{"id":3875654,"url":"https://alion.io/job/mayfly-agri-research-and-development-manager","title":"Research and Development Manager","company":{"id":4497267,"name":"MayFly Agri","domain":null,"url":"https://alion.io/company/mayfly-agri","size_band":null,"is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":null,"truth_index":null},"role":"Management","role_family":"Management","seniority":"lead","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Johannesburg, South Africa"],"countries":["ZA"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-11-03T11:01:05Z","employer_posted_date":null,"last_verified_at":"2026-11-03T11:01:05Z","board_verified":false,"closed_at":null,"days_open":5,"trust":{"level":"not_scored","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":5},"description":"Reference: PTA001852-EV-2\n\nAn established industry association is seeking a Research and Development Manager to provide strategic leadership, governance, and operational management of the organisation’s entire research portfolio. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing the research strategy, managing research programmes and budgets, leading committees, overseeing governance and contracts, building strategic partnerships, securing co-funding, ensuring technology transfer, and providing scientific and strategic advice to Management, the R&D Committee, and the Board.\nDuties & Responsibilities\n\nMinimum requirements for the role:\n\nMust have an M. Sc. or PhD in Agriculture, Horticulture, Plant Science, Plant Pathology, Entomology, Crop Science or a related agricultural/scientific discipline, with a PhD being advantageous\n\nMinimum 8–10 years' relevant experience in agricultural research, applied science or research programme management\n\nDemonstrated experience managing multidisciplinary research programmes/projects\n\nMust have experience with research budgets, contracts and funding agreements\n\nStrong stakeholder-management capability and experience working with universities, research institutions, government and industry\n\nSufficient scientific credibility to engage with senior researchers and technical specialists\n\nStrong management, governance and strategic-planning capabilities\n\nMust have the ability to translate scientific research into practical outcomes and value for industry\n\nMust have a valid driver's license and be willing to travel when required\n\nThe successful candidate will be responsible for:\n\nDeveloping and implementing the long-term R&D strategy aligned with the organisation’s strategy, MOI, and levy objectives.\n\nIdentifying industry priorities and emerging risks.\n\nPreparing annual operational plans, research roadmaps, and portfolio reviews.\n\nAdvising the CEO, COO, R&D Committee, and Board on strategic research matters.\n\nManaging the complete research portfolio across Production, Risk Mitigation, and Post-Harvest.\n\nOverseeing project selection, contracting, implementation, monitoring, and close-out.\n\nMonitoring milestones, budgets, risks, deliverables, and project impact.\n\nRecommending the continuation, amendment, or termination of projects.\n\nLeading the R&D Committee and coordinating all Sub-Committees.\n\nPreparing agendas, Board submissions, recommendations, minutes, and action registers.\n\nMaintaining research governance frameworks, policies, and quality assurance systems.\n\nEnsuring compliance with contracts, intellectual property provisions, and funding conditions.\n\nDeveloping and managing the annual research budget.\n\nMonitoring expenditure, forecasts, and project cash flows.\n\nApproving research payments within delegated authority.\n\nProviding financial and portfolio reports to Management and the Board.\n\nDeveloping strategic relationships with universities, research institutions, government, processors, growers, and international partners.\n\nIdentifying and securing external funding opportunities.\n\nNegotiating research collaborations and co-funding agreements.\n\nLeading the translation of research into practical industry outputs.\n\nCoordinating technical publications, project summaries, field guides, study groups, MacDay sessions, and research networking events.\n\nMeasuring the adoption and impact of research outcomes.\n\nLeading, mentoring, and developing research staff.\n\nDeveloping KPIs and conducting performance reviews.\n\nDriving a high-performance research culture.\n\nRepresenting the organisation at scientific, technical, and government forums.\n\nPromoting the interests of the South African macadamia industry nationally and internationally.\n\nPlease note that subsequent to the screening and shortlisting process, all further communication will be entered into only with the shortlisted candidates. If you do not receive any feedback from us within 2 weeks of applying, please consider your application unsuccessful.\nPackage & Remuneration\nMarket Related","description_format":"text","description_chars":4061,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Crop Protection"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-06T15:57:00Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":86,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.86,"p_room":1,"age_days":4,"expected_fill_days":28,"reasons":["seen:4","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-11-08T05:47:12Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/mayfly-agri-research-and-development-manager","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/mayfly-agri-research-and-development-manager.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-09T04:08:26Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":3089,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-10T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":4497267},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=4497267"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fmayfly-agri-research-and-development-manager"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":2,"usd":0.2},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fmayfly-agri-research-and-development-manager"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fmayfly-agri-research-and-development-manager"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/mayfly-agri-research-and-development-manager\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fmayfly-agri-research-and-development-manager"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3875654}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":4497267,"detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3875654},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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