Head of Digital Strategy & Transformation

The Head of Product Safety Digital Strategy and Transformation will lead a team of 3-5 direct reports managing global projects through in function and cross-functional agile methods.   Designed to leverage data and technology, working together with Regulatory, TDI (Technology and Digital Integration) and R&D IT, to digitally deliver more value for Syngenta and its customers.

You will be highly collaborative, with experience of leading teams in a multi-functional and multi-cultural environment, due to the complexity of the organisation you will have the ability to plan and deliver projects with an emphasis on results orientation and efficient use of time and resources.

The role in more detail:

Leadership & Management

• Provide strong professional leadership across the global Product Safety organisation for the digital strategy and transformation to enable the successful contribution of Product Safety to the Regulatory, Crop Protection Development, R&D and Syngenta digital strategy and transformation
• Lead the design, execution and measurement of the digital strategy and plan
• Management of internal and/or external people/teams to support the design and delivery of the digital transformation
• Champion new ways of working and engage with key stakeholders to demonstrate the value of the transformation

Digital Strategy & Transformation

• Ensure strategic foresight and lead the development and implementation of digital capabilities, tools, data integration and exploitation, business process automation, predictive data models in the Product Safety space
• Build and lead a team of digital experts leading and connecting the leadership of a network of in-function and cross-functional agile projects designed to leverage data and technology, including artificial intelligence, to create new value for the business and transform the way of working
• Drive FAIR data capture, data management, exploitation, predictive data models as well as systems development related to Product Safety activities to enable data-driven decision-making
• Be the primary strategic contact for other functions, especially for Regulatory, TDI (Technology and Digital integration) and R&D IT; act as representative in cross functional digital transformation and change initiatives
• Create value by championing data and digital platforms to enable cultural awareness, sharing of data and best practices and alignment across regional project and portfolio experts and related communities

Value Creation & Measurement

• Track and report progress to the Product Safety Leadership Team in the Business Process Review using traffic lighting to communicate status and escalation needs

Required knowledge:

• University graduate and preferably post-graduate qualification (MSc or PhD) or excellent experience
• In-depth knowledge and experience of digital science and technology – methods and tools, data and information types (eg. text, structures, omics data, images, numerical readouts).
• Strategic thinking and passion for digital technology
• Deep appreciation of the value and opportunities in data and digital - experience in creating, managing, analysing or using complex data to make business decisions
• Understanding of the R&D organisations, and key processes involved with development of new active ingredient and products
• High-performance team and matrix management
• Excellent networking and communications skills across all levels of seniority and awareness of digital and data capabilities

Required experience:

• Experienced in different software development concepts and methodologies, e.g. Agile and DevOps
• Broad understanding of digital tools and data management and analytics solutions along with Agile delivery
• Proven track-record of integrating data science and digital technology into a scientific R&D domain
• Significant experience in people management, mentorship and coaching
• Previous experience in life sciences Research and Development would be advantageous
• Proven track-record of integrating data science and digital technology into a scientific R&D domain

This position offers the opportunity to lead and develop our Product Safety Digital strategy, if you have the skills we are looking for, we would love to hear from you.

Employee Benefits
Whilst this role offers a competitive base pay, at Syngenta we value total reward which includes the benefits we offer to our employees. We support well-being, offering comprehensive benefits including flexible working, generous holiday entitlement, discretionary bonus scheme, competitive pension scheme, private medical insurance, employee assistance programme.

We embrace and encourage diversity, and this is what drives our innovation and lets us outperform the market. https://www.syngenta.com/careers/working-syngenta/diversity-and-inclusion

Closing date: 23rd February 2023

The position can be based out of our Jealotts Hill site in Bracknell or Basel in Switzerland

Syngenta is leading science-based agtech company; dedicated to bringing plant potential to life. Each of our 28,000 employees in more than 90 countries work together to solve one of humanity’s most pressing challenges: growing more food with fewer resources. A diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace environment are enablers of our ambition to be the most collaborative and trusted team in agriculture.

Our employees reflect the diversity of our customers, the markets where we operate and the communities which we serve. No matter what your position, you will have a vital role in safely feeding the world and taking care of our planet. Join us and help shape the future of agriculture.