Head Product Safety Global Science Delivery

Role purpose

The Head of Product Safety Global Science Delivery (GSD) plays a crucial role in ensuring the company's active ingredients and plant protection products meet the highest standards of safety and regulatory compliance, while also contributing to the company's sustainability goals and maintaining its reputation as a responsible and ethical player. The Head of PS GSD will provide strategic and operational leadership of all aspects of Product Safety inputs to global study delivery with the focus on studies required to meet global/multiple region requirements such as Ecotoxicology, Toxicology and Metabolism. The Head PS GSD will align with Product Safety Global and Regional Portfolio Leads to deliver studies to required specifications and milestones.   The Head will provide leadership and guidance to the GSD team to allow them to be a motivated and output oriented organization. The job holder will drive forward thinking strategies to meet future Syngenta and external data requirements for active ingredient and product registrations.

• Budget Accountability: US$140m external spend, US$13m internal costs
• Leadership:  3-6; indirect reports with a total of 90-120 FTEs
• Geographic Scope: Global

Accountabilities

• Responsible for defining and leading the strategy for delivering studies across Product Safety skill sets, using Contract Research Organisations and internal capabilities as appropriate to agreed milestones and budget.
• Communication of new scientific observations to senior stakeholders
• Provide senior leadership in the Product Safety Organisation, contributing to strategic direction, internal (people) and external (budget) resource management, people development of a group of highly skilled scientists (including training) and recruitment of deep scientific experts.
• Ensure compliance with internal and external requirements for ethical use of animals, use of human volunteers, reporting of adverse data, data quality and adherence with Syngenta Governance requirements.
• Line management of skill set delivery leads. 
• Works collaboratively with PS Ops External Demand Planning Lead to manage PS core study work slate and budget targets.
• Provides feedback on CRO performance to the Head PS Ops and is involved in addressing significant study issue management.
• Responsible for defining and maintaining KPIs on study delivery.
• Regulatory Advocacy: Represent the company in interactions with regulatory authorities and international governmental institutions. Advocate for the company's products and scientific positions and provide scientific and technical expertise to support regulatory decision-making processes.
• Membership of Syngenta’s Global Product Safety Leadership Team contributing to the strategic direction of the organization and having shared responsibility for major decisions.
• Business strategy: Maintain a comprehensive understanding of the regional CP businesses, the strategy and 5 year plans and play an active role translating this into a plan for the GSD function. Partner and advise the Business functions by blending science and business experience to be able to identify and recommend options that yield the most business value.

Syngenta Crop Protection is a leader in agricultural innovation, bringing breakthrough technologies and solutions that enable farmers to grow productively and sustainably. We offer a leading portfolio of crop protection solutions for plant and soil health, as well as digital solutions that transform the decision-making capabilities of farmers. Our 17,900 employees serve to advance agriculture in more than 90 countries around the world. Syngenta Crop Protection is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, and is part of the Syngenta Group.

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.

Knowledge, experience & capabilities

Critical Knowledge:

• Broad-based science background
• Knowledge of techno-regulatory business environments including Government authorities and academia
• Ability to leverage resources of a global organization to support regional needs

Critical experience:

• Sufficient working experience in R&D of Agribusiness or related industry
• Demonstrated high performance in leading strategic functions and projects
• Ability to operate, lead and influence effectively across geographical boundaries and company functions
• Management of significant change projects

Critical technical, professional and personal capabilities:

• Strong project and people leadership
• Effective communications
• Good at stakeholder management
• Fluent in English and ideally one other European language

Critical leadership capabilities: 

• Coaching and development of team leaders and team members
• Stakeholder management
• Building a culture of innovation
• Communicating with impact

Critical success factors & key challenges

• Support, enable and facilitate leadership team
• Create and lead a high performing team
• Engage effectively with senior stakeholders 
• Fluent in English in technical discussions and advocacy 
• Build trust and confidence
• Perceptive and proactive in realising risks and managing issues 
• Able to structure and simplify scientific complexity and communicate accordingly