Role Summary

• The purpose of this role would be to substantially contribute to the development of new and existing products within the designated portfolio by meticulous planning, implementation, and management of approved projects to deliver comprehensive trial results to form part of dossiers compliant to the requirements of Act 36 of 1947, within designated timelines to meet business targets as well as changing global market food safety trends. The scope of this role would be for South Africa with support to Southern African countries that UPL SA exports to. Managing the scope, progress of projects and budget, would entail close cooperation with the associated Regulatory Specialist and Product Portfolio Manager as well as understanding from a sales perspective the customer centric pain points in formulating the deliverables in putting the value proposition of the eventual product offer together from the initial development process, through marketing into the final sales package. This role would focus on Insecticides.

Role Responsibilities

• Plan, implement and manage the R & D trial program for designated crops and products of the portfolio in line with product strategies & project scopes, as agreed with the relevant local and global Product Managers.
• Co-ordinate, manage and liaise with CRO’s for the timeous execution of projects in accordance with timelines and budgets ensuring accuracy of implementation and data generation, as well as concurrent report generation and reporting.
• Analyse trial results (via ARM) and draft summaries to demonstrate trial objectives and propose amendments for further development work, to ensure that project objectives are achieved. On completion of projects contribute to highly accurate, comprehensive yet concise registration dossiers to demonstrate that efficacy, selectivity, and residue data comply with regulations and meet claims in support of intended commercial use.
• Participate in local, regional and global portfolio meetings by providing accurate updates on technical trial results as well as sharing technical expertise to ensure that product development remains relevant to the market needs whilst ensuring product positioning is optimal within the portfolio as well as within the context of global trends.
• Maintain accurate updates to project management, budget tracking and regulatory tracking platforms to maintain data integrity and transparency.
• Liaise with and participate on industry body organisation committees; forums and/or meetings to gain information/contacts on industry trends and knowledge transfer that may have strategic importance to the role and to the company.
• Regular visits to trial sites to ensure trial progress is going according to plan and set timelines.

Individual/Team

• Accountable for managing people, setting direction and deploying resources; is responsible for performance evaluations pay reviews, and hire/fire decisions. Accountable for business functional or operational areas, processes or programs.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required

Technical Requirements:

• At least 5 years’ experience in agrochemical product development and/or regulatory department.
• B.Sc degree in Agriculture or Natural Sciences. A post-graduate qualification would be advantageous.
• CropLife Basic Crop Protection Certificate.
• SACNASP accreditation would be beneficial.
• Working knowledge of GHS Labelling requirements.
• Comprehensive understanding of Product registration requirements and processes. Above average knowledge of crops, crop protection (biological and chemical), crop nutrition as well as the general crop protection environment.
• Technical Project management.
• Understanding of statistical methods and management of trial data on the ARM platform.
• Detail orientated, analytical with a high level of accuracy in planning projects and managing trial data.
• Self-motivated and driven to find solutions in executing development projects in a practical manner within set budget and timelines.
• Creativity and flexibility are required in addressing challenges that arise during project execution and in contributing to data dossiers.
• Ability to prioritise, re-prioritise and manage all development-related activities within set timelines.
• Ability to work independently, under intense pressure at times, but maintain a high level of accuracy and meticulous preciseness especially with written tasks.

Behavioural Requirements

• Execution excellence
• Results orientation
• Adaptability and resilience
• Customer centricity
• Entrepreneurial mindset
• Strategic orientation
• Problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication skills within a cross-functional group
• Detail orientated
• Self-motivated
• Well-developed computer skills (MS Office & ARM)