Parent Seed Production Manager

Sakataornamentals; California (MO); On-site; USD 95,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in seed production is seeking a Parent Seed Production Manager responsible for ensuring high-quality seed and effective production strategies. The role entails managing production teams, analyzing agronomic performance, and collaborating with various departments for optimal outcomes. Candidates should possess a strong background in agronomy with a commitment to continuous improvement in seed production practices.

Benefits

Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

401k program with company match

Paid Vacation: 10 days per year to start

14 paid company holidays

Paid Family Leave: 15 days after 12 months

Qualifications

• B.S. degree or equivalent experience required in crop production or agronomy.
• Hands-on experience with crop production systems in vegetable seed production.
• Ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively.

Responsibilities

• Manage parent seed production, ensuring quality and quantity of Foundation Seed.
• Analyze production performance and identify areas for improvement.
• Collaborate with teams to meet production goals.

Skills

Crop knowledge

Continuous improvement mindset

Excellent communication skills

Strong analytical abilities

Interpersonal skills

Education

B.S. degree in Agronomy or related field

Masters in Agriculture (preferred)

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Responsible for managing Sakata Seed America’s parent seed production. Main objective is the delivery of high-quality seed, and information that meets or exceeds Sakata’s standards with optimal cost and service level agreements.

The Parent Seed Production Manager will deliver Sakata’s production needs by acting as the agronomic expert on seed production, analyzing agronomic performance and identifying areas of opportunity, executing plans, reporting supply data, developing new production locations to produce in the best areas for the crop, managing seed quality and reliability of existing production areas. Available for other strategic projects and crops within the company.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Ensure the proper quantity and quality of inventory of Foundation Seed is produced and maintained for Stock Seed and commercial production.
• Work collaboratively with research and breeding, production team, production planners and product managers to ensure correct timing of increases for product advancement purposes.
• Approve or reject usage of Breeder Seed for Foundation Seed production, Foundation Seed for Stock Seed production, and Stock Seed for Commercial production, based on QA results, producibility and inventory. Implement and maintain a system of approval or rejection to be enforced across all species.
• Maintain complete line descriptions and producibility potential data for all parent seed, particularly when used for Commercial production. Create and update recipes for all lines.
• Manage and support quality control sampling efforts for marker testing and follow up on results.
• Support the Parent Seed Release process, working with planners and species experts to place the allocations of productions to both cage and open field, as well as global home farms and isolations in the locations that have highest potential for success. To goal is a focus on quality and budgetary objectives.
• Work closely with field teams on the productions of parent seed. Inspecting the crops at regular intervals and maintaining open communication to work on quality and quantity of results.
• Responsible for managing OPEX and lot budgets for all parent seed productions.
• Regularly visit domestic and international production sites and implement production technologies insuring the delivery of the contracted quantity and quality ofseed. Serve as the production expert for parent seed.
• Increase collaboration between production and research departments, to reduce spending and deliver more favorable outcomes for quality and purity standards.
• Follow up on QA concerns and issues and work with experimental production, and seed physiology to identify problems and implement trials to determine best practices.
• Analyze past production quantity, quality, base rates, cost and timeliness data and contribute to the overall strategic roadmap for parent seed production at Sakata; Manage technical improvement projects with subsidiaries and vendors.
• Review and analyze domestic and international production locations, maintain contacts there and suggest new producers where needed.
• Address areas for improvement, simplification, optimization or expansion of our business, including crop year performance and grower performance analysis.
• Work with planning to ensure thorough communication with international vendors enabling delivery of critical updates and growing information.
• Communication of inbred line information and parent descriptions to international production locations and where needed working with experimental production and research to ensure up to date information.
• Adopt best practices to maximize seed yield and quality.
• Train production workers on techniques related to planting, pollination and harvest where needed.
• Develop the parent seed team. Focused on in depth understanding of Sakata genetics, agronomics and data driven decisions.
• Manage parent seed agronomists in domestic production locations

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES:

• Seed industry experience necessary
• Crop knowledge to be able to advise on areas of concern and develop actionable solutions.
• Practical, hands-on experience with crop production systems. Knowledge specifically in vegetable seed production essential.
• Continuous improvement mindset to identify areas for improvement and strategize on ways to accomplish these improvements.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Strong analytical and reasoning abilities. Demonstrated ability to accurately attend to detail.
• Computer and software familiarity and competency required to maintain accurate records, exchange information, and communicate regularly in a timely fashion.
  • Ability to use MS Office, especially Word, Excel, and other standard software.
  • Familiarity with various software applications including smartphone apps and other relevant technologies.
• Well-developed interpersonal skills with the ability and desire to get along with diverse personalities.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• B.S. degree or equivalent experience required, with classes in crop production, agronomy, plant science.
• Preferred: Masters in an Agriculture related discipline a bonus.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Travel up to 30%; includes both domestic and international
• Must be able to work long and irregular hours when needed
• Position requires being able to walk seed production fields in any weather.
• Position may require working 7 days a week during a critical time of year.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

• Salary: $95,000-$105,000 per year
• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance coverage for employees and their families
• Basic Life & AD&D Insurance
• 401k program with company match
• Profit Sharing program (via 401k)
• Holiday & Performance Incentive Bonus program
• Paid Vacation: 10 days per year to start, increases with tenure
• Sick Leave: 1 hour accrued per 30 hours worked for first 30 days, 6.67 hours per month thereafter.
• 14 paid company holidays, 2 floating holidays & birthday off
• Paid Family Leave: 15 days after 12 months of service for FMLA qualifying events
• Company provided EAP
• Company provided subsidy for health/fitness clubs & apps

* To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty (as described above) satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable Individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.