Head of Marketing & Business Development at UPL

RESPONSIBILITIES

Portfolio Management (35% of time)

• Portfolio strategy and long-term planning. Provide strategic marketing guidance to R&D strategy, collaborating on the strategic direction of the organization.
• Market information and competitor movements – volumes, prices of key molecules.
• New Product Development - Oversee process, systems, budgets, timelines, etc. Systems include Calyx and GNPL.
• New Product Launches - Introduction and optimization of new product introduction including launch strategy and planning, introduction campaigns, field activities, etc.
• Creation of technical material, speaker packs, presentations, brochures, marketing collateral, etc. 
• Partner with Sales, Commercial, and Product teams to co-create go-to-market strategies for new products and services

Brand Equity (30% of time)

• Build brand awareness - Campaigns, publications, field activities, demonstrations, demo reports, etc.
• Brand governance - Ensure the brand is on point
• Innovation in getting our brand and message to the market. 
• Loyalty programmes and incentives. 
• Build customer relations and look after customer satisfaction. 
• Manage trademark applications (searches and registrations) 

Strategic Marketing Leadership (25% of time)

• Lead strategic planning sessions with cross-functional teams to ensure marketing initiatives support commercial goals.
• Identify market trends, emerging opportunities, and risks.
• Develop and manage the sub-regional marketing budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources.
• Track spend against budget and report variances with corrective action plans.
• Ensure all marketing investments are justified by measurable outcomes and ROI.

Business Development (10% of time)

• Identify opportunities within UPL as well as with external (3rd party) partners. 
• Manage all discussions, alignment, negotiations and contracts.
• Manage relationships - both internally as well as externally.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required

Technical Requirements:

• Advanced knowledge of crop protection, seed treatments, BioSolutions, and ag-input technologies
• Strong expertise in market intelligence, segmentation, and competitor mapping
• Skilled in developing pricing strategies, value mapping, and profitability analysis
• Experience with product lifecycle management and new product introduction processes
• Proficient in digital marketing tools, CRM platforms, and data-driven marketing
• Strong financial acumen (NPV, margin analysis, licensing cost structures)
• Advanced MS Excel, Power BI, and reporting tools
• Familiarity with global agricultural regulatory frameworks
• Experience managing cross-border teams across the Eastern Africa and IOI region

Behavioural Requirements

• Strong leadership with the ability to influence and inspire cross-functional teams
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate insights into actionable plans
• High adaptability in fast-changing market conditions
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Strong problem‑solving and decision‑making ability
• Entrepreneurial mindset with an innovation-driven approach
• Customer-centric with a collaborative style
• High integrity and accountability