មុខតំណែង: Cashew Manufacturing Expert

Reports to: Trade, Investment and Agri-food Innovation Lead

Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Period of Assignment:  December 2025 - June 2026

Duration:  up to 50 days (virtual and including travel to Cambodia)

Employment type: Short term consultant 

Contractual arrangement: “eligible for individual (international) expert”

Program Background

The CAPRED Facility is Australia’s flagship bilateral economic development program in Cambodia, focusing on economic recovery and resilience over the next four years, with a possible three-year extension. 

The Facility supports Cambodia in implementing a range of necessary economic interventions and reforms to maintain the country’s economic transition. These interventions and reforms are primarily aimed at encouraging more productive and inclusive public and private investment, which promotes a resilient, inclusive and sustainable economy (RISE). 

CAPRED interventions fall under three technical components including: Agriculture and Agro-processing; Trade, Investment and Enterprise Development and Infrastructure Development; and one Cross-Cutting component comprising: Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI), Climate Resilient initiatives, and policy support. and policy support. GEDSI is at the heart of all that CAPRED does. 

Under its Trade and Investment, and Agro-processing domain, CAPRED supports the development of the cashew sector by improving domestic processing, enabling value addition, and enhancing export readiness.

CAPRED is working with a private sector partner operating a pilot cashew processing facility (1,500–3,000 MT/year) that aims to scale to 20,000 MT/year. To support this transition, CAPRED seeks a qualified operational industry expert in cashew processing and manufacturing to assess current operations and provide practical, high-impact recommendations for efficiency improvement, value-added product development, pricing, and scale-up planning and investment needs.

Scope of work 

The Cashew manufacturing expert will assess the operations of the exiting factory and provide strategic advice in the following areas:

1. Operations & Productivity: review process flows, throughput, facility layout, and productivity and identify bottlenecks and propose cost-effective and quality improvements
2. Equipment & Processing: evaluate all processing stages: drying, storage/warehouse, de-shelling, peeling, grading, roasting, packaging and recommend equipment upgrades and layout changes to support scale-up
3. Workforce & HR: assess workforce structure, productivity, and technical skills and propose staffing plans and training strategies for current operation and scale-up 
4. Pricing Strategy: analyze cost structures and develop pricing models for B2B, retail, and export and recommend pricing by product type and market segment
5. Identify investment needs: help the firm quantify the size of the funding required to achieve the desired scale-up.

In addition, the cashew manufacturing expert will develop a standardized guide for operating and scaling up cashew processing factories, drawing on lessons from successful commercial operations and business practices. The guide will be tailored to the Cambodian context, empowering local processors to enhance their operational efficiency and drive export-ready growth (subject to further discussion as the work evolves).

Key Deliverables and Timeframe

Qualifications and Experience

To be considered for this position, the ideal candidate must possess the following qualifications and experience:

• A minimum of 10–15 years of proven experience in a senior operational or technical role within the cashew processing plant and manufacturing industry.
• Demonstrated deep knowledge of all cashew processing stages, including drying, storage, de-shelling, grading, peeling, roasting, and packaging. This includes expertise in equipment evaluation, plant layout optimization, and quality control systems (e.g., HACCP, ISO, Organic certification, and standard market entry requirements).
• Demonstrated success in managing and improving factory operations, productivity, and supply chain logistics for raw cashew nuts (RCN), finished products, and by-products.
• Strong understanding of product development, pricing strategies for different markets (B2B, retail, export), branding, and market analysis.
• A track record of leading and implementing strategic improvement projects that result in increased efficiency, capacity, and profitability.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and report-writing skills, with the ability to provide clear, actionable recommendations to stakeholders.
• Prior experience working in the cashew sector in Cambodia or other similar cashew nut-producing/processing countries is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with the Cambodian cashew context is a plus.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in implementing GEDSI principles and climate resilience into assessments and recommendations.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English are essential, and proficiency in Khmer is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to work constructively with a diverse team, including the CAPRED team, other experts, and CAPRED's partners.

Closing Date:  21 November 2025

How to apply

Please send your cover letter and CV, including the names and contact details (phone and email) of three professional referees, and your proposed methodology and workplan to address this assignment with your expected daily rate to recruitment@capred.org. In the subject line, please mention the position you are applying for: “Cashew Manufacturing Expert” 

Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to the professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicants on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law. CAPRED aims to have a diverse workforce at all levels, and a workplace that is supportive of gender equality, disability, and social inclusion. Women, people with disabilities and other minorities are highly encouraged to apply.

Only applicants shortlisted will be contacted.