Global Director of Sustainable Agriculture New

George Weemes Associate Director [email protected] My Profile See my jobs Job Description EMEA Recruitment has been exclusively appointed to secure a Global Director of Agronomy on behalf of a world-leading FMCG organization. Reporting directly to the Global Procurement Director for Raw Materials, this executive-level leader will define and execute the global agricultural development strategy to ensure competitive, resilient, and sustainable raw materials across the enterprise. Operating as a critical link between global procurement, sustainability, R&D, and the external agricultural ecosystem, you will lead long-term value creation and supply chain resilience. Location: Zurich, Switzerland (with global travel) Type of position: Permanent, full-time position Main Responsibilities: Strategic Leadership: Define and execute the global agricultural development strategy across foundational crops, ensuring long-term supply security, commercial competitiveness, and supply chain resilience. Sustainability & Regenerative Ag: Spearhead global agricultural sustainability initiatives, including regenerative agriculture frameworks, carbon reduction metrics, and the realization of global environmental targets. Innovation & Varietal Development: Establish global corporate priorities for varietal development, crop management systems, and breakthrough agricultural innovations in partnership with internal technical teams and external researchers. Ecosystem & Stakeholder Management: Cultivate and manage strategic relationships with farmers, breeding companies, research institutions, universities, and cutting-edge AgTech providers. Digital Transformation: Accelerate the internal digital transformation of agricultural tracking and data analytics across all global sourcing regions. Value Creation: Deliver tangible financial and operational value through yield improvements, quality enhancement, cost optimization, and crop loss reduction. Governance & Standards: Establish global agricultural standards, governance models, performance benchmarks, and best practices across international regional teams. Requirements: Education: Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Engineering, or a closely related field; a Master’s degree or MBA is highly advantageous. Experience: 12+ years of progressive experience within agriculture, agribusiness, and corporate procurement environments. Supply Chain Mastery: Documented track record of successfully managing complex agricultural supply chains, innovation programs, and direct farmer-facing development initiatives. Market Acumen: Deep expertise in crop production systems, agricultural economics, global commodity markets, and cross-functional corporate sustainability practices. Leadership Capability: Proven ability to provide thought leadership on global industry trends and persuasively influence cross-functional executives and international matrix networks. Languages: Fluent written and spoken English. Right to Work: While we are highly open to considering elite talent from around the globe, candidates must already possess the valid right to work in Switzerland at the time of application (an EU/EFTA citizenship/passport or valid Swiss work permit is strictly necessary). EMEA Recruitment is committed to promoting Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace. We act as a neutral third party in the recruitment process, basing our candidate searches on skills and experience. We welcome all applications regardless of age, gender, sex, relationship status, disability, race, religion/beliefs, or sexual orientation. APPLY Apply With LinkedIn