This role, reporting to the Head of Oilseeds Research at LFS, involves the coordination of Sunflower Research Programs across Europe and Russia. Key responsibilities include:

Research Coordination

- Manage the European and Russian sunflower research budget, reports, and technical updates.

- Participate in defining the short, medium, and long-term European sunflower breeding strategy in close coordination with Soltis.

- Participate in defining of the research portfolio of the breeding programs in collaboration with the development and marketing teams in Europe and Russia.

- Participate in the Sunflower Crop team.

- Lead Research in Crop and Product review committees.

- Coordinate the relationship between Soltis & Semlima, ensuring contractual obligations while maintaining speed and efficiency, in coordination with the LFS Europe Research Head.

- Coordinate LFS trial services in Europe and Russia for Soltis, in coordination with the Head of LFS Europe Research.

- Coordinate trait research activities across Europe and Russia, such as disease resistance and herbicide tolerance.

- Participate in Soltis Scientific, Operational committees and Attribution meeting and participate in Soltis Research Working Groups.

- Develop a deep understanding of the business by interacting with relevant stakeholders, including competitors, regulators, and public institutions.

Research Operations

- Visit and follow up on nurseries and Research, synthesizing key indicators of field results, including Soltis & Semlima and LFS germplasm. This includes agronomic performance, diseases, quality evaluations.

- Participate in Product Development trials visit.

- Coordinate the exchange of Soltis hybrids among Europe, Argentina and South Africa.

- Coordinate seed exchanges between Soltis and Semlima including quantities, protocols, and phyto products.

- Verify contracts and legal restrictions when accessing or moving genetic material across Europe, Argentina, South Africa, Soltis, and Russia.

- Manage, in tight coordination with the Germplasm Officer, the registration and protection of lines and hybrids.

- Participate in updating the LEAVES database in coordination with the Germplasm Officer.

- Ensure compliance with LFS germplasm rules and FTO requirements.

- Contribute to the communication of needs and results with the Head of Research for LFS Europe.

- Administrator of Sunflower PLOTS tool 

- Participate in and follow up with the working group to build a strong interface between the internal Native Trait Team and Innolea. 

- Represent sunflower at scientific conferences and in inter-professional institutions.

Finance & Administration

- Coordinate and consolidate the inputs required for budget, forecast and MTP.

- Coordinate sunflower research portfolio, including technical reports.

- Propose priorities for resources allocation among the European breeding programs.

- Complete Research Portfolio KPIs.

- Education: An MSc or PhD, or considerable experience in breeding

- Experience: Significant experience in plant breeding and management. Experience in sunflower research.

- Skills: motivation to bring innovation to market, result oriented, open communication, make decisions based on financial & business analysis

- Leadership: Be a role model, prepare the organization for the future, anticipate the need for change, and contribute to the evolution of the company rules & policies

- Cultural Competence: Embrace other cultures & diversity

- Principles of Action: Respect, Accountability, Collaboration, and Entrepreneurship

- Values: Boldness, Progress, Perseverance, and Cooperation