Operations Manager

Syngenta Group•Slater, IA

6d•$88,000 - $132,000•Onsite

About The Position

Syngenta Seeds Field Crops is seeking an Operations Manager for its Slater, Iowa site. The role provides comprehensive leadership and strategic oversight of Seeds Development operations, including nursery operations, farming systems, and seed logistics. The Operations Manager drives integrated operational excellence across nurseries, field production, seed processing, and distribution, ensuring quality, health, safety and environment (HSE), regulatory compliance, and sustainable practices in support of seed production. The position directs end-to-end site operations in alignment with North America Seeds Development objectives and business goals. It oversees cross-functional workflow and site performance, manages the site’s capital and operating budgets, develops talent and capabilities, ensures governance and compliance, represents site operations to senior leaders and stakeholders, and leads change initiatives and process standardization.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Plant Science, or a related field.
At least 5 years of experience in agricultural operations.
Demonstrated leadership skills in overseeing, motivating, and developing employees.
Ability to resolve conflicts, delegate responsibilities, and foster collaborative relationships across nursery teams and other site functions.
Advanced project management capabilities to manage complex, overlapping activities and tight timelines while adhering to operational, regulatory, and compliance protocols.
Excellent collaboration skills working with teams such as breeders, Regulatory, HSE, and quality assurance.
Ability to use metrics, KPIs, and analytics to identify operational trends and system bottlenecks.

Nice To Haves

Experience in seed production or plant breeding environments.

Responsibilities

Direct end-to-end operations at the Slater, Iowa site in alignment with North America Seeds Development objectives and business goals.
Drive cross-functional integration and workflow efficiency, monitor site KPIs, and implement corrective actions for continuous improvement.
Manage the overall site budget, including capital expenditures (CapEx) and operating expenditures (OpEx), with attention to cost optimization, resource investment, and financial accountability.
Lead talent management, succession planning, and leadership development for direct reports, and ensure technical training across operational areas.
Ensure site-wide compliance with corporate policies, safety standards, and regulatory procedures; lead crisis management and business continuity planning.
Represent Slater operations in senior leadership meetings and maintain strategic partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, including government, industry, and service providers.
Lead organizational change initiatives and coordinate with regional and corporate functions to standardize processes and apply best practices.
Oversee operational excellence across nurseries, field production, seed processing, and distribution, supporting quality standards, HSE, compliance, and sustainable practices.