Product Development Specialist - Vegetable Seeds

Role purpose

• Implement the strategy for the assigned vegetable crops in the designated countries
• Act as the Product Marketing interface to the Territory Marketing Head and Regional Portfolio managers
• Is the recognized local authority on product & market knowledge for the assigned crops/geography
• Maintain an in-depth understanding of the changing market trends and grower needs and a high level knowledge regarding the competitors’ key varieties
• Translates the Regional Trial Plan (PAM output) into detailed countries and / or CU plans
• Plans the standard varieties, trial seeds allocation and key trait evaluation for the PLC 6 trials and plans with the Marketing Operations Lead the campaigns incl. organization of demonstration trials
• Plans and evaluates key trials with key producers, and organizes trials with the Technical Sales Reps
• Collects trial results and data and consolidates into CU or Territory Trial reports (where we have a Territory crop specialization, represent the Territory’s needs within the RCU, and with the Regional Portfolio Lead)
• Refines the product positioning for launching varieties and defines the key buying factors
• Inputs variety forecasts for three years forward into IBP and reviews this on ‘moments that matter’ for seed production
• Gives technical support to key producers, leverages technical knowledge to the sales team to prepare sales arguments and after sales support
• Provides investigation support for customer complaints

Accountabilities

• Contribute local requirements to Territory and regional portfolio platforms (portfolio & pipeline requirements, Target Product Profiles (TPPs, quality specs...) to steer the development of a winning portfolio and pipeline for the Territory
• Plan and evaluate with sales teams pre-commercial trials (PLC 6) and coordinate trial seed availability to ensure a timely trial seed delivery into the countries.
• Through pre-commercial trials, drive assessment of NPI candidates with Territory Crop Unit team & facilitate and manage pre-commercial field trials with CU sales teams
• Provide phase-in & phase-out recommendations to territory and regional portfolio teams & local PMD inputs + manage the local SKU range
• Positions the new products (segmentation, technical / commercial positioning) and coordinates the NPIs
• Identifies in-& out-licensing opportunities and reports them to the Regional & Territory management
• Owns with territory Product Development Specialist the Territory 3-year forecast (IBP) & flags major changes / deviations as part of S&OP; drive pro-rate allocation within the Territory; maintain a strong connection with Supply
• Working with the Territory and local teams, to define and agree on the Territory marketing plan and annual sales campaigns for assigned crops
• Oversee & support implementation by CUs, in strong collaboration with marketing operations and sales
• Support CU sales force and demand creators by providing market trends, product and price positioning and technical expertise for customer complaints
• Plans and manages stage 6 trials to refine product positioning and plan for successful new product introductions (NPI’s)
• Owns and organizes Product Advancement Tours. (PAT meetings) in advance of the PAM meeting.

Knowledge, Experience & Capabilities

Critical qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture/ Horticulture or equivalent
• Minimum 5 years in marketing and business management
• Minimum 5 years of Vegetables Seeds business and/or marketing experience
• Profound knowledge of the Vegetables Seeds market and customer needs
• Track-record of successful people/processes management
• Good English language proficiency

Critical knowledge and skills:

• Strong Focuses on customers
• Manages for performance
• Leadership of cross-functional teams
• Develops people, organization and self
• Collaborates across boundaries
• Communicates with impact
• Leads change and holds ambiguity
• Builds a culture of innovation
• Sets ambitious strategic goals

Critical knowledge and skills:

• Has deep and broad crop and product knowledge
• Understands customer needs
• Understands market dynamics and competitive environment
• Communication and presentation skills
• Analytical and strategic thinking
• Develops/delivers innovative, customer-driven offers

Geography: Based in South Africa, supporting Africa Middle East (AME)

Mobility: Must be willing to travel across AME

Crops: All relevant vegetable crops

As a world market leader in crop protection, we help farmers to counter these threats and ensure enough safe, nutritious, affordable food for all - while minimizing the use of land and other agricultural inputs. Syngenta Crop Protection keeps plants safe from planting to harvesting. From the moment a seed is planted through to harvest, crops need to be protected from weeds, insects and diseases as well as droughts and floods, heat and cold. Syngenta Crop Protection is headquartered in Switzerland.