Public Affairs & Communication Lead AME

Role Purpose:

The Business Sustainability (BS) function plays the key role to coordinate the development and implementation of the Company & Regional Business Sustainability agenda in AME. To provide this support, the BS is composed of Public Affairs, Internal & External Communication, Sustainable and Responsible Business and Regulatory Affairs. The role, focusing on Public Affairs and Communication (internal and external), is responsible:

• To co-create, coordinate, and implement the AME Business Unit Public Affairs strategy under the guidance of the AME BS & REG Head (i.e. jointly with both the Business Sustainability & Regulatory Head, and the Commercial Head, co-creating the strategy, annual plans based on FTO challenges & the Company Sustainability agenda in the BU and manage relationships with key stakeholders including Government officials and partners). 70-80% of the role.
• To manage external and internal communication, and employee engagement (in this context providing clear guidance and steer for the AME Communication Specialists and coordinate external events for the BU). 30-20% of the role.

Accountabilities:

• Co-develop, with the AME Business Sustainability (BS) & Regulatory (REG) Head, the AME Public Affairs (PA) strategy (including any need for policy shaping in the Commercial Unit i.e.CU), and the Business Sustainability agenda/annual priorities for AME.
• Support the BS & REG Head in developing annual AME BS priorities which should be reflected in the BU annual must wins and designed to add commercial value to AME commercial ambition.
• Ensure internal and external visibility of BS plans/projects in place in AME which support commercial growth
• Support stakeholder engagement activities across the CU (meetings, visits, workshops, events, and trade/Ag exhibitions).
• Lead Internal and External Communications in all used platforms to ensure effective communication in AME, in and outside Syngenta, for relevant subjects, and provide guidance to the AME Communication Team
• Act as the main point of contact for regional and global BS teams internally for matters of communication and media engagement, and for cascading global projects in the AME BU, after consultation with the AME BS & REG Head.
• Develop processes and internal governance for PA/Communication issue management and Policy/media monitoring in the BU.
• Work closely with the Regional PA office in Brussels to get relevant information to build AME PA plans supporting the (Freedom to Operate) FTO and BS strategies.
• Support the BS & REG Head in industry engagement through CLAME by representing Syngenta in CLAME Public Affairs Committee, organizing internal coordination/alignment meetings, preparing briefs, Syngenta positions and compiling them for use by the REG Team, BU Head, country Heads and internal stakeholders.
• Support the BU Commercial Head and his direct reports (Business Area Heads) in internal and external events attendance and communications by providing relevant briefs, by setting up & tracking an annual internal and external events calendar, leveraging the internal AME communicators network for local support and all communication platforms; to strengthen Syngenta reputation within the CU and outside the CU.

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.

Knowledge, experience & capabilities

Knowledge & skills:

• Ability to develop impactful Policy shaping strategies and Communication plans,
• Ability to connect Sustainability matters, Syngenta Sustainability agenda and Commercial ambition with public discourse support the Business to turn them into powerful stories enabling the business to thrive
• Coordination and leadership skills in a matrixed organization and a cross cultural environment
• Strong oral and written communications skills plus a creative mindset
• Event management / project management a strong advantage
• Proactive, self-motivating, decisive, high level of crisis tolerance
• Ability to communicate and interact within diverse environments (employees, influencers, customers etc.) and cultural awareness
• Team player, enjoying collaboration with the colleagues and his/her line manager (AME Business Sustainability and Regulatory Head) and the other functions locally
• Very good administrative skills (attention to detail whilst maintaining the overview)
• Strong management capabilities and advocacy skills
• Decisive, analytical and strategic thinker
• Good communication in English

Experience:

• Solid experience in PA and Communication required
• Adequate experience in a Policy shaping and Communication position with a good understanding of the political dynamics in AME, of agriculture, portfolio, regulatory, advocacy and brand & reputation dimensions which impact our business (must be an expert in at least one of these areas)
• Fair experience in issues management & crisis communications; work with/in governments; media relations; and brand (social media experience desirable)
• Experience in establishing and maintaining strong internal & external relationships across boundaries and cultures

Capabilities: 

• Demonstrated strengths in communication, self-organization and problem solving and developed negotiation/influencing skills across different cultures.
• Networking capabilities to effectively build and maintain a solid internal and external network
• Capability to work in a highly structured and independent manner but closely with the commercial organization
• Multitask on different levels, prioritize and deliver goals on time
• Good understanding of the political, social, and cultural complexity and diversity in countries
• Good understanding of Syngenta’s business (or capability to quickly build the understanding)
• Good communication capabilities (listening capabilities, on-boarding others, capability to reflect and assess impact of behaviors, WoW, and decisions in her collaboration with colleagues across the CU

NB: This position may be executed from any of our Business Areas within AME CU.