National Sales Manager

Syngenta Seeds is one of the world’s largest developers and producers of seed for farmers, commercial growers, retailers and small seed companies. Syngenta seeds improve the quality and yields of crops. High-quality seeds ensure better and more productive crops, which is why farmers invest in them. Advanced seeds help mitigate risks such as disease and drought and allow farmers to grow food using less land, less water and fewer inputs.

Syngenta Seeds brings farmers more vigorous, stronger, resistant plants, including innovative hybrid varieties and biotech crops that can thrive even in challenging growing conditions.

Syngenta Seeds is headquartered in the United States.

Role Purpose

• Manage and drive the Country P&L (in terms of Volume, Revenue, and Margins); and NPL as a percentage of Sales
• Identify new areas of growth, evaluate alternate business models to drive future growth
• Manage Sales Fixed Costs and Business Quality thru’ optimising Sales returns & Collections
• Lead and Motivate the Sales Leadership team of Division Managers to execute sales campaigns & Business delivery in accordance with the Field Crops Sales Execution Strategy
• Contribute and adhere to the Syngenta commercial policies and pricing structures
• Explore alternate distribution models by Identifying opportunities with strategic partners
• Assume external relationship responsibilities and create a conducive environments for “License To Operate” for the divisions with local regulators and industry stakeholders
• Collaborate with Key stakeholders (Agronomy, Marketing, P&S and R&D)
• Act as a single contact point for Monthly Sales Outlooks, Sales & Operations Plans, Year End Estimates, Sales Execution Strategy and People related matters for alignment in line with overall FC Business aspirations under the direction of the Business Head
• Enable and Coach the Division Managers and High Potential Business Managers
• Develop and maintain a high-performing Sales organization

Accountabilities

• Holistic ownership of the Country Business Objectives
  • Including commercial performance, customer experience, team engagement, external stakeholder commitments
• Create and execute plan for business delivery
  • Focus on sales, profitability, liquidation, collections, market share
• De-risk business through contingency plans and new opportunities
  • Monitor and drive performances of Channel partners (Distributors, Retailers)
  • Evaluate, assess and expand the Syngenta Pramukh network
• Strong rigour in scale up of New Products through Post Season activity drive and channel engagement in selected blocks
• Lead, Coach and Motivate Division Managers to achieve Division objectives
• Increase Business contribution and profitability through better forecasting
• Actively manage value chain and cross-functional stakeholders
• Actively manage industry and government relationships
• Ensure Team participation to upgrade Digital Fluency
• Develop Sales and Marketing excellence throughout the Syngenta Enterprise
  • Continually assess capabilities of the Division Managers, Business Managers and Division Marketing Leads
  • Identify gaps in competencies
  • Develop plans to fill gaps
  • Provide best-in-class Commercial training to the commercial functions to build and maintain status as trusted local expert.
  • Keep track of developments in agriculture, systematically capture information and bring new innovations to farmers for a competitive advantage.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders for sustainable Business growth:
  • Corporate Marketing for aligning with Product, Pricing and Promotion Strategies
  • Commercial Excellence team for Block strategy, Customer Insights and Channel performance metrics
  • R&D and Agronomy for faster product delivery in gap segments
  • P&S and Logistics teams to monitor supply and dispatch plans
  • Finance teams for streamlining Business reports
  • HR team for managing Team capabilities, Policies and People Processes
• People Development
  • Identify talent, recruit, develop, motivate, and provide growth opportunities to team members. Develop performance management plans.
  • Actively manage any performance issues within the team by regular feedback and coaching.
  • Identify technical and people leaders and provide them appropriate opportunities for development and succession planning.
  • Ensure workplace safety and compliance to Syngenta ESH policies
  • Actively demonstrate Syngenta Values and coach team members.
• Active participation in the Field Crops Leadership Team, Sales Leadership Team, HPCs and Division Leadership meetings to ensure alignment and execution of the Sales Strategy in line with country goals, and input into annual and long-range plans.

Knowledge, Experience & Capabilities

Critical knowledge

• E2E Business Understanding - Commercial, Agronomy, P&S, R&D
• Strategic Decision Making and Entrepreneur Mindset
• Expertise in Sales Management, People Management and Building Winning Teams
• Project management capability
• Seed and CP business acumen - understanding of commercial, Agronomy, Logistics and Distribution
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook.

Critical experience

• 10-15 years of Sales & Marketing experience in Agricultural or related fields
• Experience in developing teams and participation in strategic teams
• Demonstrated people management potential and coaching others to success

Critical technical, professional and personal capabilities

• Excellent organization and leadership skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Business and Finacial acumen
• Strong interpersonal communication and influencing (with or without authority) skills to work across numerous internal multidisciplinary groups, including Research, Supply chain, Production, Agronomy, Commercial, Regulatory, Intellectual property, etc.
• Self motivation and ability to travel
• Analytical and strategic skills
• Decision making skills
• Capability to acquire scientific and product knowledge.
• Customer orientation and credibility with key stakeholders.

Critical leadership capabilities

• Result Orientation thru’ Growth Mindset
• Team Leadership, Coaching and Mentoring
• Leading Change
• Championing Diversity & Inclusion

Critical Success Factors & Key Challenges

• Develop key networks and ways of working for this role
• Effectively position the role as the key for Business Strategy & Growth initiatives in the BU

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

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