Role purpose
- Lead regional Insect Control portfolio of projects, within AMEA Crop Protection Development (CPD), including new active ingredients and product life cycle management projects
- Ensure delivery of projects in line with strategic drivers, within agreed timelines and budget, and according to company R&D governance framework
- Work in partnership with Head Project & Portfolio Management, portfolio operations manager and marketing portfolio lead to define regional development priorities for insect control product line
- Business partner at cross-functional project development forums and insect control product line leadership teams (regional, global)
- Lead and ensure delivery of special projects/initiatives as needed, including business improvement initiatives, digital transformation, new business opportunities
Accountabilities
- Lead and deliver the agreed CPD portfolio of projects for Insect Control new active ingredients and product life cycle management projects across the region
- Manage resource deployment, risk profile and clarity on project progress and delivery to milestones and budget
- Lead regional multi-functional project teams to proactively identify, document, and manage project risks, issues, and opportunities for rigorous control of product development
- Represent regional positions and requirements in global development teams for new active ingredient and product development
- Lead projects through established stage gate promotion governance process at Regional and Global levels; ensure documentation for stage promotions are well prepared and archived; and ensure appropriate stakeholder engagement with technical and commercial stakeholders before governance body review
- Work in partnership with Head Project & Portfolio Management, portfolio operations manager and marketing portfolio lead to define regional development priorities for disease control products in line with strategic drivers
- Provide transparency of development costs and business value of managed projects in project and portfolio management IT tools to enable fact-based, timely decision making and portfolio reporting
- Promote global standards, methodology, tools and ways of working aimed at managing and reducing complexity and increasing effectiveness and efficiency in operations
- Lead and ensure delivery of regional special projects/initiatives as needed
Knowledge and technical capabilities
- Fluent in English
- Proven record in the application of project and/or portfolio management methodologies
- Technically competent with a broad-based science knowledge, ability to learn quickly to understand CPD activities and the resources required to deliver them
- Good understanding of Agrichemical business strategies and principles of value creation for growers, especially in the disease control segment, is a plus
- Broad knowledge of the Syngenta business gained through experience in a range of different roles and functions is a plus
- Broad knowledge of or ability/interest to quickly learn the use of digital technologies for product development in Agribusiness
- Broad knowledge of or ability/interest to quickly learn supporting IT tools (SmartChoice, QlikView, SmartSheet)
- Change management experience
Experience
- At least 7 years of project / program / portfolio management experience, proven track record of managing large development projects
- Hands on business experience preferably in agrichemicals/life sciences/chemicals
Personal Capabilities
- An excellent communicator, able to use different styles to influence and build effective relationships at both working and senior levels
- Good interpersonal skills and capability to operate effectively in a matrix organization
- Rigor in fact finding, ability to set clear objectives and to define how to reach them, create accountabilities for project team members and willingness to review and react
- Strong organization skills
- Strong facilitation skills to plan and manage effective meetings and decision making
- Ability to think and work in complex structures
- Adept at working with diverse and remote teams
Qualifications
- Science degree to MSci level; Agronomy, Biology or Chemistry background preferred; Additional qualifications in finance/business administration/MBA
- Advanced project management training, such as PMP (Project Management Professional) or equivalent qualification is desirable
