Reference: 2021-6815 

An agricultural cooperative and an international seed group owned by French farmers, Limagrain is driven by its purpose: cooperating for the progress of agriculture everywhere, for everyone. Focused on the genetic progress of plants, Limagrain breeds, produces and distributes field seeds, vegetable seeds and agri-food products HM.CLAUSE, Business Unit of Group Limagrain, is an innovative global leader in the development, production, and commercialization of vegetable seeds. HM.CLAUSE belongs to the top 5 vegetable seed entities in the world. With over 2,000 varieties in more than 20 vegetable crops, HM.CLAUSE provides innovative solutions to growers worldwide. 

Function: RESEARCH & INNOVATION - TRAIT & SCIENCE SUPPORT
Employment Type: Regular Full Time
Contractual hours: Full-time

Main Goal

To lead the Global R&D Support Function and to manage a team of Global Research Managers and multi-expertise Research Teams across the globe, ensuring access to the best service in the domain of biology in terms of quality, efficiency and competitiveness to HM.Clause and LVS partners, supporting breeding and development of winning vegetable varieties.

Job description

• Lead the organization of the R&D Support Function in timely delivery of high quality and competitive contribution to Breeding and Production efforts assuring good levels of collaboration and coordination with other departments of the company and LVS.
• Lead and manage a global team of multidisciplinary R&D Support platforms, ensuring people and teams development while maximizing collaboration, productivity and delivery.
• Represent the global R&D Support Function at the R&D Global Management Team (GMT), collaborate with other R&D functions to develop and deliver coordinated R&D leadership and contribute to define the strategic plan for the medium and long-term (5-10 years). Participate as an executive in the HM.CLAUSE G100 leadership team.
• Elaborate the R&D Support Function strategic plan for the medium and long-term (5-10 years) by defining the structure of the international service network, and the strategies to deliver results aligned with the objectives set by the Global Strategic Committee, the recommendations from the strategic marketing group, requirements of business partners (R&D, Supply Chain) and collaborators in the BU and LVS
• Deliver the medium and long-term vision to the different partners, translate the strategic plan into operational plan and lead the teams in its best execution
• Contribute to the elaboration and to the steering of the global LVS research application network to optimize collaborations between LVS and LFS R&D Support teams, for tool and method harmonization, technology implementation and service sharing
• Closely collaborate with R&D Operations and Trait & Technology Functions for definition of new process, method and technology requirements and ensure further proper transfer and implementation in R&D Support
• Ensure activities are carried out in the best work environment for efficient achievements, in compliance with legislation within the countries where the company operates, and in accordance with the company's values related to environmental sustainability, employee well-being, and with its CSR and Corporate Responsibility principles.
• Ensure proper organization and process management for optimum efficiency of the teams and activities. Guide Managers to metrics development to track delivery efficiency, and measure and drive performance with a continuous improvement methodology
• Ensure development of administration and IT tools for production, logistics, planning,costing, and quality assurance management

Profile

• Scientific knowledge in Plant Science, specialized in Molecular Biology and genotyping, understanding of Pathology, Cell Biology, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
• Understanding of scientific and technical evolutions in biotechnology
• Knowledge of the seed sector and understanding of its requirements in terms of research and service to support developments for international markets evolution and demands.
• Experience in managing international teams of scientific experts in different domains, with multiple management styles, as well as employees at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to generate options to achieve a long-range goal or vision, develop decisions considering relevant factors and the potential impact on the business, create specific plans to close current gaps with the ability to balance overall strategic concerns and focus on all regions, ability to plan actions and analyze results.
• Ability to design an organizational structure that meets the needs of the business.
• Ability to recognize the need for change in the organization and lead the team positively through the changes
• Competences in continuous improvement, Lean management and ELITE methodologies, in process design, and driving of relevant KPI for efficiency and productivity
• Competences in production management and administration tools: planning, logistics, data collection and monitoring, traceability and LIMs, reporting, budgeting, and costing

Core and Transversal Competencies

• Leading, developing, and motivating a multidisciplinary application team
• Transversal management and integration of various technical domains through platform organization and cross-functional projects
• Management of multi-regional and multi-cultural teams in a matrix organization
• Steering team towards efficiency and industrialization (cost, productivity, quality, and timing)
• Developing and maintaining team spirit
• Strategic planning
• Building collaboration with key internal teams and external partners
• Act as a change management leader

Candidate criteria

Minimum level of education required: Doctoral degree / PhD

Minimum level of experience required: 10 years or more

Others

• Master degree or PhD in the domain of plant science and biology with at least 15 years of experience in Laboratory Service management
• Knowledge and experience in molecular biology and genotyping, understanding of Plant Pathology, Cell Biology, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
• Experience in managing a team of international experts in agri-business

Languages

• French (5 - Mother tongue)
• English (4 - Fluent)

To apply

Please click HERE to learn more and to apply online.