Head of Growing Operations

Company Description Xantory is a UAE-based agricultural company specializing in indoor, controlled-environment farming. The company grows microgreens, leafy greens, and flowers year-round across its farming facilities, using hydroponic growing systems, climate control technology, and data-driven production methods. Xantory aims to deliver consistent, high-quality, food-safe produce to its customers while minimizing waste and resource use. Team members join a growing organization that combines agriculture with technology, including AI and automation, as it expands its crop lines.Role Description The Head of Growing Operations is responsible for all indoor farming production across Xantory facilities in the UAE. This full-time, on-site role reports to the Director of Operations and owns every tray, growth cycle, and kilo harvested. The role sets production plans and targets for all crop lines, monitors crop health, growth cycles, and harvest schedules, and works with technical and MEP teams to manage climate, irrigation, and nutrient systems. The Head of Growing Operations ensures all produce meets food safety standards before it leaves the facility and maintains hygiene and contamination-control protocols across growing areas. They lead the Head of Leafy Greens & Edible Flowers and the wider production team, setting shift schedules and training staff on growing techniques, food safety, and equipment use. The role tracks yield, wastage, and efficiency data, uses it to refine growing recipes and reduce waste, and works with the AI Engineering team to pilot new monitoring and automation tools. Success is measured by yield against target, wastage rate, food safety audit results, and on-time harvest fulfillment for sales orders.Key ResponsibilitiesProduction ManagementSet production plans and targets for all indoor farming crop lines.Monitor crop health, growth cycles, and harvest schedules daily.Manage climate, irrigation, and nutrient systems with the technical and MEP teams.Investigate and fix crop health or yield issues quickly.Quality & Food SafetyEnsure all produce meets food safety standards before it leaves the facility.Maintain hygiene and contamination-control protocols across all growing areas.Run regular quality audits across production lines.Team LeadershipManage the Head of Leafy Greens & Edible Flowers and the wider farming production team.Set shift schedules and ensure coverage across all growing cycles.Train staff on growing techniques, food safety, and equipment use.Data & Continuous ImprovementTrack yield, wastage, and efficiency data across all crop lines.Use production data to refine growing recipes and reduce waste.Work with the AI Engineering team to pilot new monitoring and automation tools.Reporting & CoordinationReport production performance to the Director of Operations.Coordinate with the sales team to ensure on-time harvest fulfillment.Qualifications5+ years of experience in indoor, vertical, or controlled-environment agriculture.Strong technical knowledge of hydroponic and/or aeroponic growing systems, including climate, irrigation, and nutrient management.Proven experience managing production teams in an agricultural setting, including scheduling, training, and performance management.Solid understanding of food safety standards, hygiene, and contamination-control practices.Ability to analyze yield, wastage, and production data and turn it into practical improvements.Familiarity with farm management software, climate control systems, or sensor-based monitoring is highly advantageous.Interest in working with AI and automation tools to improve production.Strong communication skills for working with operations, technical, and sales teams.Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, Horticulture, Plant Science, or a related field.Willingness to work on-site across farming facilities in the UAE.