Tropics Hub Seeds R&D Finance Lead

Company Description

About Syngenta
At Syngenta Seeds Field Crops, we're shaping the future of agriculture and empowering farmers to meet the ever-growing demand for food and fuel. We’re a global Ag Tech powerhouse, headquartered in the United States, with passionate, local experts collaborating with farmers to deliver solutions that create market opportunities.  We unite precision breeding, advanced biotechnology trait choice, and digital platforms for unmatched in-field performance.  Our seeds help mitigate risks such as disease, insect, weed, and extreme weather pressures, all while promoting sustainable farming practices that protect and enhance our planet. Join our mission of revolutionizing food security and transforming agriculture.

Job Description

Position Summary:

1. Strategic R&D Prioritization: Can you share an example of how you have co-created long-term financial strategies and evaluated investment trade-offs to maximize R&D portfolio value in a global organization?
2. Senior Stakeholder Influencing: Describe a time when you had to influence senior, cross-functional business and commercial leaders on a complex financial strategy. How did you build alignment?
3. Scenario Planning & Risk Management: What is your approach to scenario planning and managing financial risks and opportunities when building long-range plans for multi-regional operations?
4. Global Collaboration: This role requires alignment across regional finance partners, global teams, and R&D hub functions. How do you ensure seamless collaboration and financial consistency across geographically dispersed teams?
5. Finance Modernization: How have you successfully driven or contributed to finance modernization initiatives (e.g., advancing analytics, developing new metrics, or optimizing forecasting processes) in your previous roles?

Accountabilities:

• Act as a thought partner for senior leadership to develop and implement business strategies that deliver on core Seeds targets and objectives.
• Influence decision-making processes by providing financial insights and recommendations, developing investment cases, collaborating on operational initiatives, and developing financial models which include the use of data science and modeling various portfolio scenarios.
• Advance digital transformation in Seeds Finance by implementing reporting dashboards and designing modern finance models with digital tools and predictive analytics.
• Oversee long-range planning, budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis to support business planning and performance.
• Manage the Seeds Tropics Hub R&D P&L with focus on functional costs and risk/opportunity assessment.
• Partner closely with Regional Commercial, Strategy, R&D, and Finance teams to assist in the development of a multi-pillared R&D portfolio valuation and prioritization model.
• Partner with Regional, Country Finance teams within Tropics Hub as well as finance teams cross hubs to drive consistent global processes for Budgets, Long Range Plans etc.  
• Analyze financial data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for growth and efficiency.
• Lead financial processes for forecasts, budgets, and long-term plans, CAPEX, and key initiatives.
• Provide financial expertise to support strategic initiatives and projects across Tropics Hub functional areas.
• Train the business community on functional financial matters.
• Ensure adherence to financial regulations and company policies and controls through close partnership with Group Accounting, Internal Audit, and External Auditors to ensure compliance by leveraging financial excellence and best practices.
• Identify and mitigate financial risks to safeguard company assets.
• Support Agile initiatives and process improvements.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field; MBA, CPA, or professional certification preferred.
• Minimum of 10+ years in finance.
• Proven experience in a finance leadership role, preferably within the agriculture, seeds, or related industry.
• Demonstrable track record of successfully using influence & leadership to achieve results in a matrixed environment.
• Advanced skills in financial planning, analysis, modeling, and benchmarking.
• Proficiency in standard financial tools like NPV and risk assessment.
• Ability to prepare long-range plans, budgets, and forecasts.
• Experience in business partnering, providing strong thought partnership to support and challenge business decisions.
• Strong communication skills for all organizational levels.
• Ability to improve processes using Agile methodologies and digital tools.
• Detail-oriented with a focus on quality processes.
• Advanced Excel and business modeling skills.
• Experience in business transformations and M&A projects

Additional Information

Syngenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. 

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