Reference: JR102708

Are you an experienced leader with experience in plant breeding and driven to connect multidisciplinary and multicultural teams towards success? Enza Zaden is looking for a Senior Station Manager to manage our R&D stations in the US, San Juan Bautista (Ca) and Myakka City (Fl), to support excellence in overall product development across all crops.

This is why you want to join us as Senior Station Manager USA at Enza Zaden

• As a Senior Station Manager USA you have a key role at the forefront of the seed industry and you contribute to everyone's worldwide access to healthy and varied vegetables;  
• We offer you a position in which you will be at the center of our R&D activities in the USA, working with al teams within the country and many across the globe;
• A chance to be focused on all activities locally and to be closely involved with the evolution of our global R&D function.

Your job as Senior Station Manager USA

You oversee all R&D activities at our stations and are directly responsible for R&D Operations (agronomy of crops, crop management, routine application and support teams). As a Senior Station Manager, you work in close cooperation with Global R&D Management: Crop Research Directors, Biotech Director and Director R&D Operations. You are co-accountable for the proper execution and coordination of breeding and research activities according to the agreements made with Global R&D Management. Being the R&D link between Dutch headquarters and our US stations, you are chairman of the local R&D Management Team and R&D representative of US National Coordination Team. You are responsible for the team dynamics and ensure the culture of the local stations is in line with Enza Zaden’s values and principles.

You report to the Director R&D Operations, partner up with the other Station Managers, Global R&D Management, Regional and Global Business partners to determine the priorities. You make yourself familiar with the needs of the R&D programs. You are directly involved in the crop breeding and research strategies, and you identify and work on new projects/challenges and their implementation, processes (continuous improvement), and connect these projects and processes with stakeholders on the global R&D MT level. You will experience a lot of freedom, ambition and creativity to come to new innovative solutions locally and to provide input for strategic plans toward Global R&D management. As part of the R&D Operations Management Team frequent (inter)national business travel is part of the job.

Key focus areas are:

• Effective and efficient management of operations and facilities of two R&D stations;
• Team collaboration of operations, breeding and research teams, active on site and globally connected;
• Co-develop and run the strategic plan for R&D Operations of Enza Zaden worldwide;
• Locally manage and oversee all objectives, challenges and activities of Enza Zaden, closely collaborating with other senior managers of our Marketing & Sales, Seed Operations and Support teams
• Other duties as assigned.

What you bring as a colleague

The communication and people management skills you bring, help you to be a linking pin and build solid connections of your R&D Operations team with headquarters in The Netherlands, Crop Breeding Managers and Research Managers on site and around the world. You easily inspire and encourage open communication. Your long-term vision is of great value to the future of Enza Zaden. As a Senior Station Manager, you know how to guide the strong identity of the team, the implementation of change and innovations and take the lead pro-actively. Based on your experiences you recognize opportunities, monitor performances closely and know how to have positive impact.

Next to this, you:

• Have a Master/PhD working and thinking level in an agricultural discipline.
• Have experience in and thorough knowledge of plant breeding
• Are as seasoned professional in an international senior position: 6 to 12 years of relevant experience in the agriculture industry
• Have a proven track record on delivering innovations and process optimizations but also on team development and coaching
• Have intercultural leadership experience
• Have excellent financial management skills
• Show strategic thinking ability
• Show problem solving ability
• Are proficient in the Spanish and English language
• Occasional travel, outside or Monterey County and international (20-40%).
• Must possess a valid drivers license and clean driving record.

Compensation & Benefits:

The following information is provided in good faith as a general description of the pay range and benefits for the position posted.  The compensation offered to the successful candidate depends on experience, skills, education, work location, and other objective job-related factors.

Starting estimated pay $148,300 - $180,000

Enza Zaden offers an attractive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, and disability coverage for full-time positions. Other benefits include 401(k) with employer match, paid personal time off, paid volunteer time off, monthly fitness reimbursement, and a free Employee Assistance Program (EAP).  More information regarding the benefits will be shared during the application process.

Something about us

Besides being an international vegetable-breeding company, Enza Zaden is also an independent family business. For three generations, an entrepreneurial spirit, long-term vision and focus on innovation have characterised our company’s distinctive features and healthy growth.

Enza Zaden has a worldwide presence. Our head office is located in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. We have research stations, commercial subsidiaries and seed operation subsidiaries and joint ventures all over the globe. This makes Enza Zaden an international company, or rather, as we like to put it ourselves, a multi-local company. We work with more than 3000 local people who know all the ins and outs of our sector and their local market. Are you curious to know more about Enza Zaden click on this link: Enza Zaden - vegetable-breeding company.

To apply

Please click HERE to learn more and to apply online.