Head of Grape Practice (Head of Viticulture)

Job Description

Head of Grape Practice (Head of Viticulture) – Nashik

Location: Nashik (field-first, farm-heavy) | Function: Domain & Quality | Type: Full-time, senior hire | Reports to: City CEO – Nashik

About the Role

Bharat Intelligence's first deep focus area is grapes in Nashik, including premium export-grade production. We are looking for a respected grape expert from the Nashik ecosystem — someone who has lived the crop cycle, managed vineyards to international export standards, and is known and trusted by farmers, mukadams, and the wider trade. This person should be able to walk into a vineyard in Dindori, Niphad, Vinchur, or any major grape cluster and be recognised as a credible peer.

Key Responsibilities

• Domain Leadership & Market Credibility: Represent Bharat Intelligence as the premium, agronomy-backed labour provider in the Nashik grape belt; build direct relationships with key farmers, exporters, FPOs, and consultants
  
• Quality Standards & Field Audits: Define quality standards for each grape work pack — pruning, thinning, canopy work, dipping, harvesting, packing, and new plantations; build a field audit system with scorecards and pass/fail standards
  
• Training & Labour Capability Building: Design practical, visual, local-language training modules for mukadams, supervisors, and labour teams; build a crop-cycle-based training calendar
  
• SOPs & Work Pack Design: Own the agronomy layer of all grape work packs — method, sequence, tools, time norms, and safety requirements; convert standards into checklists and digital workflows
  
• Productivity & Outcome Improvement: Set realistic productivity benchmarks per task; analyse rework and quality failures; run field pilots on better tools and methods
  

What Good Looks Like (First 12 Months)

Bharat Intelligence recognised by progressive grape farmers and exporters as the most reliable, best-trained labour execution partner in Nashik; a complete grape SOP and quality system live across key work packs; structured, recurring training visibly improving field quality; material reduction in rework and complaints.

Strong Backgrounds

Vineyard managers at leading table grape farms in Nashik; agronomy or quality leads at export houses and packhouses; senior farm managers who have handled premium export-oriented vineyards; independent grape specialists with strong ecosystem credibility.

Not a Fit If

Primarily a research or advisory agronomist with limited live vineyard ownership; strong technical knowledge but weak standing in the Nashik grape ecosystem; has not managed labour-intensive execution on ground; prefers office-based advisory work over field-led operating work.

Requirements

What We're Looking For

• 10+ years of hands-on experience in grape farming, viticulture, vineyard management, or export grape operations
  
• Deep knowledge of the Nashik grape ecosystem, including major clusters, farmer behaviour, and local best practices
  
• Strong practical understanding of the full grape cycle: pruning, canopy management, thinning, bunch handling, nutrition, irrigation, pest/disease management, harvest timing, and post-harvest handling
  
• Direct exposure to export-grade production and international quality standards
  
• Proven experience managing or training labour, mukadams, supervisors, or farm teams at scale
  
• Marathi and Hindi required; ability to simplify technical content for low-literacy audiences is essential
  
• Degree in Agriculture, Horticulture, Viticulture, or Agronomy preferred, but field credibility matters more than academic pedigree
  

Requirements
• 10+ years of hardcore operations experience • Proven experience managing city-level, district-level, or large-cluster operations • Experience in high-frequency operations, logistics, marketplaces, agriculture, mobility, gig work, supply chains, or field-heavy businesses • Strong understanding of Nashik's villages, labour belts, farmer ecosystems, and seasonal agricultural patterns • Experience leading blue-collar and field teams at scale • Strong ownership mindset and ability to operate independently • Excellent negotiation, conflict-resolution, and stakeholder-management skills • Comfortable spending significant time on the ground Preferred Backgrounds: • City Manager / Cluster Manager roles • Logistics & Supply Chain Operations • Hyperlocal & Marketplace Businesses • Mobility Platforms • Gig Economy Operations • Agri-input, Agri-trading, Horticulture, Rural Distribution • Labour Contractor Networks Experience with grapes, onions, pomegranates, or other Nashik-relevant horticulture value chains is a strong advantage. Why This Role Matters What we build in Nashik will become the blueprint for scaling Bharat Intelligence across India. You'll be working at the intersection of agriculture, labour, migration, operations, and technology—solving one of the country's most complex and important execution problems. Success in this role means: • Predictable labour availability during peak seasons • High farmer fulfilment and repeat usage • Strong worker retention and deployment • Reduced last-minute escalations and cancellations • Independent, high-performing ground teams • A city operation that scales without constant firefighting