Robert Witham

A conscientious and highly capable Civil Service and Horticultural Manager possessing a broad based knowledge of Plant Health and Horticultural crop production in the UK. With well-developed communication skills has successfully built relationships across the Agency and industry, and has a proven ability to work to deadline and meet commercial goals. Seeking a challenging new role within the public or commercial sector

Jan 05 – present          ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY

Position:                      

Plant Health and Seeds Inspector (Higher Executive Officer Grade)

Key objective is to prevent the introduction and spread of serious plant pests and disease, which threaten the viability of the agriculture and horticulture industries. The programme also has an important environmental element in that it helps to prevent the introduction of non-native organisms harmful to indigenous plants and ecosystems, and avoids widespread chemical treatment, which might be necessary if quarantine pests became established in the UK. The main duties are:

• Plan, prioritise and complete work in the designated area of responsibility so that inspection targets and quality standards are achieved.
• Statutory inspection of imported plants, planting material and plant produce to ensure

Compliance with import regulations.

• Organise emergency measures to control outbreaks of quarantine and non-indigenous pests and diseases.
• Undertake scientific licence audits.
• Statutory inspections to ensure United Kingdom plant health requirements are met.
• Crop surveys and soil sampling in connection with regulations made to prevent the spread of dangerous plant pests and diseases.
• Certify for export plants and planting material after examination in accordance with the importing country’s requirements, including advice to exporters on requirements.
• Inspection of certain agricultural and horticultural crops in connection with statutory and domestic plant health certification/classification schemes.
• Perform the statutory duties relating to regulations made under the Plant Varieties and Seeds Act 1964 including the field inspection of certain crops and the sampling of certain classes of seed and enforcement checks on the activities of seed firms and seed samplers.
• Line management of allocated staff
• Collation, analysis and communication of intelligence emerging in the regions on significant changes and matters relevant to the Inspectorate to ensure continued sharpening of the focus of the work
• Undertake, in agreement with SPHSI, additional specialised duties on behalf of the PHSI discipline.

Mar 03 – Jan 05           NEEDHAM GROWERS LTD                 

Position:                      Nursery Production Manager

Nursery Production Manager growing 14ha of protected and outdoor bedding and HONS for B&Q, Homebase and local authorities.  Responsible for:

• All aspects of growing a commercial crop
• Ordering supplies
• Production staff management
• Pest and disease control
• Health and safety.

Oct 02 – Mar 03:          S&A PRODUCE LTD

Position:                      Crop Manager/Nursery Manager (Kent / Spain / Herefordshire)

• When Humber VHB sold their nursery at Hern Hill to S&A Produce, was kept on as a Crop Manager to work on strawberry production.  Accepted a role as Nursery Manager at their site in Almeria in Spain, with responsibilities as follows:
• Responsible for the growing of 2 ha of protected strawberries plus their export back to the UK, 
• Management of all staff on the site. 
• In March 2003 came back to the UK as the season had finished in Spain and was due to re-locate to Herefordshire to work on strawberry production at the company’s main site but chose instead to take a position with Needham Growers in Sussex.

Feb – Oct 2002             HUMBER VHB                                     

Position:                      Crop Manager (protected tomato production)

• Manipulating glasshouse environment with environmental control computer to ensure maximum crop production and ensuring crops and services are maintained
• Control of plant pest and disease with both biological and chemical controls
• Management and supervision of crop workers and harvesting staff
• Liaison with pack house and marketing on product quality and quantity
• Ensuring nursery procedures comply with health and safety and food hygiene requirements

Aug 01 – Jan 02           WEALMOOR LTD

Position:                      Quality & Systems Supervisor

• Maintaining and developing quality control systems for exotic produce destined for the wholesale and food processing markets
• Assisting the Food Systems Manager with food quality, safety and technical issues
• Monitoring quality of produce held in stock
• Supervising the hygiene team

Jun 99 – 2000               TANGMERE AIRFIELD NURSERY (while full time student)

Position:                      Harvester

• Harvesting and packing sweet peppers
• Working on new glasshouse development
• Crop spraying and general tasks as directed by the Operations Manager

July 95 - 1998               ARRETON VALLEY NURSERY

Position:                      Picking Supervisor/Crop Worker

• Supervising the picking of the tomato crop ensuring quality standards were met
• Ensuring successful production of the crop.
• Mixing feed
• Checking and reporting of pests and disease
• Crop spraying
• Recording EC and pH run off samples and all tasks involved in crop turnaround

Jan 94 – Jul 95             Teknacron Circuits Ltd

• Process operator with electronics company constructing circuit boards.

Apr 85 – Dec 93           ROYAL NAVY

Position:                      Leading Radio Operator

• Passed preliminary exam for Radio Supervisor June 92

Passed Royal navy Leadership Course Oct 89

2002 – present              

BTEC Level 7 & Advanced Professional Certificate in Investigative Practise

BTEC Level 5 Chartered Institute of Management Post Graduate Diploma in Management

NVQ A1 Assessors Qualification

OCR French level 1

WSET Level 1 Award in Wines

1998 – 2001                  

WRITTLE COLLEGE

BSc (Hons) Horticulture 2.1

RSA CLAIT

1996 – 1998                  

BRINSBURY COLLEGE

NVQ3 Commercial Horticulture: Intensive Crop Production

NVQ2 Commercial Horticulture: Intensive Crop Production 

 1995 – 1998

ISLE OF WIGHT COLLEGE

RSA Word Processing Stage 2  Distinction

RSA Word Processing Stage 1  Distinction

City & Guilds 7261 Information Technology