This role leads the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process and inventory management for Syngenta Seeds Field Crops across AMEA markets. The position involves optimizing inventory levels, balancing supply and demand, and ensuring order fulfillment. Responsibilities include leading the S&OP cycle, defining inventory strategies, and developing performance dashboards, requiring over 10 years of relevant experience.
Syngenta Seeds is one of the world’s largest developers and producers of seed for farmers, commercial growers, retailers and small seed companies. Syngenta seeds improve the quality and yields of crops. High-quality seeds ensure better and more productive crops, which is why farmers invest in them. Advanced seeds help mitigate risks such as disease and drought and allow farmers to grow food using less land, less water and fewer inputs.
Syngenta Seeds brings farmers more vigorous, stronger, resistant plants, including innovative hybrid varieties and biotech crops that can thrive even in challenging growing conditions.
Purpose
Drive and orchestrate the regional Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process and inventory management strategy for Seeds Field Crops across AMEA markets.
Develop and execute measures to optimize inventory levels, improve supply-demand balance, and ensure consistent order fulfillment aligned with Seeds business plans.
Support Syngenta's Seeds business strategies through collaborative work with country supply chain teams, commercial sales teams, and regional/global planning functions.
Accountabilities
Lead the regional S&OP cycle for AMEA, facilitating demand review, supply review, and executive S&OP meetings across all countries in scope.
Own regional inventory management strategy: define target inventory levels, safety stock policies, inventory repositioning, and obsolescence/write-off reduction programs for the AMEA Seeds portfolio.
Ensure inventory status (field and physical) is categorized and visible across countries for usage in production scheduling, allocations, and N+1 planning.
Develop and maintain regional S&OP performance dashboards and KPIs (forecast accuracy, inventory turns, OTIF, fill rate, days of supply) and drive corrective actions.
Establish and govern segmented supply strategies for the regional portfolio, aligning inventory flexibility, c/o management, and allocation priorities.
Drive alignment between commercial demand forecasts and supply capabilities; escalate and resolve gaps in a timely manner.
Champion and standardize S&OP and inventory management best practices across AMEA country supply chain teams, enabling capability building and process harmonization.
Ensure effective collaboration with Global/Regional Planning for multi-year (N+1/N+2) supply planning and capacity alignment.
Coordinate with commercial, marketing, and finance on business plan updates, phasing changes, launch plans, and discontinuations to reflect accurate supply pictures.
Lead inventory risk reviews; develop mitigation plans for excess, slow-moving, and at-risk inventory across the region, FEFO adherence metrics.
Drive COGP optimization through improved inventory utilization, reduced write-offs, and efficient production order management.
Implement and maintain of automatic batch determination rules in line with FEFO logic, enabling effective inventory consumption, shelf-life management, and reduction of inventory write-offs.
Be the key focal point with Global/Regional supply chain, logistics, customer service, and S&OP for AMEA.
Enable and support governance for IT/digitization initiatives related to S&OP and inventory management (e.g., SAP IBP, digital control towers).
Support building S&OP and inventory management capabilities within country supply chains and facilitate knowledge sharing across AMEA.
Lead cross-functional coordination on SPS requirements to ensure alignment with applicable regulatory standards and market needs, including the review and facilitation of business case approvals for exceptional market requests.
Actively contribute to the AMEA Regional Seeds Field Crops and One P&S Global Supply organization by sharing best practices, supporting cross-country initiatives, and aligning regional strategies with global priorities.
Bachelor's degree or higher required. Master's/MBA preferred.
10+ years' experience in S&OP, demand/supply planning, inventory management, or broader supply chain roles; Seeds or agricultural supply chain experience strongly preferred.
5+ years of cross-functional leadership or regional/multi-country coordination experience required.
Proficiency in S&OP tools and planning systems (SAP IBP, SAP/R3 or SAP/HANA, or equivalent) is required.
Strong understanding of Supply Chain APICS best practices, IBF (forecasting) frameworks, and inventory optimization methodologies.
Leadership of cross-functional teams where success is interdependent upon good cooperation and performing as 'one' overall team.
Ability to develop consensus on tough issues and reach rapid decisions with multiple stakeholders across countries and functions.
Innovative thinking and application of appropriate measurements for guiding continuous improvement.
Demonstrated ability to contribute to and collaborate within a regional organization; experience working across multiple countries or within an AMEA/regional Seeds or agricultural supply chain context is preferred.