Managing Director / Site Manager

Job Description

Lokal Harvest USA is a controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) company operating a 30-acre, state-of-the-art glass greenhouse in Early Branch, South Carolina, dedicated to year-round production of premium, sustainably grown tomatoes for retail and foodservice customers across the Southeast and Eastern Seaboard. We combine advanced growing technology, rigorous food-safety standards, and a committed local workforce to deliver consistent quality at commercial scale — and we are building for growth.

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Managing Director / Site Manager to lead all aspects of our Early Branch operation. This is a true general-management role with full profit-and-loss (P&L) responsibility for the site. The successful candidate will own production, sales execution, facility maintenance, labor, food safety, and financial performance — accountable to ownership for yield, quality, cost, and profitability. This role suits a proven greenhouse operator who thinks like a business owner: equally comfortable walking the crop rows, negotiating with buyers, managing a maintenance budget, and presenting monthly results to a board.

Key Responsibilities

Business Leadership & P&L

• Own the site's full P&L: develop annual operating budgets, forecasts, and capital plans; manage costs and margins; and deliver against revenue and EBITDA targets.
• Report site performance to ownership and the board on a regular cadence, with clear KPIs covering yield, quality, price realization, labor efficiency, energy, and cost per unit.
• Identify and execute continuous-improvement initiatives across production, packing, energy, and logistics to improve unit economics.

Greenhouse Production

• Direct year-round hydroponic tomato production across the 30-acre facility, including climate, irrigation and fertigation strategy, crop planning and registration, labor scheduling, and harvest execution.
• Partner with the senior grower and cultivation team to hit yield, quality, and pack-out targets while managing integrated pest management (IPM) and crop health programs.
• Oversee packing operations, cold chain, inventory, and outbound logistics to ensure on-time, in-spec deliveries.

Sales & Commercial

• Drive commercial performance: support retail and foodservice programs, manage customer relationships and service levels, and align crop planning with demand.
• Contribute to pricing strategy and sales planning; monitor market conditions and competitive dynamics to maximize price realization.
• Represent the site with customers, auditors, vendors, lenders, and community stakeholders.

Facility & Maintenance

• Own preventive and corrective maintenance programs for all greenhouse systems: structures, screens, heating and CO2, irrigation/fertigation, water treatment, climate computers, packing equipment, and site utilities.
• Manage maintenance staffing, contractors, spare-parts inventory, and capital projects on schedule and on budget.
• Ensure site security, emergency preparedness, and regulatory compliance (environmental, water, chemical storage/handling).

People, Safety & Food Safety

• Lead, develop, and retain a high-performing team across growing, packing, maintenance, and administration; foster a culture of safety, accountability, and respect.
• Oversee workforce planning and labor programs, including seasonal and H-2A labor and worker housing where applicable.
• Maintain and continuously improve food-safety and quality systems (SQF/GFSI, GAP), ensuring audit readiness at all times.

Qualifications

Required

• 7+ years of progressive leadership in commercial greenhouse or CEA operations, including multi-acre glasshouse vegetable production (tomatoes strongly preferred).
• Demonstrated P&L ownership of a production site or business unit, with a track record of hitting budget, yield, and profitability targets.
• Hands-on knowledge of greenhouse systems and maintenance — climate control, irrigation/fertigation, heating, CO2 — and of hydroponic crop management and IPM.
• Commercial experience selling into retail and/or foodservice produce channels, or working closely with sales/marketing organizations on pricing, programs, and service levels.
• Strong leadership of large hourly workforces; experience with recruiting, training, and retention in an agricultural or manufacturing setting.
• Working know