QSSK-LCK-SBDM-Seed Business Development Manager at Q-Sourcing Servtec Group

Job summary:

• To Develop, commercialize, Manage, and Grow the company’s seeds range in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda.

KEY DUTIES:

• Review of Seed trends, new product introduction issues, and special product and customer demands, and provide insights for credible forecasting.
• Participate in the Monthly Demand Planning Session & provide demand forecasts for seeds by customers as input in the S&OP process.
• Recruit & develop Seed customers for existing portfolio
• Recruit & develop commercial farms for Seeds and other products of the company.
• Reach out to technical personnel in Farms and make presentations on our seed range, then liaise with the company’s field team for follow-up.
• Carry out demonstrations or trials to show the benefits of the company’s seeds range.
• Hand over recruited customers to the company’s Territory Manager or Key Account Manager for follow-up and closing of sale.
• Identify gaps in the company’s Seeds/brands portfolio.
• Carry out Product screening of potential Seeds and present it to NPD team for approval.
• Confirm suitability of product as well as Registration & other requirements adherence.
• Liaise with the relevant departments for the development of suitable product approvals and identify suitable inputs from suitable suppliers.
• Liaise with relevant regulatory bodies to perform prerequisite product trials.
• Carry out market trials of products under development and present results to NPD team.
• Liaise with Brand Managers, QA & Supply chain to identify suitable packaging for the product in development.
• Confirm what is existing in the market & liaise with Brand Managers to create a price matrix/pyramid.
• Identify risks & recommend mitigation steps.
• Pursue and close on new product registration.
• Liaise with Brand Managers and Sales department for execution of launch plan.
• Continuously seek to gain customer feedback on the ground, on the performance of the company’s products
• Grow the company’s seeds portfolio achieving the agreed number of approved seeds on target
• Training of both the company & SBP staff (in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda) as may be required from time to time, on best practices in suitable seeds range of the company.
• Training of farmers & provision of farming advice to farmers. Assessing the relative gaps and working with farmers to increase productivity and uptake of the introduced seed.
• Liaise with Brand Managers & Digital Marketing Managers to create relevant content on the seed brands for social media as well as for use in mainstream media, and for use in marketing communication material.
• Productivity, Performance and Personal Development.
• Financial Management -manage activities within approved limits.
• Risk Mitigation, Compliance & Audit.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum Degree in Crop Science, Breeding, and Seed Systems would be desired.
• Highly developed skills in seed selection, development, and commercialization
• Exposure to agriculture development research, preferably working on seed systems
• Good Communication Skills
• Training, Planning & Organizing skills.
• Not less than 3 years’ commercial experience in Seed development and commercialization.
• IT Knowledge required in the role: Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint – Intermediary.