Senior Crop Scientist and Business Unit Head at Leverage Seeds Limited (LSL)

Leverage Seeds Limited (LSL) is an indigenous seed company dedicated to helping farmers maximize their profit through the provision of genetically pure seeds of improved crop varieties, affordable fertilizers, and agrochemicals, as well as guiding farmers on Good Agronomic Practices for bumper harvest.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Senior Crop Scientist and Business Unit Head

Location: Ibadan, Oyo
Employment Type: Full-time
Recruitment Type: Permanent

Job Description
The successful candidate will be responsible for leading the crop science team and the business unit to achieve the company's goals. The job responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Crop Science:

• Lead the research and development of new crop varieties, improve crop productivity, and explore new crop development opportunities.
• Prepare work plans, planting programs, and budgets for crop science activities, including field trials, seed production, and organic farming activities.
• Manage the design and implementation of breeding nurseries, trials, and validation, and seed production fields.
• Provide technical guidance for data collection, analysis, and project evaluation.
• Develop and implement a production guide for crops in the profile of the organization such as maize, soybean, rice, cowpea, yam, and cassava.
• Conduct field trials to assess germplasm for genetic diversity and characterization of germplasm for tolerance to stresses.
• Identify desirable traits for seed improvement through genetic variation.
• Advance knowledge of plant breeding techniques.
• Develop stress-tolerant maize, soybean, cowpea, and rice varieties.
• Select parent lines for crossbreeding.
• Liaison with research institutes for varietal release process.
• Liaison with commercial plant breeders, scientists, and funding bodies.
• Monitor competitors' activities and set product profiles in the market.
• Supervise the establishment of demos and high-way seed drops.
• Prepare technical reports and publications.

Business Unit Head:

• Develop and implement strategies to achieve the company's business goals.
• Develop and implement annual budgets and financial plans for the business unit.
• Identify and develop new business opportunities in the seed sector.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including suppliers, customers, and regulatory bodies.
• Monitor market trends and identify opportunities for growth.
• Develop and implement marketing strategies for the company's products and services.
• Lead and motivate the business unit team to achieve their targets.
• Prepare reports on the business unit's performance for the management team.

Qualifications

• A PhD in Crop Science with a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience, or an MSc in crop science with a minimum of 4 years of relevant experience.
• Excellent knowledge of crop science, breeding, and agronomy.
• Strong leadership skills and ability to motivate teams.
• Good business acumen and understanding of the seed sector.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent computer skills.

Application Closing Date
21st May, 2023.