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.

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.