The Operations Manager provides comprehensive leadership and strategic oversight of all Seeds Development operations across the Western US, based in Junction City, KS. Encompassing nursery operations, farming systems and seed logistics. This role drives integrated operational excellence in nurseries, field production, seed processing, and distribution. Ensuring the highest quality standards, HSE, regulatory compliance, and sustainable practices to support seed production for Syngenta.
Accountabilities:
- Strategic Leadership: Direct the execution of end-to-end operations across the Western US, based in Junction City, KS. Ensuring alignment with North America Seeds Development objectives and business goals.
- Operational Excellence: Drive cross-functional integration and workflow efficiency to eliminate silos; monitor KPIs to identify and implement corrective actions for continuous improvement.
- Financial Stewardship: Manage the overall budget (CapEx and OpEx), ensuring cost optimization, resource investment, and financial accountability.
- Talent & Capability Building: Lead talent management, succession planning, and leadership development for direct reports while ensuring technical training delivery across all operational areas.
- Governance & Compliance: Ensure site-wide compliance with corporate policies, safety standards, and regulatory procedures; lead crisis management and business continuity planning.
- Strategic Influence: Represent Junction City operations in senior leadership meetings and maintain strategic partnerships with internal and external stakeholders (government, industry, and service providers).
- Leading Change: Lead organizational change initiatives and coordinate with regional/corporate functions to standardize processes and leverage best practices.
PLEASE NOTE: Candidates must reside in and be permanently authorized to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship. This includes, but is not limited to, OPT, CPT, and H-1B visa holders.
- Bachelor's degree in agronomy, plant science, or related field, with at least 5 years of experience in agricultural operations, preferably in seed production or plant breeding environments.
- Proven experience managing nursery, field-production/farming, seed processing, and/or seed logistics operations at scale.
- Demonstrated ownership of OpEx and CapEx budgets, forecasting, cost control, and investment prioritization.
- Capability to lead organizational and process changes, build adoption, and manage resistance.
- HSE, quality, and regulatory leadership: Ability to lead site-wide safety, environmental, quality, corporate-policy, and regulatory compliance-not simply work within protocols.
- Demonstrated leadership capabilities in overseeing, motivating, and developing employees while effectively resolving conflicts, delegating responsibilities, and fostering collaborative relationships across nursery teams and other site functions.
- Advanced project management capabilities to handle complex, overlapping activities with tight timelines while ensuring adherence to multiple operational, regulatory, and compliance protocols simultaneously.
- Excellent collaboration abilities when working with diverse teams, including breeders, Regulatory, HSE, and quality assurance groups, to achieve organizational objectives and maintain operational excellence
- Ability to leverage metrics, KPIs, and analytics to identify operational trends and system bottlenecks.
What We Offer:
- A culture that celebrates belonging & collaboration, promotes professional development, and strives for a work-life balance that supports the team members. Offers flexible work options to support your work and personal needs.
- Full Benefit Package (Medical, Dental & Vision) that starts your first day.
- 401k plan with company match, Profit Sharing & Retirement Savings Contribution.
- Paid Vacation, Paid Holidays, Maternity and Paternity Leave, Education Assistance, Wellness Programs, Corporate Discounts, among other benefits.
Syngenta has been ranked as a top employer by Science Journal.
Learn more about our team and our mission here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVCN_51GbNI
Syngenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.
Use of AI in Our Recruitment Process
At Syngenta, we use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen applications for high-volume roles.
When you submit an application, AI technology assesses your profile against the job requirements and generates a matching score. This score reflects how closely your qualifications, skills, and experience align with the role's criteria as defined in the job description.
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