Program Manager - Crop Genomics

Silal; Abu Dhabi Emirate; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading agri-food sector company in the UAE is seeking an experienced Program Manager, Crop Genomics to lead and oversee its program lifecycle. This role involves strategic coordination across various stakeholders to ensure successful delivery of innovative projects. The ideal candidate will possess a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field and have at least 8 years of experience in program management, particularly in R&D or technology development environments. Strong skills in collaboration and program strategy are essential.

Qualifications

• 8 years of experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder programs.
• 5 years of program or project management in innovation, R&D, or tech incubation.
• Demonstrated success in delivering programs with cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the end-to-end program lifecycle.
• Manage collaboration on germplasm screening and evaluation.
• Prepare technical and progress reports for Steering Committee.

Skills

Program management expertise

Scientific understanding

Strategic coordination

Collaboration management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial or Process Engineering or related field

Job description

Who we are?

In Silal, our mandate is to diversify food sources and stimulate manufacturing and distribution in the agri-food sector in the UAE and beyond. As a part of ADQ, one of the region's largest holding companies, Silal is emerging as one of the sector’s leading and most ambitious players.

Position Overview

The Program Manager will lead and oversee the end-to-end program lifecycle: from capacity building and research infrastructure setup to joint IP development and commercialization. The role combines program management expertise, scientific understanding, and strategic coordination across academic, industrial, and governmental stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of this landmark initiative.

Position Responsibilities:

Key Responsibilities as Program Manager, Crop Genomics will include the following:

• Translate the ARC-GEN vision into structured workstreams with defined milestones, KPIs, and governance mechanisms.
• Lead and coordinate the execution of Program A under Phase 1.
• Oversee the development of experimental protocols for plant response evaluation under abiotic stress conditions.
• Manage collaboration with our Party on germplasm screening, genotype evaluation, and data exchange for selected tomato and cucumber lines.
• Coordinate field and controlled-environment trials at Silal’s R&D Center in Al Foah, ensuring scientific rigor and traceability.
• Establish cross-functional collaboration among Silal scientists, agronomists, and external researchers to ensure integration of results.
• Prepare technical and progress reports for Steering Committee reviews (Silal – Parties –Stakeholders).
• Define IP frameworks and manage alignment with Legal and R&D Governance teams.
• Support the transition to Phase 2 (Joint Venture setup) by ensuring delivery of Phase 1 milestones and identification of validated candidate genes.
• Represent Silal in all program-related meetings, events, and external communications.

Position Requirements:

In order to be successful in this role, you should have

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial or Process Engineering or related field from a recognized and accredited university.
• 8 years of experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder programs, ideally in innovation, R&D, or technology development.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in program or project management, ideally in innovation, R&D, or technology incubation environments.
• Demonstrated success in delivering programs involving cross-functional teams, external partners, and governance frameworks

As Silal’s Talent Acquisition team, we encourage all interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. All qualified applicants will be reviewed, however due to the high volume of applicants, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.