The Limagrain Maize Breeding organization is expanding, and we are looking for a candidate to join our organization to lead hybrid breeding and testing teams in Central and Eastern Europe for mid maturities. This position provides an excellent opportunity to develop your career working in a multi-disciplinary international environment, helping shape breeding strategies and drive its local execution.

MAIN ACTIVITIES:
Strategy / business orientation:
In conjunction with the Head of Breeding program:
- Define the short-, medium- and long-term objectives of the hybridization project and the target portfolio with development and marketing teams.
- Develop breeding direction and germplasm strategies to bring new hybrids on the market
- Develop the trialing strategy (short to medium-term)
- Develop a good understanding of business challenges through interactions with all relevant stakeholders, including competitors, government officials and/or public institute.
- Lead local collaborations and propose exchanges with public and private partners.
- Steers innovation in coordination with relevant internal or external stakeholders and maintain a high technical and scientific level in the Maize European team.

Operations:
- Deliver hybrids for your market segment to product development team.
- Implement the breeding strategy and manage the hybrid breeding project
- Decide on crossing plan to produce “pre-application” hybrids.
- Maintain a high level of trial quality and ensure continuous improvements.
- Manage and take charge of the assessment of hybrids, visit and score trials and nurseries
- Develop and maintain expert knowledge of germplasm to understand the usefulness of lines and hybrids across environments
- Develop and follow germplasm exchange programs with third parties.
- Analyze all data with appropriate tools and take breeding decisions.
- Optimize breeding strategy by fully integrating novel technologies available

People Management:
- Manage testing teams in Hungary, Romania and Russia.
- Mentor, coach and develop your team
- Promote innovation and maintain high technical and scientific level of his / her team.
- Play a key role in the management of the relevant stations: facilitate coordination with other teams, resources organization and resources sharing.
- Ensure that all team members follow the company standards (health, safety and environment and other).
- Develop a strong relationship with the product development team and the local business.
- Develop close relationship with Maize breeders operating in other programs or other territories as well as other key partners of the Limagrain Field Seed Research organization
Finance:
- Propose and follow budgets and investments for your perimeter and appropriately justify any deviations.

- Master or PhD or equivalent in Plant Breeding and Genetics, or a closely related field, and at least 10 years of relevant experience are required.
- Strong demonstrated knowledge in plant breeding, quantitative genetics, agronomy and seed industry acumen.
- Good communicator within business environment
- Leadership skills and experience in managing people and programs
- Knowledge of the target production region associated biotic and abiotic stresses, and relevant germplasm base would be appreciated.
- Experience as a plant breeder of maize or another hybrid crop in a successful commercial program is highly desirable
- Ability to use software for data analysis, management, presentation, and reporting; general competence in statistics and data management is required.
- Flexible with regard to international character of the job (e.g. traveling, working with multi-cultural teams).
- Good knowledge of English language, oral and written.