West & Central Africa Head

ROLE PURPOSE

• Lead the Syngenta business in West & Central Africa countries to achieve profitable growth and create an industry leading, sustainable position for Syngenta.
• Represent legally Syngenta in West & Central Africa countries and maintain FTO in the countries while working towards sustainability commitment.
• Define a strategy and roadmap aligned with the BA Strategy to achieve ambitious growth rates and bottom-line targets for the countries, ensuring the delivery of business targets
• Promote new ways of thinking/working, ensuring the inclusion and development of capabilities necessary to drive growth, while also fostering cross-functional leadership
• Ensure compliance with local regulations and Syngenta standards

DIMENSIONS 

Financial: $28m ¦ People: ~5 Direct FTEs & 5 Indirect FTEs ¦ Geographic scope: West and Central Africa countries ¦ Business : CP & Seeds DFC

Main Accountabilities

• Contribute to the overall NWA strategy and portfolio development.
• Develop the country budget and deliver P&L and cash flow, achieve key operational performance indicators; drive revenue/gross profit generation.
• Lead all in-country commercial activities encompassing business, business support, and work closely with teams within countries.
• Orchestrate activities with functions not reporting to the Commercial organization to ensure short to long term business delivery.
• Understand and assess grower and channel needs and market drivers; monitor and anticipate their evolution to enable promotion of and capturing of current and future opportunities.
• Develop strong relationship with key customers/influencers in the country.
• Drive constant optimization of sales force, balancing cost efficiency and team effectiveness.
• Ensure overall performance, integrity, and health of the countries business.
• Ensure the development of commercial capability in the country through effective recruitment and talent development.
• Build and protect Syngenta reputation and freedom to operate through engagement with key stakeholders including customers, government officials, industry associations, regulators, NGOs, and media.

Overarching Accountabilities  

• Ensure that all relevant Syngenta processes and policies are well understood and followed, where necessary, by stakeholders.
• Protect the integrity and FTO of Syngenta by ensuring, in close cooperation and alignment with functions (Legal & Taxes and other expert functions), not directly reporting to the country Head
• Promote the image of Syngenta and actively develop relationships with selected influencers.

Syngenta Group is one of the world’s leading sustainable agriculture innovation companies, with roots going back more than 250 years. Our 53,000 people across more than 100 countries strive every day to transform agriculture through tailor-made solutions for the benefit of farmers, society and our planet – making us the world’s most local agricultural technology and innovation partner.

Syngenta Group is committed to operating at the highest standards of ethics and integrity. This is a commitment that we are making to investors, customers, society and employees. Syngenta Group is also committed to maintaining a workplace environment free from discrimination and Harassment.

Critical qualification, knowledge & experience

• Master’s degree in Agronomy or Business Management
• Solid Agribusiness experience as well as knowledge of cropping practices and crop protection products
• Experience in Value chain (down and up stream) Management
• Proven leadership experience i.e. set ambitious goals, communicate with impact, lead change and hold ambiguity, focus on customers, manage for performance, develop people, collaborate across boundaries, build a culture of innovation. 
• Proven ability to create a strategic relationship with key customers and stakeholders
• Proven track record in business management (+/- 10 years) and/or in Crop or Customer Marketing with strong sales profile
• Strong Business Development experience in a competitive environment

Critical technical, professional and personal capabilities

• Understands end customer needs (smallholders and large farms)
• Understands Agro Industry business drivers
• Manages distribution channels effectively
• Influencing and negotiation
• Delivers distinctive value proposition to customers
• Communication and presentation skills
• Understands market dynamics and competitive environment
• Understands channel structure and dynamics
• Designs/optimizes effective business development strategy
• People/team management
• Develops/implements sound value and transactional pricing based on customer perceived value
• Anticipates changes in the market and adjusts strategies accordingly
• Analytical thinking

Critical leadership capabilities

• Strategic thinking
• Focuses on customers.
• Lead & Manage change.
• Engage & inspire.
• Collaboration
• Build talent

Critical success factors & key challenges

• Sound knowledge of business, risk management, financial modelling tools & techniques
• Understanding and driving of commercial strategy
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills
• Shaping demands of key stakeholders
• Generating new insights to influence strategic thinking

NB: This role is based in Abidjan, Ivory Coast and lead the P&L for West & Central Africa countries.