Role Purpose

Directs and oversees all the financial activities of the corporation and its subsidiaries including accounting, treasury, financial reporting, taxation and financial planning.

Typical Work Activities

• Providing and interpreting financial information
• Monitoring and interpreting cash flows and predicting future trends
• Analyzing change and advising accordingly
• Formulating strategic and long-term business plans
• Researching and reporting on factors influencing business performance
• Analyzing competitors and market trends;
• Developing financial management mechanisms that minimize financial risk
• Conducting reviews and evaluations for cost-reduction opportunities;
• Managing the company's financial accounting, monitoring and reporting systems
• Liaising with auditors to ensure annual monitoring is carried out
• Developing external relationships with appropriate contacts e.g. auditors, solicitors, bankers and statutory organizations such as Internal Revenue
• Producing accurate financial reports to specific deadlines
• Managing budgets
• Arranging new sources of finance for a company's debt facilities
• Keeping abreast of changes in financial regulations and legislation

Educational Requirements

• B.A. in accounting or equivalent

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Strong leadership skills.
• Working knowledge of budgets and financials statements.
• Proven managerial experience.
• Results oriented.
• Ability to accept and support change.
• Ability to interface with management, growers, staff and other functional areas of the community.

Role Purpose

This position is responsible for the health, safety and environment of all employees. The task is to interpret and implement the company’s HSE policy while maintaining compliance with all applicable local and regional safety, health and environmental regulations.

Typical Work Activities

• Develop site specific safety policies
• Liase with the local management team to provide energy and enthusiasm for safety program implementation
• Develop and deliver training programs on safety
• Monitor safety statistics and provide leadership in safety improvements
• Provide leadership in meeting industrial hygiene requirements for different sites
• Provide framework and timeliness for incident reporting and corrective action recommendations and follow up
• Stay abreast of local and national changes to health, safety and environmental regulations

Educational Requirements

• BA or equivalent
• Post secondary training in health, safety and environment delivery

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Familiarity with agricultural practices and machinery
• Enjoy working with people
• Organized and attention to detail
• Ability to travel and work in outdoor and plant environment

Role Purpose

This position provides leadership in developing and implementing a regulatory strategy for the company and leads to effort to ensure technology products achieve timely country regulatory approvals
In addition this position is responsible for ensuring compliance of the research and product development activities of the biotechnology products program meet with all applicable Government regulations of biotechnology crops.

Typical Work Activities

• Responsibilities include all phases of the process for the import, interstate movement and environmental release of regulated biotechnology crops in the region
• Familiarity with the Regulatory Science data requirements to support approvals for commercial production of biotechnology crops. 
• Organize and coordinate the work of Regulatory Affairs Managers located throughout the region, ensuring efficient data development, documentation, reporting and harmonized approaches to Regulatory Affairs submissions.

Educational Requirements

• PhD degree in molecular biology, plant biology, horticulture or agronomy.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• At least 8 years of professional experience in Plant Biotechnology and/or Agricultural related Regulatory Compliance / Regulatory Affairs, and demonstrated ability to achieve successful regulatory approval of an agricultural product. 
• Demonstrated ability to effectively interact with different Regulatory Authorities and presenting eloquent arguments in the critical area of plant biotechnology.
• Ability to work in or with a multinational team
• Well developed leadership and project management abilities and a creative, motivated team player.
• Cross-functional communication, interpersonal, oral and written communication skills.

Role Purpose

Lead the patent protection process within the seed business including variety, process and product invention

Typical Work Activities

• Review invention disclosures and determine advisability of patent protection, including reviewing of prior art
• Prepare and/or coordinate preparation of patent applications, including working closely with the patent attorneys, clients and inventors. 
• Provide intellectual property support in licensing, trademark and collaboration activities.
• Conduct trademark searches in various countries as necessary.
• Prepare, monitor and track U.S. Utility Patents, Plant Patents and maintenance fees.
• Monitor and report competitor IPR protection and potential infringement company IPR.

Educational Requirements

• Ph.D. Biology, Botany, Molecular Biology, Plant Science, Plant Genetics or related disciplines

Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

• Detail oriented
• Experience with patent review and application
• Demonstrated experience in team environment

Role Purpose

Provide advice and guidance on intellectual property matters including IP strategies, protection, licensing, freedom to operate and technology agreements

Typical Work Activities

• Provide legal counsel on intellectual property matters.
• Monitor and analyze competitive intellectual property. Develop and implement strategic intellectual property initiative
• Draft and negotiate agreements and contracts.
• Review and evaluate publicly available technical and marketing activities of others and, as allowed by law, analyze existing technology and intellectual property positions of others
• Collaborate with patent agents on developing intellectual property protection strategy
• Keep abreast of changes and trends in the law, rules of practice, and court decisions related to the company’s IP position
• Provide advice and guidance on technology agreements and strategic alliances

Educational Requirements

• Doctorate of Jurisprudence required. Master's or Ph.D. degree in biological or chemical sciences preferred
• License to practice law and registration to practice before the Country Patent and Trademark Office required.

Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

• At least 15 years diverse experience in the field of intellectual property law
• Experience in patent prosecution, patent opinions, agreements, due diligence in transactions having an intellectual property focus
• Experience in negotiating and drafting technology licensing agreements

Role Purpose

Plans, directs and manages the IT Department in order to assure the development and implementation of cost effective systems and efficient computer operations to meet current and future decision making requirements . Manages all information systems, systems analysis, programming, and computer operation activities.

Typical Work Activities

• Establishes major objectives and policies for the IT Department.
• Furnishes, revises and updates accurate and efficient internal and external reports as required by management 
• Reviews and approves adequate plans for the control of all areas of IT including budget spending, labor efficiency, material efficiency, IT effectiveness and human utilization.
• Reviews performance against operating plans and standards. Provides reports on interpretation of results and approves changes in direction of plans.
• Defines and recommends objectives in each area of IT. Develops specific short term and long term plans and programs, together with supporting budget requests and financial estimates.
• Coordinates with other departments in establishing and carrying out responsibilities.
• Ensures optimum performance of the IT function. Recommends and implements techniques to improve productivity, increase efficiencies, cut costs, and maintain up-to-date IT practices.

Educational Requirements

• B.S. or B.A. in business administration, computer science or related subject required. Advanced degree desirable.

Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

• Must have excellent working knowledge of operating systems and PC environments. Relational database management systems (RDBMS) experience required. Must have strong database applications and software knowledge.
• Knowledge and/or experience in HW/SW upgrades, maintenance, application software modification and user training required.
• Knowledge of Network applications, protocols and network management, TCP/IP, and Web Administration a plus.
• Must have and maintain a comprehensive knowledge of the general direction of the Information Systems industry and technology.
• Minimum fifteen years experience in Management Information Systems required.
• Minimum ten years upper management experience required.

Role Purpose

Responsible for coordination and administration of company employee benefits plans

Typical Work Activities

• Coordinates and supports the administration of employee benefits for all divisions
• Assists employees seeking information and advises employees concerning benefits policies and procedures
• Serves as primary contact between the company and insurance carriers. Investigates and resolves problems and answers questions for employees
• Prepares and maintains periodic reports. Processes monthly billings
• Coordinates the development of and changes in benefits office procedures to better facilitate the enrollment process and the administration of the benefit plans.
• Develops and maintains Benefits procedures manual
• Coordinates administration of company administered retirement plan
• Assists employees in submitting short-term and long-term disability claims

Educational Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Business or Information Technology or equivalent combination of training and experience required

Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

• Minimum 10 years analytical administrative experience required.
• Minimum 6 years HR experience preferably in the area of benefits.

Role Purpose

Plans, organizes and directs all aspects of the Human Resources function for the company and its subsidiaries.

Typical Work Activities

• Contributes to the development, implementation and maintenance of the company Code of Conduct and Compliance program, policies and procedures
• Consults and coordinates with legal counsel on HR related legal problems, lawsuits, and compliance issues
• Participates with the management team in the general management and development of business strategies, policies and processes of the company, especially as related to Human Resources
• Takes the lead in the development of company objectives, philosophy, and strategic planning of personnel programs and human resources management
• Directs employee relations activities on issues related to morale, diversity, dispute resolution, discipline, employee communications, reward/incentive practices, work/life/family issues, equal opportunity and affirmative action
• Directs and coordinates the company training function.
• Directs and participates in the recruiting and selection of candidates to fill vacant employment opportunities. 
• Directs the overall development and management of compensation programs in conformance with the company’s pay philosophy and practices. 
• Directs the overall development and management of benefit programs for the company and its subsidiaries. 

Educational Requirements

• BA or BS in Human Resource Management, Business or Psychology or related discipline required. MA or MS in Human Resource Management, Business or Psychology or related discipline highly desirable. 

Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

• Minimum ten years experience in a Human Resource function and minimum eight years management experience. Minimum five years seed industry experience preferred.
• Must be a good public speaker who thinks and speaks succinctly and positively, especially under pressure 
• Must be an innovative leader with personal integrity, sound professional reputation, and the judgment and ability to make independent decisions. 

Role Purpose

In seed companies that are organized to have logistics centrally managed this is a key position ensuring that crop and administrative functions support the delivery of seed supply to customers in a timely, organized and cost efficient manner.

Typical work activities

• Analyze the regional Logistics Operations activities
• Develop and manage cost awareness
• Develop and implement logistics policies across process and administrative functions
• Communicate frequently across functional areas
• Monitor and verify resources supporting logistics are adequate
• Monitor and respond to customer complaints
• Monitor and respond to claims
• Develop departmental budgets and hiring and retention plans

Educational Requirements

• Bachelor’s/Masters degree in Logistics, Business Administration or Agronomics/Agricultural related field.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience

• In depth understanding of technologies and procedures used within a seed company (i.e. Production, Processing, Quality Assurance, Customer Service, Inventory Management, Finance and Sales). and Skills
• Experience in a managerial role within a matrix organization
• Organizational and efficiency aptitude