Technical Manager Agronomy

SUMMARY:

A global FMCG company is seeking an experienced Technical Manager to act as the country's agronomic authority, driving yield, quality, cost competitiveness, and sustainable production across all crops. The role provides technical leadership, builds organisational capability, drives research and innovation, and contributes to the country strategy as a member of the leadership team.

POSITION INFO:
Minimum requirements for the role: Must have a relevant tertiary qualification Deep agronomic expertise across cropping systems, preferably barley and\/or sorghum Proven ability to lead agronomic programmes across diverse geographic regions Must have experience in agricultural research, field trials, or agronomy innovation programmes Agile, solution-oriented mindset with a proactive approach to problem-solving Proven track record of delivering measurable improvements in yield, quality, and cost efficiency Strong digital proficiency and data fluency Demonstrated ability to manage or influence multidisciplinary agricultural teams Strategic thinking with strong execution capability Ability to influence without direct authority Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across cultures Ability to thrive in complex, ambiguous, and rapidly changing environments Excellent communication and presentation skills Knowledge of both commercial and smallholder farming systems The successful candidate will be responsible for: Providing technical leadership to achieve crop production targets for volume, yield, quality, and cost. Guiding best-practice agronomy across regions, including soil health, fertilisation, crop protection, irrigation, planting systems, and input optimisation. Leading research and development initiatives related to variety development, agronomic best practices, and technological innovation. Identifying and mitigating key production risks. Leading structured problem-solving initiatives to address field performance challenges in collaboration with agronomists, extension teams, and farmers. Enhancing the technical capability of agronomists and extension teams by diagnosing skill gaps, defining and implementing training interventions, coaching teams, and assessing technical competence. Embedding consistent agronomic standards and ways of working across regions. Defining and driving the country R&D agenda in partnership with Africa R&D. Guiding trial managers on trial design, execution, analysis, and insight generation. Leading variety development in collaboration with breeders and the Global Barley Innovation (GBI) team to meet farmer, malting, and brewing requirements. Ensuring the effective planning and utilisation of research budgets and resources. Identifying, evaluating, and scaling new technologies, including inputs, equipment, digital tools, and regenerative agricultural practices. Driving continuous improvement in crop performance through innovation. Supporting the adoption of digital agriculture and data-driven decision-making. Strengthening farmer performance and relationships through technical engagement. Assessing and onboarding new farmers, cooperatives, and partners to support production growth. Building and managing partnerships with suppliers, government bodies, and industry stakeholders. Supporting the technical components of government and co-funded agricultural programmes. Embedding sustainability and regenerative agricultural practices into production systems. Supporting the achievement of GHG and sustainability targets through trials, field assessments, and data analysis. Monitoring and reporting on sustainability performance. Contributing to the development and execution of the country agriculture strategy. Acting as the technical interface between regional, global, procurement, and external stakeholders. Providing regular, data-driven updates on crop performance, R&D, and sustainability. Supporting government engagement alongside the Country Agriculture Manager. Please note that subsequent to the screening and shortlisting process, all further communication will be entered into only with the shortlisted candidates. If you do not receive any feedback from us within 2 weeks of applying, please consider your application unsuccessful.