Portfolio Development Manager M/F

Sumitomo Chem Agro; Lyon; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Sumitomo Chemical Agro Europe near Lyon is seeking a Portfolio Development Manager to plan and manage development projects, coordinate field trials, and contribute to portfolio strategy in the EMEA region. The role involves evaluating trials and preparing dossiers, with cross‑functional knowledge transfer to customers and internal teams.

The successful candidate will have a Master’s in Agronomy or Crop Protection and at least 2 years in agricultural research or agrochemical development, with

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Agronomy, Agriculture or Crop Protection.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in agricultural research, crop protection development, field experimentation, or the agrochemical industry.
• Fluency in English.

Responsibilities

• Plan and manage annual trial programs and budgets.
• Coordinate field programs with internal or external partners and service providers.
• Visit trials to assess quality and monitor progress.
• Prepare technical syntheses and data summaries.
• Support portfolio strategy and identify new development projects.
• Provide technical expertise to decision-makers.
• Transfer knowledge to marketing, sales teams, and customers.

Skills

Field experimentation

Crop protection knowledge

Agronomy knowledge

Biology knowledge

Ecology knowledge

Microsoft Office

Trial management tools

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Project management

Education

Master's degree in Agronomy, Agriculture or Crop Protection

Tools

ARM

Job description

Portfolio Development Manager M/F

Founded in 1913, Sumitomo Chemical is a global chemical company based in Japan, offering a diverse range of products globally in four sectors: Agro & Life Solutions, ICT & Mobility Solutions, Advanced Medical Solutions, Essential & Green Materials. The global company realizes a turnover of ca. €20 billion (22 billion USD) and employs more than 29.000 people worldwide. In Agro & Life Solutions Sumitomo Chemical is the 8th largest company, with a strong R&D focused on both conventional and biorational fields. The EMEA headquarters, Sumitomo Chemical Agro Europe (SCAE), are based near Lyon in France. As part of significant investments in R&D, Sumitomo Chemical wants to strengthen its efficiency and responsiveness in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. More information on our website: https://sumitomo-chem-agro.com/ and https://www.sumitomo-chem.co.jp/english/

The Portfolio Department is looking for a Portfolio Development Manager M/F

Main accountabilities

The portfolio Development Manager will be responsible for planning and managing development projects, coordinating field trials and studies and contributing to portfolio strategy in the EMEA region. This includes evaluation, development and registration trials for new products/label extensions and helping to complete the relevant sections of the registration dossiers. The portfolio Development Manager will also be responsible for the technical know-how transfer with cross-functional teams within the organization and with our customers. He/she receives the responsibility of a specific portfolio.

Main responsibilities include:

Development responsibilities

• Prepare and manage annual trial programs and associated budgets
• Coordinate and follow-up field programs with internal or external partners and service providers
• Visit trials to assess quality and monitor progress
• Prepare technical synthesis and data summaries
• Prepare (with external support) the efficacy sections of the registration dossiers

Portfolio Strategy & Innovation

• Contribute actively to portfolio, crops and country strategies
• Identify and propose new development projects supporting future registrations and business growth
• Evaluate the project technical feasibility and budget requirements
• Provide technical expertise and recommendations to decision-makers

Product Support & Technical Expertise: Build and maintain expert status for assigned products across the EMEA region

• Support Strategic Marketing in refining product concepts and positioning
• Lead market support trials and transfer technical knowledge to marketing, sales teams, customers

Technical and personal skills

Background & Experiences:

• Master's degree in Agronomy, Agriculture or Crop Protection
• Minimum 2 years of experience in agricultural research, crop protection development, field experimentation, or the agrochemical industry.

Technical & behavior skills:

• Strong expertise in field experimentation.
• Good knowledge of crop protection, agronomy, biology, and ecology.
• Experience with Microsoft Office and technical trial management tools (e.g., ARM).
• Ability to translate scientific and technical information into practical recommendations.

Languages

• Fluency in English.

Soft Skills

• Strong organizational, planning and project management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities

Additional details

• Contract: Permanent and full-time contract
• Starting date: ASAP
• Location: St Didier au Mont d’Or (Lyon)

• Business trips: this position will require some travelling abroad in Europe or other regions.