Technical Manager-Biologicals

Syngenta Crop Protection

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.

Role Purpose

• To design, communicate and implement Country biological development plans to deliver competitive products, technical solutions and knowledge according to business needs within agreed timelines for biological solutions.
• Work as subject matter specialist to support product development activities for Biologicals.
• Identify potential biocontrol candidates available at various source in the Country for further collaboration and development
• Responsible for participation and implementing product development strategy, product testing plan including all type of in-house and registration trials.
• Understand and keep track of market and competitors activities in Country. Support and help for identifying product gaps, suggest and lead product development activities to fill the gap.
• Keep watch on resistance development and plan resistance management activities in Country.
• Represent Country at regional and global level for Biologicals by networking.
• Capability Development of new trialist in the field of Biological trialling.
• Align with other R&D functions to ensure innovation and delivery of development projects.
• Support to Technical support team in Country

Accountabilities

• Responsible for all activities related to Biologicals development in Country.
• Support biologicals related portfolio development activities in Country by providing technical support.
• Planning early stage testing to support global, region and Country.
• Plan product development activities for further development of biologicals portfolio in Country by planning in-house and registration trials.
• Provide all technical information on biologicals and work as subject matter specialist for Country.
• Participation in country / Country protocol development and product registration related activities.
• Trial planning, trial distribution, protocol development, coordination for required sample forecasting and making required samples available in time along with sample coordinator.
• Providing technical support, training, guidance to trialing team for generating quality data.
• Tracking all product development activities, in-house and registration trial activities.
• Ensure to generate quality data, provide data in time to global, region, Country and quality registration trial reports to regulatory team in time.
• Responsible for developing and making Country trial plan successful.
• Participate in PLT; represent PB team and help the country to identify right biologicals portfolio.
• Coordinate for and ensure successful data review meeting involving all stake holders.
• Make required technical information, related to herbicides available to business as and when required. Support business on new product launch & sales activities by providing sales activities by provide all required technical support.
• Plan: Plan, implement all biologicals related resistance management activities.
• Net working within Country, region and global team members / colleagues.
• Keep track of competitors activities, pests/disease change scenario. Keep all stake holders informed.

Strategic

• Participation in product development activities starting from early stage product development to commercial product development.
• Planning of all in-house and registration trials plan in Country. Budgeting for these activities and tracking the activities.
• Ensure to complete all task in time so to avoid delay in product development activities.
• Technical support, guidance, coaching to trialling team.
• Competitive intelligence - Keep track, monitor competitors activities in region / Country. Keep head office communicated.
• Participation in resistance management activities in region / Country, as per country plan.
• Develop and maintain relations with scientific community related to biologicals.
• Develop Centre of Excellence for Biologicals. Explore third party collaborations to develop biological expertise within the company

Operational

Portfolio Development:

• Support portfolio selection through in-house trial planning within Country. Participate in product testing activities to support global / region / Country.
• Implement relevant product development strategies in Country.
• Active participation in In-house registration plan for Country.
• Trial distribution, tracking, working on fall back arrangements. Ensure to make all in-house and registration data available in time. Responsible for its quality.
• Planning and making data review meetings successful. Represent Country at regional and global platform.

Project Management:

• Participate in idea management by generating new ideas considering business opportunities in region / Country by providing technical support.

Technical Support:

• Technical support to TS teams and commercial teams as and when required.
• Technical problem shooting support.

Leadership:

• Lead, coaching and guidance trialling team. Ensure and encourage team for high performance level.
• Focus team energy in achieving must wins.
• Participation in department budget development. Ensuring that team works in available budget.
• Track budget.

Accountabilitiescontinued

• Accountable for all biologicals related activities for supporting business.
• Effectively manage relationships with cross functions, Government and Industry bodies to resolve issues, favourably influence legislation changes and maximise the likely success of project submissions.
• Liaise with agricultural research bodies (eg. SAU’s & ICAR) to monitor changes in technology and to ensure incorporation of Syngenta technology in research programs where appropriate.
• To represent the company on technical matters at relevant industry meetings
• Develop and deliver technical information and training on Syngenta technologies to internal (Sales, Technical Support) and external customers and key influencer bodies, ensuring integrity and product stewardship.
• Be the primary point of contact with regional and global R&D colleagues to ensure timely access to new product information and associated development opportunities for India and provide feedback on local field development activities.
• Assist with the annual PDC process ensuring field development activities are accurately represented.

Critical Success Factors & Key Challenges

• Develop and drive the portfolio development strategy.
• Provide scientific expertise as well as business-oriented project management to ensure new AIs move through development
• Ability to lead technical aspects of a collaboration with third party companies for development of new Biologicals and provide technical inputs to help steer new opportunities.
• Close collaboration with Regional/Country Product Managers, Development functions, regions to turn technical / biological data into knowledge resulting in better farmer offers from Syngenta.
• To develop internal capability and expertise of Biological.
• Ensure Biological elements of projects are kept on their critical paths and are delivered on time and efficiently to ensure stage gate promotions as appropriate.

Knowledge, Experience & Capabilities

• Technical knowledge.
• Communication skills.
• Business/ Marketing knowledge and exposure
• People management Skills
• Managerial skills.
• Coordination skills.

Critical knowledge

• Doctorate/Post Graduate in Agricultural Science with specialization in Plant Pathology/Agricultural Entomology/Microbiology/Agronomy or any other related subject in Agriculture.
• Sound Knowledge on biological solutions and its uses/development in crop protection
• Some experience in developing product development strategies.
• Crop, pests/diseases/weeds, geographies, customer (farmer) knowledge.
• Basic knowledge on Product development and product registration.
• Basic knowledge of Insecticide Act (preferred but not essential)
• Team building and team leading experience.

Critical experience

• At least 5-7 years’ experience of working in field as trialist & 3-5 years’ experience of product development strategies in agrochemical industry
• Good understanding of Biological market potential and its elements in India
• Understand customer needs, business potential in Country/region.
• Biological marketing experience and People management experience are preferable.
• Experience of working in field, related to product development

Critical technical, professional and personal capabilities

• Good interpersonal skills.
• Capability to drive and enthusiasm in product development.
• Ability to motivate and lead others.
• Ability to accept challenges and achieve results under pressure.
• High level written, oral communication and presentation skills.
• Good computer skills (including word processing, presentation preparation).
• High level of integrity.
• High level of self-motivation.

Critical leadership capabilities

• Accept ambitious strategic goals. Participate with full energy in achieving departmental goals.
• Understand departmental inspirationally.
• Steps beyond comfort zones.
• Fosters a culture of creativity and innovation in team.
• Manages performance to high standards.
• Develops self and other team members.
• Appreciate success of team members.

People are at the heart of what we do:

• Once a year Full body check
• Competitive insurance scheme
• Employee assistance program – to take care of your and your loved ones mental health
• Paid Vacation of 30days, 12 Paid Holidays, Maternity and Paternity Leave, compassionate leaves
• Education assistance – for your career growth
• People first culture translated into ‘Most Preferred place to work 2022-23 by Times group’

Note: Syngenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

To learn more visit: www.syngenta.com and www.good-growth-plan

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