Seeds Development Global Operational Excellence Lead

Company Description

Syngenta is a global leader in agriculture; rooted in science and dedicated to bringing plant potential to life. Each of our 30,000 employees in more than 90 countries work together to solve one of humanity’s most pressing challenges: growing more food with fewer resources. A diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace environment are enablers of our ambition to be the most collaborative and trusted team in agriculture.

Our employees reflect the diversity of our customers, the markets where we operate and the communities which we serve. No matter what your position, you will have a vital role in safely feeding the world and taking care of our planet. Join us and help shape the future of agriculture.

Job Description

The Seeds Development Team is seeking a Global Operational Excellence Lead who will lead and champion design, development and implementation of best practices for the Seeds Development plant nursery operations.

Accountabilities:

• Working with the regions to adapt, adopt best practices in all plant nursery locations. These best practices must ensure on time delivery of the pipeline considering safety, quality and efficiency.
• Collaborate with breeding teams to identify trial types, standard protocols and costs to develop processes that ensure on time delivery of quality product.
• Implement a tiered accountability process that ensures tracking, decision making and transparency to key metrics that ensure decisions are made at the right level and pipeline ability to deliver is clear.
• Working with global and regional SD Leadership team design and implement a process that allows clear and full understanding of the breeding pipeline capacity for all trialing, TI, TA and nursery activities for all crops: including but not limited to corn, soybeans, sunflower, rice and cereals.
• Act as the global liaison for facilities management with the GFM global team. Working with all regional LT lead implementation of best practices to ensure our pipeline footprint including infrastructure and equipment is maintained to Syngenta standards.
• Facilitate the adoption of new technologies and digital tools to streamline breeding processes and data management.
• Train and mentor staff on operational excellence concepts and tools, such as Six Sigma, 5S, Kaizen, and value stream mapping.
• Lead change management initiatives to foster a proactive and receptive culture towards continuous improvement.
• Prepare and present reports on the status of operational excellence projects to senior management and stakeholders.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Production Operations Management, Engineering, Agriculture, Plant Science, Business Management, or related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 12 years’ experience in operational excellence, industrial/manufacturing leadership or related field, ideally within the agriculture or plant breeding sector.
• Proven track record of leading “industrial” processes, ideally in the agricultural field.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and with individuals at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to influence without direct reporting lines.
• Proficient in data analysis and performance metrics.
• Experience with change management principles and practices.

Preferred:

• Strong understanding of plant breeding processes and the agricultural industry.
• Bilingual (Spanish and English).

Additional Information

• Full Benefit Package (Medical, Dental & Vision) that starts the same day you do
• 401k plan with company match, Profit Sharing & Retirement Savings Contribution
• Paid Vacation, 9 Paid Holidays, Maternity and Paternity Leave, Education Assistance, Wellness Programs, Corporate Discounts among others
• A culture that promotes work/life balance, celebrates diversity, and offers numerous family-oriented events throughout the year

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, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC)
Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)

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