Technical Sales Representative (Agricultural Veg Seeds)

Role purpose

• Accelerate product introduction, promotion and demand creation for both new and existing VEG SEED varieties to boost the sales through the network of commercial partners
• Organize Demo and Development trials for customers and promote the varieties during the customer visits
• Support the work of the Marketing & Sales CU teams by providing them with enough technical information on the product behaviour and performance to help them in the product positioning and sales
• Visit some SADC countries to support with technical backup

Accountabilities

• Generate customer demand for VEG seeds relevant to the assigned geography of responsibility to support our Distributor Sales Reps in together achieving or exceeding Syngenta sales VEG SEED targets
• Ensure demo field trials are executed and visited by customers for 6.2 and 7 varieties in alignment with campaign plans
• Provides feedback from Demo and Development trials and register them in EZ Capture system and create reports
• Manage the performance of PLC 6.1 trials and accompany the Product Specialist during regular visits
• Support NPI launches, execute the campaigns by delivering the key messages and promo materials to customers
• Be the technical reference for the assigned VEG crops: provide technical support on varieties to customers and CU sales team + Marketing operations (trial visits, presentation, technical document)
• Collect market/competitor information and information on varieties performance and provide them to Product Specialists
• Closely follow market trends and grower potentials and record info on Salesforce
• Identifies customer needs and will identify resources to ensure successful outcome
• Handle the technical side of the customers complaints
• Ad-hoc participation in local pre-HPC and key member of the respective local crop unit
• Provides technical training & development to our Sales Reps, seed dealers and other relevant channel partners
• Key interfaces:  PSs, Sales Reps, Marketing operations, KAM, Trialing officers

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

Critical qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agronomy or equivalent
• Minimum 5 years experience in similar role
• Strong agronomic and sales experience in VEG
• Marketing experience could be a plus

Critical knowledge and skills:

• Knowledge of all VEG SEED crops
• Good knowledge of the Vegetables Seeds market and customer needs
• Understand customer needs
• Understand market dynamics and competitive environment
• Strong agronomic seeds background & experience
• Deep understanding of product behavior and performance
• Very good communication and presentation skills
• Good sales influence skills
• Develop/deliver innovative, customer-driven offers
• Create strong, distinctive crop campaigns

Critical success factors & key challenges

• Customer-Focused: Timely responds to requests for information, customer needs and resolving problems. Ensure that words and actions are consistent with all our stakeholders and keeping to our commitments. Ability to work under pressure.
• Innovative: Anticipate challenges and opportunities and agility to meet customer demands, adapt to changes and challenge the status quo. View situations from multiple perspectives & determine whether action is needed. Willingness to learn and take on challenges.
• Decisive: Problem solving skills and ability to make timely and well thought out recommendations, supported by proper underlying data and analysis, and swiftly executive/ implement decisions.
• Communicative: Ability to use effective and efficient communication tools for all audiences; establishes structure and clarity of both verbal & written messages. Ability to work equally well as part of a team and individually.
• Trusted: Meets all work commitments and follows through in a responsible and reliable manner; professionally and confidentially handles sensitive information, being well disciplined.
• Team-Oriented: Works well across all Business Units and functions; values input from others; enthusiastic, forward looking team player. Demonstrate personal commitment to the team. Listen to and fully involve others in team decisions and actions.
• Results-Oriented: Critical and systematic thinking to establish appropriate measures of progress and evaluation of results. Utilise agreed standards and processes.

Geography: Gauteng & Northwest South Africa 

Travelling up to 80% for customer & trial visits. Be prepared to travel away from home

Closing date: 16 May 2025