Operations Lead - NK

Role purpose

• Lead the Dryer operations, CTP operations at NK plant
• Monitor NK Dryer operations
• Responsible for CTP operations of NK Plant
• Support Business, P&S leadership teams Initiatives to improve the E2E seeds business in the Sites
• To ensure compliance with established policies and procedures
• To ensure timely support for all technical related activities in the plant operations.
• Seed treatment best practice assessment with continuous improvements & Harmonization & AI dashboard
• New recipes and technology upgradation support based upon the requirements
• Build a culture of continuous improvement in areas of HSE & quality improvements.
• Identification of opportunities for seed operation improvements.
• Cost optimization: Direct and Indirect costs at all SPR activities
• Timely Support for SPP for Quantitative & Qualitative Recovery Studies
• Conducting bench scale & pilot scale trials and then commercial scale up for any new technology/ machinery/ process introduction

Accountabilities

• Seed Potential Recovery & Seed Size Analysis

• Provide support in the recovery of seed potential, ensuring high-quality seeds are delivered to meet customer expectations.
• Conduct comprehensive seed size analysis to optimize seed quality and improve product yield.

• Shelf Life Studies Support

• Collaborate with the Quality Control (QC) department to conduct shelf life studies, ensuring product stability and shelf appeal.

• CTP Line Validation & Operational Optimization

• CTP line validations, proactively identifying opportunities for process improvements to enhance operational efficiency and consistency.

• Management of Change (MOC) Coordination

• Support the initiation of Management of Change (MOC) processes, ensuring smooth transitions and effective change management.

• Process Improvement & Quality Enhancement
• Drive continuous process improvement projects focused on enhancing product quality and optimizing operational output, aligning with best practices and industry standards.
• Treatment Quality & AI Loading Monitoring
• Regularly monitor treatment quality and AI loading performance in collaboration with the QA team, ensuring consistent and reliable results.
• Testing for New Recipes & Dosage Standardization
• Perform critical uniformity, rub-off, dust-off, and flowability tests for new seed treatment recipes, ensuring that all dosage standards meet high-quality benchmarks.
• Lab & Pilot Scale Trials for Technology Integration
• Lead lab and pilot-scale trials for the introduction of new technologies, machinery, and treatments, ensuring effective scale-up to commercial production.
• Ensuring timely SPP support by Hybrid wise seed size fraction distribution analysis, potential recovery analysis
• Demonstration of Best fit Gravity Settings as and when required as per incoming quality 
• Monitoring of Hybrid Sensitivity Classification studies in coordination with SPR Filed team on need basis for new hybrids
• Validation of Driers on demand for cross checking the standard airflow & temperatures
• Regular Monitoring of Treatment Quality & AI loading results in coordination with QA
• Plan, organize, direct, manage and confer with other departments, staff and toller to coordinate with the SPR activities
• Conduct investigations and develop RCAs in order to verify and resolve complaints
• Taking care of all sourcing / contract’s activities related to SPR department
• Develop constructive and cooperative working relationships and maintain them over time
• IN SPR Conditioning Team Networking with Global Conditioning Community & Adopt to organizational Structural reforms to increase team technical and leadership capabilities
• Supporting new treatment amendments by conducting Bench scale Trails in lab & Pilot Trails in plants 
• Conducting Shelf-life studies for all new NPI’s and partnering with quality dept. for DOE, project steering, new technology development wherever necessary
• Conducting treatment uniformity, rub off, dust off, flowability tests for the new recipes & sharing results & recommendations
• Monitoring of excess packing & supporting the operations for minimizing these losses
• Supporting for new packing projects for any data generation & validation

Syngenta

We are a leading, science-based agriculture company, empowering farmers to meet the demands of modern agriculture. Using cutting-edge innovation, we help farmers to grow resilient, healthy crops that can feed a growing global population, while promoting sustainable farming practices that protect and enhance our planet. Headquartered in Switzerland, we are a global agritech leader with more than 30,000 employees across over 90 countries.

Knowledge, experience & capabilities

• With a degree in Engineering/Chemical / Agriculture/ Agriculture -Engineering /Science from a reputed university, master’s degree is preferred
• Six sigma knowledge /certification shall be preferable with the above
• Must have extensive practical thorough knowledge of seeds processing industry
• Implementation experience of Safety and Quality standards at a site
• Have basic working knowledge of machineries operations, technical details, and seed treatment
• Hands-on experience of continuous improvement techniques
• Several years of progressively responsible experience and familiarity in project management.
• Should have good documentation skills, proficient with Microsoft office suite and related software
• Should have following skills sets- active listening, critical thinking, performance monitoring, resource management, people management, time management, decision making etc.

Critical experience

• A minimum of 5 years working experience in a Seed MNC, process-oriented manufacturing industry in Seed Conditioning role.
• Extensive knowledge of implementing manufacturing tools in areas of process and materials efficiency, workflow design, project management and production scheduling/planning.
• All SPR team members should be able to provide guidance and training to the processing line managers and tolling staff regarding any in technical improvements, commissioning of any new machinery and process improvements.
• A technical expert should research, develop, recommend, and execute creative strategies to foster the organizations functional excellence goals and strong commitment towards customer service

Critical technical, professional and personal capabilities

• A good team player and a good problem solver
• Self-motivated and striving for continuous improvement
• Expert level knowledge of productivity improvement, 6-sigma, and Lean tools
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing, and organizational skills with attention to details
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills including proven dispute resolution skills.
• Maintain and develop successful relationships with vendors.

Critical success factors & key challenges

• Identify and manage the new project/ machinery/ equipment risks
• Coordinating and working with cross functional and cross border teams for developing reliable and resilient designs as per the requirements
• Identification and addressing of bottlenecks in the processing to improve the productivity

Additional

• Open work culture with focus on skill development
• Focus on building functional excellence in technical areas of the operations
• Should be willing to travel on need basis and take up additional responsibilities as per requirements

Additional Information:

• People are at the heart of what we do:
• Once a year Full body check
• Competitive insurance scheme
• Employee assistance program – to take care of your and your loved ones mental health
• Paid Vacation of 30days, 12 Paid Holidays, Maternity and Paternity Leave, compassionate leaves
• Education assistance – for your career growth
• People first culture translated into ‘Most Preferred place to work 2022-23 by Times group’

Note: Syngenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

To learn more visit: www.syngenta.com and www.good-growth-plan