Aquaculture Technical Lead- Ilorin

Job Title: Aquaculture Technical Lead

Location: Ilorin

Reports To: Management

Workmode: Fulltime (Onsite)

Job Purpose

The ACE Lead will provide overall strategic and operational leadership for the Aquaculture Centre of Excellence, covering the RCD farm, hatchery, broodstock programme, academy and research activities. The role will translate business priorities into a clear ACE 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 ACE.
• 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 IFP 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.

ACE 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 ACE 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 ACE.
• 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 ACE 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.

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.