State Government Affairs Leader

Corteva Agriscience; Barueri; On-site; BRL 230,000 - 360,000; Full time

Job summary

Vylor is seeking a State Government Affairs Leader for Brazil to develop and execute state-level advocacy strategies across major agricultural states. You will lead engagement with governors, secretariats, and regulators, translating business priorities into policy actions while supporting market access and innovation initiatives.

The role requires 7–10 years in government affairs, fluency in Portuguese and English, and willingness to travel across Brazil (≈40%).

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of experience in government affairs, public policy, regulatory affairs, external relations, or related fields.
• Fluency in Portuguese and English required; Spanish proficiency is desirable.
• Experience in agribusiness, life sciences, biotechnology, crop protection, seed, food, or related sectors preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement state-level government affairs strategies aligned with business priorities for Brazil.
• Establish and maintain relationships with governors, state secretariats, legislators, and research institutions across priority states.
• Provide political and policy intelligence to leadership and assess potential impacts on operations and market access.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Commercial, Regulatory, Legal, Communications, Market Development, Manufacturing, and R&D teams to integrate policy considerations into plans.
• Oversee compliance, budgeting, and resource allocation for government affairs activities; document stakeholder engagement outcomes.
• Travel frequently across Brazil (approximately 40%).

Skills

Portuguese

English

Spanish

Job description

Join Vylor—Powering the Future of Agriculture

At Vylor, we’re advancing agriculture through breakthrough science—combining elite germplasm, cutting-edge biotech, and next-generation expertise in gene editing and molecular breeding. Our portfolio includes trusted industry brands like Pioneer®, Brevant®, and Hoegemeyer®, delivering performance farmers rely on.

Join us to help scale innovation globally and shape what’s next in crop science.

State Government Affairs Leader – Brazil

Geographic Scope: Brazil

Primary Location: Alphaville, São Paulo, Brazil

Level Recommendation: SGL 10

Position Summary

The Manager, State Government Affairs – Brazil is responsible for developing and executing state-level government affairs and advocacy strategies across Brazil, with primary focus on major agricultural producing states and states where the company maintains significant commercial, research, manufacturing, supply chain, or operational activities.

The role serves as the company's primary liaison with state government stakeholders and supports public policy initiatives that advance business priorities, market access, innovation, and the company's license to operate.

Reporting to the Director of Corporate Affairs – Latin America, this position translates business priorities into effective state-level engagement strategies, working closely with internal and external stakeholders to support favorable policy outcomes and strengthen the company's presence across Brazil's strategic agricultural regions and operational hubs.

The role partners closely with Commercial, Regulatory, Legal, Communications, Market Development, Manufacturing, and R&D teams to monitor public policy developments, support advocacy initiatives, and help create an enabling environment for the company's current and future portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

Advocacy

• Develop and implement state-level government affairs strategies aligned with business priorities and Latin America G&I A objectives.
• Prioritize engagement and advocacy activities in major agricultural producing states and states where the company has manufacturing facilities, research centers, supply chain assets, commercial operations, or strategic business interests.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with state governments, public officials, and regulatory authorities.
• Monitor political, legislative, and regulatory developments across Brazilian states and assess potential business impacts.
• Execute advocacy initiatives related to:
• Biotechnology and agricultural innovation
• Freedom to Operate (FTO)
• Market access and competitiveness
• Sustainability and environmental policies
• State regulatory frameworks affecting agriculture
• Identify emerging risks and opportunities and recommend appropriate engagement strategies.
• Support the company's positioning on key public policy issues impacting agriculture, innovation, and rural development.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Establish and maintain relationships with:
• Governors and senior state government officials
• State Secretariats of Agriculture, Environment, Economic Development, and Science & Technology
• State legislators and legislative committees
• Agricultural research institutions and universities
• Producer organizations, cooperatives, and industry associations
• Develop and execute stakeholder engagement strategies tailored to priority agricultural states and locations with significant company operations.
• Represent the company in industry forums, public policy discussions, trade associations, and strategic coalitions.
• Support the development of partnerships and alliances that advance shared policy objectives.

Strategic Intelligence & Risk Management

• Provide timely political and policy intelligence to business and G&I A leadership.
• Assess the potential impact of state-level legislative and regulatory initiatives on business operations.
• Anticipate and support mitigation of political, regulatory, and reputational risks.
• Maintain stakeholder maps and engagement plans for priority states.
• Support issue management and crisis preparedness efforts involving government stakeholders.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Partner with Commercial, Regulatory, Legal, Communications, Market Development, Manufacturing, and R&D teams to support strategic business objectives.
• Ensure public policy considerations are incorporated into business planning and execution.
• Support market access, product launch, and technology acceptance initiatives through coordinated stakeholder engagement.
• Contribute state-level insights to national, regional, and global advocacy strategies.

Compliance, Budget & Operations

• Manage advocacy investments effectively.
• Support budget planning and resource allocation for state government affairs activities.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, industry codes of conduct, anti-corruption requirements, and applicable laws.
• Maintain accurate records of stakeholder engagement activities and outcomes.

Key Accountabilities

• Successful execution of state government engagement strategies that support business priorities and promote an enabling policy environment.
• Strong and trusted relationships with key government stakeholders across priority agricultural states and states where the company maintains significant operational, manufacturing, research, or commercial presence.
• Effective support for business continuity and growth through advocacy in strategic agricultural regions and operational hubs across Brazil.
• Timely identification and mitigation of political and regulatory risks.
• Effective support for technology deployment, innovation, regulatory modernization, and market access objectives.
• Consistent alignment with Brazil, Latin America, and global Government & Industry Affairs priorities.
• Delivery of actionable political and policy intelligence to internal stakeholders.

Qualifications & Experience Required

• 7–10 years of experience in government affairs, public policy, regulatory affairs, external relations, corporate affairs, or related fields.
• Strong understanding of Brazil's political, legislative, and regulatory environment, particularly at the state level.
• Demonstrated experience engaging public officials, industry associations, and stakeholders.
• Experience in agribusiness, life sciences, biotechnology, crop protection, seed, food, or related sectors preferred.
• Proven ability to support advocacy initiatives and build stakeholder coalitions.
• Experience working in cross-functional and matrix organizations.
• Fluency in Portuguese and English required.
• Spanish proficiency is desirable.
• Willingness to travel frequently across Brazil (approximately 40%).

Leadership Competencies

• Stakeholder engagement and influencing skills
• Political and regulatory acumen
• Strong execution and results orientation
• Strategic thinking with operational discipline
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Effective communication and relationship-building
• Integrity, ethics, and compliance mindset
• Ability to navigate complexity and drive alignment among diverse stakeholders

Vylor is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to embracing our differences to enrich lives, advance innovation, and boost company performance. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, military or veteran status, pregnancy related conditions (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), disability or any other protected status in accordance with federal, state, or local laws.

Corteva Agriscience™ is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to boldly embracing the power of inclusion, diversity, and equity to enrich the lives of our employees and strengthen the performance of our company, while advancing equity in agriculture. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or any other protected class. Discrimination, harassment and retaliation are inconsistent with our values and will not be tolerated. If you require a reasonable accommodation to search or apply for a position, please visit:Accessibility Page for Contact Information