Global Microbial Supply Chain & Industrialization Manager

About Syngenta

At Syngenta Crop Protection, we're pioneering solutions that safeguard global food security while championing sustainable agriculture. As a world market leader headquartered in Switzerland, we empower farmers with innovative crop protection technologies that defend against nature's toughest challenges. We unite advanced science with digital solutions to develop intelligent crop protection that maximizes yields while minimizing environmental impact. Join our mission of revolutionizing plant protection from seed to harvest. 

Syngenta has been ranked as a top employer by Science Magazine, and it has been awarded with the "Friendly Work Space" label to all its Swiss sites.

At Syngenta, our goal is to build the most collaborative and trustworthy team in agriculture, providing top-quality seeds and innovative crop protection solutions that improve farmers' success. To support this mission, Syngenta’s Supply Chain Management Team is seeking a Global Microbial Supply Chain & Industrialization Manager in Basel, Switzerland. 

As the Global Microbial Supply Chain & Industrialization Manager, you will ensure the efficient implementation of New Product Introductions and established supply chain re‑designs across the Microbial product portfolio, meeting the evolving needs of the business and target markets through the entire Product Life Cycle.

In this strategically critical, newly scoped role, you will build and lead a dedicated global supply chain capability in a high‑growth segment, establishing a global end‑to‑end supply chain function for microbial fermentation and downstream operations. You will help determine the optimal long‑term strategy between external sourcing and internal manufacturing, ensuring resilient, scalable, and sustainable supply chains that enable Syngenta’s Biologicals growth ambitions.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and lead the global microbial supply chain function, integrating it into the Syngenta ecosystem and building organizational credibility, capabilities, and governance across functions and regions.
• Build, develop, and lead a global supply chain team, providing direction, coaching, and capability development for both direct and indirect reports, while mobilizing cross‑functional teams at scale.
• Ensure end‑to‑end supply chain reliability and sustainable operations for microbial‑based products, accounting for biological variability, fermentation and downstream scale‑up challenges, contamination risks, and shelf‑life considerations.
• Define and shape the future Syngenta manufacturing and sourcing strategy for microbial products, including product siting and make/buy decisions, in close collaboration with Manufacturing, Technology & Sourcing, Process Technology & Engineering, and Technology & Engineering.
• Lead cross‑functional supply chain teams to design, scale, and operate robust, cost‑effective supply chains, with a strong focus on security of supply, quality, total cost, risk management, and asset network optimization.
• Develop and implement global capacity planning strategies to ensure the microbial Biologicals business meets both short‑ and long‑term volume, growth, and resilience requirements.
• Act as a strategic business partner to global commercial teams, providing supply chain leadership and input into in‑licensing opportunities, M&A evaluations, and potential acquisitions within the microbials domain.
• Influence and advise senior technical and business stakeholders on strategic decisions related to biological research, partnerships, and technology ownership across the product lifecycle.
• Own and facilitate key stages of Sales & Operations Planning processes, balancing demand and supply, monitoring end‑to‑end KPIs, and driving continuous improvement and change agendas across the supply chain.
• Ensure full compliance with legal, regulatory, HSE, corporate governance, and quality standards, while actively driving sustainability initiatives aligned with Syngenta’s global targets.

• University degree in Chemical Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, Microbiology, Biotechnology, or a related technical field.
• Senior professional with at least 10–15 years of relevant industry experience, including senior/global supply chain leadership exposure within a complex, international organization.
• Minimum 3–4 years of senior supply chain management experience, ideally in end‑to‑end, global, or matrixed environments.
• Proven technical or operational background in fermentation and/or bioprocess operations (e.g. bioprocess engineering, fermentation scale‑up, or microbial manufacturing).
• Deep understanding of fermentation processes, microbial strain stability, downstream processing, contamination control, and biological variability.
• Demonstrated experience with microbial‑based supply chains, including upstream and downstream bioprocess manufacturing.
• Experience working with external bioprocess partners and CMOs, including contract, performance, and relationship management.
• Strong leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to drive outcomes through influence in highly cross‑functional, matrixed environments.
• Ability to thrive in a high‑ambiguity, fast‑paced, and evolving context, with a track record of leading change and building new capabilities.
• Proven experience in strategy development, deployment, and end‑to‑end scenario thinking, translating strategy into executable supply chain solutions.
• Solid knowledge of quality management systems for biological products, including shelf‑life management and regulatory expectations.
• Strong financial, commercial, and business acumen, with the ability to balance technical, operational, and strategic priorities.

Why This Role?

This is a high‑impact, highly visible global role, sitting at the intersection of science, supply chain, and strategy. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in shaping Syngenta’s future microbial supply chain model, building sustainable capabilities that directly enable innovation, growth, and resilience across the Biologicals portfolio.

What We Offer

We offer a variety of financial and non-financial benefits including:

• We offer a position which contributes to valuable and impactful work in a stimulating and international environment
• The opportunity to make a difference to process safety, both within Syngenta’s global operations, and in shaping safety legislation and culture worldwide
• A superb working environment with an open culture and diverse workforce where new ideas are always welcome
• The opportunity to work with and learn from highly qualified and experienced employees and gain scientific and technical excellence
• Learning culture (Together we Grow) and wide range of training options
• You will profit from a competitive pension fund plan, flexible working, attractive bonus system, onsite doctor, fitness room, canteen, and other benefits such as Family friendly initiatives, Child and Family allowances

Please send your complete application with your English CV, work certificate copies (if applicable) and Cover Letter.

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. 

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