Field Operations Manager

SmartRecruiters, Inc.; Iowa City (IA); Remote; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401k plan with company match

Paid Vacation and Holidays

Education Assistance

Wellness Programs

Job summary

Syngenta seeks a Field Operations Manager to lead corn seed production programs with contracted growers and company locations. You will translate crop plans into field schedules and coordinate agronomists, technicians, labor, and vendors to deliver high-quality, cost-effective outcomes.

The role emphasizes leadership, strategic planning, and strong collaboration with Site Leadership, Supply Chain, and R&D to ensure safe, compliant, and timely crop delivery across multiple sites.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required.
• 5+ years of seed-production agronomy or field-crop management experience.
• Experience leading people, vendors, and operating teams in agricultural production.

Responsibilities

• Own grower relationship strategy: recruitment, onboarding, contracting, retention, and performance management.
• Translate crop plan into executable field-production plan with schedules and milestones.
• Lead agronomists and field technicians; drive priorities, accountability, and development.
• Coordinate with site leadership, supply chain, planning, and R&D to align field execution with business priorities.
• Manage detasseling, rouging, pollination, harvest activities, and related field outcomes to ensure quality and safety.

Skills

People leadership

Vendor management

Strategic planning

Cross-functional collaboration

Decision making

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Crop Science, Plant Science, Agriculture or related field

Job description

At Syngenta Seeds Field Crops, we're shaping the future of agriculture and empowering farmers to meet the ever-growing demand for food and fuel. We’re a global Ag Tech powerhouse, headquartered in the United States, with passionate, local experts collaborating with farmers to deliver solutions that create market opportunities. We unite precision breeding, advanced biotechnology trait choice, and digital platforms for unmatched in-field performance. Our seeds help mitigate risks such as disease, insect, weed, and extreme weather pressures, all while promoting sustainable farming practices that protect and enhance our planet. Join our mission of revolutionizing food security and transforming agriculture.

Job Description

About Us

Please note: this role can be supported remotely from within Iowa or Illinois. Optimal support locations are in the Iowa City / Lone Tree areas.

At Syngenta, we are working to build the most collaborative and trusted team in agriculture that provides leading seeds and crop protection innovations to enhance the prosperity of farmers. To support this challenge, Syngenta Seeds is currently seeking a Field Operations Manager.

The Field Operations Manager is accountable for planning, leading, and delivering corn seed production programs across contracted growers and company-operated growing locations. This role converts the crop plan into safe, high-quality, cost-effective seasonal execution—from field placement and planting through harvest—while leading agronomists, field technicians, labor providers, and key vendors.

The incumbent builds trusted grower partnerships; manages field-production resources, quality, compliance, and HSE outcomes; and works closely with Site Leadership, Supply Chain, Commercial, Planning, R&D, and Strategy. The Field Operations Manager leads and influences at multiple levels of the organization, creating alignment between field execution and broader business priorities.

A successful candidate is deeply aligned with Syngenta’s values and mission to bring breakthrough innovation to farmers in every field. They bring curiosity, sound judgment, and the pace required by both the organization and the agricultural industry to discover, pilot, scale, and embed new ways of working.

Accountabilities

• Own the grower relationship strategy for the assigned territory, including recruitment, onboarding, contracting, retention, contract settlement, performance management, and development of a grower portfolio that reliably delivers required volume, quality, and service.
• Translate the site crop plan into an executable field-production plan, including variety placement, field assignments, planting schedules, production milestones, and logistics sequencing from planting through harvest.
• Lead, coach, and develop assigned agronomists and field technicians. Set clear priorities and expectations; build accountability; and strengthen team capability through hiring, onboarding, coaching, performance reviews, individual development plans, and succession preparation.
• Lead and influence stakeholders at multiple organizational levels, from growers, labor providers, and field teams to site leadership and cross-functional partners. Build alignment, resolve competing priorities, and drive timely decisions in support of safe, successful crop delivery.
• Manage detasseling, rouging, pollination, male-destruction, harvest activities, and related field-operation outcomes. Hold field teams and labor vendors accountable for timing, purity, quality, productivity, safety, and economic performance.
• Manage H-2A and other labor and vendor relationships, including expectation-setting, performance oversight, issue resolution, and proactive escalation of risks to production execution.
• Ensure accurate and timely collection of field data. Use field, quality, and operational insights to guide spray windows, defoliation timing, harvest scheduling, resource deployment, and other critical production decisions.
• Own quality, compliance, traceability, and HSE outcomes across assigned growing locations. Ensure inspections, clean-downs, documentation, and required protocols are completed to standard.
• Lead or oversee root-cause analysis for quality events, safety events, and production shortfalls. Develop corrective-action plans, ensure disciplined follow-through, and verify sustainable resolution.
• Serve as the primary operational liaison between the growing area and Site Leadership, Supply Chain, Commercial, Planning, R&D, and Strategy. Communicate crop status, risks, forecast changes, and deviations early enough to enable effective response.

Qualifications

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Agronomy, Crop Science, Plant Science, Agriculture, and/or related field required
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in seed-production agronomy, field-crop management, and/or a comparable agricultural production environment.
• Experience leading people, vendors, and operational teams in an agricultural production setting.
• Experience translating crop plans into seasonal field-execution plans and managing multiple priorities, sites, and stakeholder relationships during peak production windows.
• Must have a valid driver's license
• Must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship support from Syngenta.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in grower relationship management, contracting, field-production performance review, and labor or vendor program oversight.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret field, quality, financial, and operational data and make timely, well-reasoned production decisions.
• Strong working knowledge of corn seed-production systems, including detasseling, pollination management, grower contracting, field-level quality standards, traceability, and HSE requirements.
• Working knowledge of field-data platforms, digital tools, and emerging technology applications, or the demonstrated ability to learn and apply them quickly.
• Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) certification preferred or active progress toward certification.

Additional Information

What We Offer

• A culture that celebratesbelonging and collaboration, promotes professional development and strives for a work-life balance that supports the team members.Offers flexible work options to support your work and personal needs.
• Full Benefit Package (Medical, Dental & Vision) that starts your first day.
• 401k plan with company match, Profit Sharing & Retirement Savings Contribution.
• Paid Vacation, Paid Holidays, Maternity and Paternity Leave, Education Assistance, Wellness Programs, Corporate Discounts, among other benefits.

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.

Use of AI in Our Recruitment Process

At Syngenta, we use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen applications for high-volume roles.

When you submit an application, AI technology assesses your profile against the job requirements and generates a matching score. This score reflects how closely your qualifications, skills, and experience align with the role's criteria as defined in the job description.

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