Technical Lead East Africa

Role Purpose 

• Overall accountability and co-ordination of NPI/trial delivery and technical support on country level.
• Lead, grow and shape the local CPD team in East Africa.  Together and through this CPD team deliver the CPD ambitions on a local level.
• Timely and effective planning, execution, analysis and reporting of trials to achieve registrations and launch or develop key products which will contribute to the future profitability and growth of the business.
• Build and strengthen relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide technical expertise and training to commercial colleagues and external customers.
• Responsible for PDC cycle activities on a country level.

Accountabilities 

• CPD representation during PDC (Portfolio Definition Cycle) - business case contribution and project prioritization.
• Engagement with Product Biology team:  Protocol demand decision and requests.
• Proactive participation in and contribution to protocol design.
• Overall this role will be responsible for CP trialing execution registration, technical and demonstration trials on a country level.
• Trial prioritization and allocation. Timeous Timely trial planning and execution.
• Successful trials: Strive to achieve a 100% success rate of allocated trials in terms of quality and on-time delivery.
• Execution of own trials (reduced load).
• Reporting of trial results. Also observations/results not specified in the protocol.
• Validates results and give recommendations / insights on performance of tested products and solutions at single trial level.
• Arrange demonstration days to train internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify technical portfolio gaps and define the technical profile of potential options.
• Local responsibility for engagement with local colleagues (marketing and Sales, Regulatory) and technical support.
• Contact and communication with internal and external Stakeholders.
• Establish good relationships with relevant external stakeholders, e.g. Distributers, Grower organizations, Growers, Government, etc.
• Responsible for arranging key meetings: e.g., protocol, IRBM, Tech conference, status report meetings.
• Keep abreast of market, trade and competitor activities in order to adapt to changing environments.
• Technical Lead can also have an expert responsibility within cluster or country, which creates the following additional accountabilities:
  • Owner of technical expertise per product and crop (projects)
  • Drive standardization and transformation of ways of working
  • Spread expertise through result meetings, training and sharing of best practices
• Ensure that all operations under direct control comply with Syngenta Health, Safety & Environment policies and guidelines as well as any other relevant Syngenta or statutory policies.
• Support sustainably and stewardship activities in the country.

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.

Knowledge , Skills and Experience

Critical Knowledge

• Product development procedures and field trialing methodology.
• Good knowledge of crop protection products, diseases, pests, nematodes, weeds and crops.
• High level knowledge on agricultural/agronomy practices and crop protection.
• Good interpersonal relationship skills, building relationships with commercial and other stakeholders.
• People management/leadership skills.

Critical Skills

• Identify opportunities, recognize threats and to be pro-active (problem identification and solving)
• Work independently
• Innovative mindset
• Results driven
• Communication in English with stakeholders.
• Application and evaluation methodology
• Report writing and interpretation
• Planning and organizing
• Presentations - Formal and field (English and Local)
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Ability to initiate first contacts
• Strong networking and relationship-building skills
• Self-starter.

Experience and qualifications

• Minimum B.Sc. Degree in Agriculture with majors in plant pathology or entomology or agronomy or weed science, preferably with at least 5 years product development experience.
• Proven track record of technical knowledge in the agronomical field (crop protection focused), having a influenceable reputation in the agricultural industry. 

Critical Success Factors and Key Challenges 

• Ability to deliver outputs working across a complex range of interfaces
• Ability to maintain standards and technical integrity
• Engage and collaborating with stakeholders to support Syngenta sales.
• Ability to influence stakeholders in the agricultural industry by means of sound technical agronomical knowledge.
• Key  Relationships
  • Product biologists
  • Farmers and distributors
  • Trialing environment – Field Scientists contractors
  • Sales managers
  • Marketing and regulatory teams
  • Government – Ministry of Agriculture