Mwamba Chokolo

• Developed and managed a portfolio of existing clients to ensure long-term customer relationships.
• Created financial management mechanisms to minimize financial risk to business.
• Implemented strategies for increasing customer retention rates by providing excellent service levels at all times.
• Cultivated relationships with customers by participating in meetings onsite and at client locations.
• Drafted proposals outlining product features and benefits for prospective customers.
• Created and updated financial reports on frequent basis to present information to leadership teams.
• Resolved customer inquiries or complaints promptly and efficiently in accordance with established guidelines.
• Prepared detailed reports on customer activities for management review.

• Assisted district managers in developing marketing plans for their respective districts.
• Planned and delivered training sessions to improve employee effectiveness and address areas of weakness.
• Provided leadership, insight and mentoring to newly hired employees to supply knowledge of various company programs.
• Ensured compliance with all applicable laws related to employment practices within the region.
• Cultivated and maintained solid partner relationships to drive mutually beneficial collaboration and bottom-line profits.
• Resolved conflicts between customers and employees within the region.
• Maintained a high level of professionalism when interacting with customers or vendors in person or over phone and email communication.
• Reviewed monthly reports from individual districts regarding sales figures and other metrics.
• Established goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and standards of performance for all personnel in the region.
• Created and maintained relationships with key customers in the region.

Agricultural Business Strategy and Leadership.

• Serve as the primary resource for all agricultural sector-related matters, including board reporting, and media engagement.
• Lead the strategic planning and development of the bank’s agricultural business, including monitoring performance, and adjusting strategies as needed.
• Engaged in strategy formulation for mitigating risks associated with Agric-related credits.

Risk Management and Credit Assessment.

• Assess and manage credit risk for new and existing agribusiness clients, including stress-testing client and sector performance.
• Lead the evaluation of non-performing loans within the agricultural portfolio.

Team Leadership and Development

• Oversee the recruitment, training, and performance management of agricultural staff, developing initiatives to improve sales and business development.
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Project Management and Implementation.

• Led the district-level implementation of the FAO’s Conservation Scaling Up Program (CASU), aimed at improving sustainable farming practices.
• Designed and implemented farmer communication programs to improve outreach and engagement.
• Provided technical advice to farmers on soil fertility, irrigation systems, pest control, and other agricultural issues.
• Facilitated communication between producers and buyers by attending conferences or trade shows.
• Organized field days for farmers in order to demonstrate new products or services related to agriculture.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Managed the annual updates to the farmers' register, and conducted pre- and post-harvest evaluations to monitor program effectiveness.
• Monitored weather patterns and provided forecasts to farmers regarding potential impact on their crops or livestock.
• Used HACCP principles to assess risks of different food-related items and document findings.
• Assessed soil conditions and determined appropriate fertilization plans for crops.

Production and Operations Management

• Managed poultry production, including a 500k-boiler unit, overseeing the production, slaughter, and stock feed planning.
• Managed the weekly slaughter of 40,000 birds, ensuring compliance with operational targets and quality standards.
• Coordinated clerical, recordkeeping and marketing strategies to enhance business operations and boost profits.
• Collaborated with senior staff to prepare budgets and financial reports.

Staff Leadership and Development

• Led recruitment, training, and performance management of 118 staff, including ten section managers.
• Developed and implemented performance improvement initiatives, including a structured mentorship program.
• Coordinated position requirements, schedules and production team processes.
• Developed long-term strategies for increasing efficiency while reducing overhead costs associated with running the farm business.
• Inspected facilities and equipment for signs of disrepair, performing necessary maintenance work.
• Delegated tasks to seasonal workers and supervised completion of duties and responsibilities.

Agricultural Production Management.

• Introduced high-value crops such as cauliflower, sugar snaps, and eggplant into the farm’s crop rotation plan, transitioning from generic vegetables to products supplied to chain stores.
• Inspected fields regularly to ensure proper fertilization levels are maintained.
• Coordinated clerical, recordkeeping and marketing strategies to enhance business operations and boost profits.
• Collected and recorded growth, production and environmental data.
• Maintained records on production output and crop yields in order to make future planning decisions.
• Directed efficient crop production to maximize resource utilization and consistently meet schedule and financial demands.

Experiential Learning.

• Gained first-hand experience in export vegetable farming, with a focus on supply to European and Asian markets
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• Worked alongside senior team members to learn related job tasks and roles.
• Monitored operations and reviewed records and metrics to understand company performance.