Resource Manager – Mechanical Harvesting – North Uist

 

Uist Asco, located about five miles from Lochmaddy on the Island of North Uist, is a seaweed processor that has been drying seaweeds since 2014. This region of Scotland has a long and proud history of harvesting seaweed and creating jobs and economic growth from this renewable marine resource.

 

The Role:

 

The Uist Asco Production Team is a seeking positive and dependable Resource Manager – Mechanical Harvesting. The Resource Manager – Mechanical Harvesting (RM-MH) is responsible for managing all aspects of Uist Asco’s Mechanical Harvester’s Procurement Plans for their respective territory. This includes the oversight of harvesting vessel, support boats, maintenance of equipment, staffing, logistics, and harvest management. The RM-MH manages the planning, budgeting, recruitment of staff to ensure a safe, sustainable harvest. The Resource Manager resolves all management, procurement and recruiting requirements for their respective territories/sectors.

 

Responsibilities:

 

Planning & Reporting

 

    • Work with the Vice President to prepare and submit for approval yearly harvest management plans detailing harvesting landing sites, sector harvesting budgets and limits, closed and open sectors, study sites, long-term closed areas, resource monitoring and control, policing and compliance plans, data collection.
    • Recruit and train MH Operators and Support Staff. This includes training, or finding suitable third party training organizations, in marine safety, harvest techniques, health and safety, ensuring compliance to existing policies, regulations and guidelines, as well as sector harvesting procedures and compliance.
    • Work in concert with the Vice President to ensure all Mechanical Harvesters, equipment and support vessels are available throughout the harvest season and is maintained in proper working order, including and annual Preventative Maintenance program to ensure Mechanical Harvesters are operating at peak capacity.
    • Work with the Vice President to prepare an annual budget encompassing all components of the Mechanical Harvester operations in the territory including the harvest plan for all raw material and the operational cost and expenses. Provide Head Office with collection of all harvest data and relative expenses to satisfy company requirements.
    • Work with the Vice President to prepare an annual report on a timely basis encompassing all components of the marine harvest that is submitted to various government and regulatory authorities.
    • Work with the Vice President and Resource Science Department in developing and implementing a detailed annual Mechanical Harvesting work plan that includes: quantities supplied by each Mechanical Harvester; quality control of supply chain; detailed landings data by area and resource conservation and assessment information.

Harvesting Season

    • Ensure the weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual quantities of resource from within the territory are secured.
    • Ensure the Mechanical Harvest is carried out in compliance with Uist Asco obligations under all government and Uist Asco protocols. Furthermore, ensure that all operational requirements are in place to produce the required budget volumes of raw material.
    • Lead, motivate and provide service to the Mechanical Harvester operators and tender boat operators on a day-to-day basis to ensure their needs are met to achieve the raw material required.
    • Administer disciplinary policies set out by Uist Asco and government regulations and policies to ensure a proper harvest is maintained.
    • Work with all Mechanical Harvester Operators, the Resource Science and Resource Management Departments to improve the harvesting methods for sustainability and optimum biomass utilization.
    • Work with the Vice President and Plant Manager to establish and maintain logistics planning to ensure seaweed is transported in a timely way to preserve quality.
    • Inspect and maintain all Mechanical Harvesters and support equipment (tender boats) to ensure it is all in good working order. Establish a Preventative Maintenance Program, including the timely and orderly repair of boats, motors and mechanical harvesters where applicable.
    • Work with the Vice President to control costs through financial planning and maintaining budgetary boundaries.
    • Execute approved budget in a timely and efficient manner to produce the quantity and quality raw material at budgeted costs.
    • Support the company’s vision and policies regarding Health & Safety, Corporate Culture, Environmental Management and the Progressive Excellence Program by displaying the appropriate behaviors and leadership towards meeting the company’s objectives in these areas.
    • Ensure all Mechanical Harvesting activities are carried out in accordance with company procedures, policies and manage the natural resource to maintain sustainability. Ensure that all operational requirements are in place to produce the required budget volumes of raw material.

Mechanical Harvester Operations Staff Recruitment and Management

 

    • Develop a progressive and sustainable Mechanical Harvester staffing plan that includes MH operators and support staff (e.g. tender boat operators).
    • Manage and administer disciplinary policies set out by Acadian Seaplants Limited to comply with mechanical harvesting guidelines and government regulations. This will be done by the policing of Mechanical Harvesting operators and tender boat operators on the water with the use of a company vessel where applicable.
    • Assist with public relations to maintain appropriate company image within the local community and all levels of government.
    • Provide leadership, motivation and service to the Mechanical Harvester operations staff on a day-to-day basis.
    • Manage the process of handling and bagging of raw material from Mechanical Harvesters to landing sites. Ensure the loading of transport trucks in a timely manner to reinforce top quality raw material delivered to processing plants.
    • Help prepare and submit for approval yearly mechanical harvest management plans detailing:
        • Number of full-time staff, including Mechanical Harvester operators and tender boat operators and landing sites
        • Area sector harvest quantity budget
        • Closed and open sectors
        • Resource monitoring and control
        • Policy and compliance plans
        • Data collection and reporting
        • Resource and habitat research plans
        • Organize Harvester Kick-off meetings

Requirements:

 

    • The successful candidate will have a proven supervisory track record in an operations environment and possess a strong understanding of the Outer Hebrides Island Fisheries and related activities. Experience with industry-related seawater equipment, small vessel operations, and general understanding of marine equipment and maintenance is required.
    • Demonstrated people management ability and Resource Management experience in natural resources including fisheries, forestry or agriculture.
    • Bachelor of engineering or college or post-secondary studies (minimum of 2 years) in Natural Resource Environment Technology.
    • Experience in a marine environment and working with small boats/crafts. Experience with maintenance of boats, motors, hydraulics and marine vessels are considered a valuable asset.
    • Computer literacy or equivalent technical confidence to execute required management functions.
    • An ability to recruit, motivate and foster teamwork.
    • Proven ability to interact with local community and government officials.
    • Good interpersonal and organizational skills. An ability to represent the best interests of the company to ensure quality, safety and efficiency in all aspects of the harvesting operation.

Working Conditions:

The Resource Manager may spend a significant amount of their time during the season on the coastal shores and on the water, assisting Mechanical Harvesting operations staff in everyday activities and maintenance of bag sites. Work may involve lifting of materials and equipment of up to 100 lbs. Working in this environment requires the use of safety equipment to ensure safety on land and on the water. In addition, much of the harvesting work is dependent on tides and tide schedules, thus flexibility and rigour is required in a daily work schedule. This is not a regular day-to-day office job.

 

If this job sounds like it was made for you, we’d like to meet you. To further explore this opportunity, just submit your application to Steve Empringham at sempringham@acadian.ca

 

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls please.

 

 

We truly believe we can help create a sustainable world by advancing the science of seaweed.