About saltyco

Saltyco® is a multi award winning materials science company that makes planet-positive textiles. Our mission is to build completely new supply chains for the fashion industry by reimagining everything from farming to manufacturing. To do this, saltyco® works with farmers and conservation groups to grow plants that heal areas of damaged land. Through this, they gain a source of raw material for textile production whilst simultaneously improving biodiversity, capturing carbon and saving resources. With recent recognition from the Global Change Award, the world's largest sustainable fashion competition, saltyco are poised to create real and growing impact in this space.

About The Role

You will join us right at the beginning of our journey to refine and scale our agricultural supply, with a focus on wet farming (paludiculture) crops. As agricultural supply manager, you will create and deliver an innovative strategy for the expansion of feedstock supply in line with production growth targets. We are one of the first companies in Europe to actively source paludiculture crops, providing farmers with new opportunities to adopt regenerative practices that have huge carbon reducing potential.

Your role will include identifying and working with these key partners to develop a trusted network of suppliers. Through the careful management of agricultural projects, you will help to shape saltyco’s novel approach to material supply chains.

This is a full-time position beginning as soon as possible.

Your Key Responsibilities Include:

Biomass supply:

• Create and deliver an innovative strategy for the expansion of feedstock supply.

• Project manage our entire agricultural supply chain, keeping track of inbound material, as well as the numerous ecosystem services associated with our regenerative sites

• Identify new farming partners and guide them through our supplier onboarding process including:

  • Communicating of the value of paludiculture

  • Assist with sourcing of funding for set-up costs

  • Developing long-term relationships

• Oversee the creation of farmer contracts in collaboration with legal partners

• Identifying funding opportunities for agricultural innovation

• Work with operations department to develop logistics strategies and tools for multiple different sourcing models

• Communicate agricultural goals and visioning to assist in business development plans

  
  

Product development and Innovation:

• Work with product testing dpt. to develop clear quality improvement plans

• Develop strategic links to agricultural processing facilities in line with product quality control measures

• Work closely with farming partners to identify opportunities for improved efficiency and automation

  
  

Strategy:

• Monitor govt. and other support streams for new paludiculture projects

• Keep up to date on relevant policy changes eg CAP, Defra

• Manage relationship with government task force on paludiculture

• Develop ties with existing projects in Europe

  
  

Future materials:

• Work with product research team to explore novel crops

  
  

Who are you?:

• Degree level qualification in an appropriate technical subject or significant industry management experience at an appropriate level

• Where appropriate hold an externally recognised professional competence ( e.g. BASIS)

• Willing to carry out hands-on and technical tasks as well as higher level management

• Experience in managing new crop introduction and monitoring of both growth and environmental effects (desirable but not essential)

• You have an empathy with producers and a broad understanding of agricultural processes

• Flexible with attending regular site visits across the UK. Driving licence is essential

• Willing to travel for site visits to European partners

• You have the communication skills required to instil trust, influence and enthuse external partners

• You can prioritise and plan effectively to meet deadlines and project targets.

• You share our passion of wanting to shift the textile industry towards planet-positivity

What you get in return:

• Opportunity to define the next-generation of planet-positive material production through the area it matters most - the restoration of land!
• Competitive salary 
• Flexible working
• Your birthday off! 🎉