvesting as assigned.

Key Performance Areas (KPIs)

• Harvest quantity and biomass accuracy.
• Fish mortality and handling losses minimized.
• Fish quality maintained.
• Compliance with harvest procedures and safety requirements.
• Equipment availability and proper utilization.
• Accurate and timely harvest reporting.
• Team productivity and discipline.
• Achievement of planned harvest targets.

Qualifications & Experience:

• A degree in aquaculture, fisheries, agriculture, or a related field is advantageous.
• Minimum 1–2 years of experience in aquaculture, fisheries, fish harvesting, or a similar production environment.
• Previous supervisory or team-leader experience is preferred.
• Practical experience in cage farming, fish harvesting, handling, weighing, and counting is an advantage.
• Good knowledge of fish handling, welfare, safety, and harvesting procedures.
• Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Physically fit and comfortable working on or around water.
• Willingness to work flexible hours, including weekends and public holidays when required.

• Supervise daily fish harvesting activities according to the production plan.
• Ensure the correct cages are harvested according to the schedule and instructions.
• Coordinate crowding, netting, and pumping activities.
• Ensure fish are handled carefully to minimize stress, damage, and mortality.
• Monitor harvest rates and ensure production targets are achieved.
• Ensure harvesting activities are carried out according to approved procedures.
• Allocate duties to harvest team members and supervise their performance.
• Conduct daily checklists before harvesting activities.
• Ensure employees follow correct harvesting procedures and work instructions.
• Monitor attendance, discipline, productivity, and adherence to company procedures.
• Train new team members on safe and correct fish-handling and harvesting practices.
• Provide guidance and support to team members to ensure efficient harvesting operations.
• Ensure fish are handled hygienically throughout the harvesting process.
• Monitor fish condition and report abnormal mortality, injuries, or quality concerns.
• Ensure harvested fish are properly sorted, weighed, counted, and transferred.
• Minimize physical damage, scale loss, and unnecessary stress during handling.
• Ensure fish quality is maintained throughout the harvesting and transfer process.
• Inspect harvesting equipment before operations.
• Ensure nets, pumps, and other equipment are used correctly and safely.
• Report damaged or defective equipment immediately.
• Ensure all team members comply with health and safety requirements.
• Stop unsafe work and report incidents or near misses.
• Ensure harvesting equipment is properly maintained and available when required.
• Complete and maintain daily pump and cage inspection checklists.
• Report daily harvest performance to the supervisor or manager.
• Maintain accurate records of harvest quantity, fish numbers, biomass, and other relevant information.
• Communicate operational challenges or deviations immediately.
• Ensure all required harvest records are accurate and submitted on time.
• Coordinate with Production, Cage Operations, Logistics, Quality, and Processing/Dispatch teams.
• Ensure harvested fish are transferred on time to the designated destination.
• Communicate changes to the harvest plan to the team.
• Support smooth coordination between harvesting and downstream operations.
• Ensure compliance with company health, safety, and environmental procedures.
• Identify and report workplace hazards and operational risks.
• Ensure team members follow safe working practices.
• Maintain a clean and safe working environment during harvesting activities.
• Perform any other duties related to fish production and harvesting as assigned.

• Strong leadership skills
• Strong communication skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Good knowledge of fish handling, welfare, safety, and harvesting procedures

• A degree in aquaculture, fisheries, agriculture, or a related field is advantageous.
• Minimum 1–2 years of experience in aquaculture, fisheries, fish harvesting, or a similar production environment.
• Previous supervisory or team-leader experience is preferred.
• Practical experience in cage farming, fish harvesting, handling, weighing, and counting is an advantage.
• Physically fit and comfortable working on or around water.
• Willingness to work flexible hours, including weekends and public holidays when required.