AME Head of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs

As a world market leader in crop protection, we help farmers to counter these threats and ensure enough safe, nutritious, affordable food for all – while minimizing the use of land and other agricultural inputs. Syngenta Crop Protection keeps plants safe from planting to harvesting.  From the moment a seed is planted through to harvest, crops need to be protected from weeds, insects and diseases as well as droughts and floods, heat and cold. Syngenta Crop Protection is headquartered in Switzerland.

Accountabilities
This role will have the following functional responsibilities:

Corporate Affairs

• Identify key stakeholders, understand their priorities, and develop a strategic plan for engagement
• Presents Syngenta’s position to governments to safeguard our business interests.
• Monitor political and economic developments, identify trends with implications to the business, engages with and builds coalitions with stakeholders to advocate for or against and advance policies.
• Advises CU and Business Area (BA) Leadership team on business implications of any changes in government policies.
• Maintain close liaison with CropLife AME, to develop synergies and pursue ambitions of mutual interest, with a special focus on SPMF initiatives.
• Develop transparent and measurable KPIs and assess the business impact of advocacy efforts.
• In collaboration with Syngenta’s industry associations, the Commercial Unit Head and the BA Heads, advocate on local policy initiatives and implementation AME policies.
• Deliver pro-active reputation management through developing thought leadership platforms, regular formal and informal stakeholder engagement, effective use of multiple media channels, public engagements, and publications.
• Support BAs in building a public affairs strategy in support of the FTO mitigation plans, such as MRL issues, product approvals, counterfeit and illicit product and the business impact of the geopolitical environment

Sustainability

• Develop and implement/supervise the local Sustainability Strategy for the CU (CP and seeds), considering global and regional priorities, local stakeholder expectations, local policy initiatives and local business strategy.
• Align sustainability strategy with local CP and Seeds LTs, determine local governance processes and required collaboration processes with local regulatory, marketing/technical functions (i.e. Sustainable and Responsible Business, stewardship).
• Develop strategic partnerships and oversee effective community engagement across the CU, with targeted progressive NGOs and value chain players, including the farmers and the food companies.
• Support AME Business Areas (BA) in leveraging their sustainability projects by amplifying the success externally, with the ambition to support SYT reputation and facilitate SYT freedom to operate in AME. Take a leading role in promoting innovative business models linked to Sustainability (E.g. Soil Health)

Stewardship

• Stewardship advice – in collaboration with the Head of Sustainable and Responsible Business, AMEA, support the business and key distribution partner(s), on the     stewardship of our current and future CP assets, and propose innovative stewardship programs. Coordinate stewardship reviews associated with new products and Chemical Product extensions and prepare and monitor Individual Product Stewardship Plans, including regular DeCO participation
• Guide Syngenta’s response to stewardship incidents – coordinate and prepare Syngenta’s responses to stewardship incidents involving our CP assets , including monitoring PQ poisoning cases from the agreed and assigned hospitals
• Stewardship training – develop quality stewardship resources, and deliver these through train-the-trainer activities involving Syngenta’s field force and partners to drive improved stewardship among users of Syngenta’s products.
• Coordinate & report country stewardship activities - coordinate proactive stewardship initiatives around grower safe use training (in support of the Group Sustainability Priorities and ESG reporting requirements), medical stewardship and fulfil the associated internal and external reporting obligations, including AHI database, CCI/SSAG annual reporting, and grower community database
• Responsible for ESG data reporting in accordance with global requirements

Knowledge, experience & capabilities

Critical Skills

• A mature and motivated professional with a high EQ and ‘sense making’ capability, together with strong decision-making and influencing skills
• A high level of presence and personal credibility, with the authority to build respect and trust at all levels of a company
• Confident and collaborative. Comfortable “rolling up the sleeves” with a “can do” approach
• Resilient and resourceful, able to think creatively in order to achieve objectives
• A strong passion for building and sustaining positive relationships with key internal and external stakeholders
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills and strong analytical and creative problem-solving capability
• Demonstrate drive and lead the mindset change to bring sustainability on the agenda on different platforms

Critical knowledge

• Understanding of current sustainability issues and how these are relevant to Syngenta
• Knowledge of external stakeholders and influencers relevant to SRB.
• Networking, partnerships development
• Recognized expertise in one or several marketing, commercial, health, agronomy, social and/or farming competence areas.
• Understanding of contemporary approaches to training, communication and behavior change.
• Understanding of agronomic practices and technologies relevant for sustainable & responsible use.
• Knowledge of Syngenta’s portfolio of products, their safety profiles, risks, and how they are used

Critical Experience

• Minimum 10 years work experience with background in several different relevant business functions. 
• A university level degree in Communication, Political Science, International Affairs, Sustainability or Human/Social/Natural Sciences or a comparable business education/experience. 
• Proven team leadership of senior positions.  
• Proven experience of successfully managing cross functional collaborations and understanding of the challenges in/from the “real” market place. 
• Track record of successfully managing broad, complex projects, change projects and/or business processes.
• Proven ability to deal with complex issues, and develop effective strategies and solutions for managing them.

Note: This role support Africa Middle East and can be executed from any of the locations below:
Türkiye, Morocco, Kenya or South Africa