Seeds Operations Leader – West US

Syngenta; Junction City (KS); On-site; USD 88,000 - 132,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work options

Medical, Dental & Vision benefits

401k with company match

Paid Vacation & Holidays

Job summary

Syngenta Seeds Field Crops in Junction City, KS seeks an Operations Manager to lead Western US seed development operations, including nurseries, field production, seed processing and logistics. You will own OpEx/CapEx budgets, drive KPI-driven improvements, and build talent across teams while ensuring safety, regulatory compliance, and aligned governance.

This role requires a 5+ year track record in agricultural operations and a Bachelor's in agronomy or related field, with a focus on

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in agronomy, plant science, or related field, with at least 5 years of experience in agricultural operations.
• Experience managing nursery, field-production, seed processing, and/or seed logistics operations at scale.
• Demonstrated ownership of OpEx and CapEx budgets, forecasting, cost control, and investment prioritization.
• Capability to lead organizational and process changes, build adoption, and manage resistance.
• HSE, quality, and regulatory leadership: ability to lead site-wide safety, environmental, quality, corporate-policy, and regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities in overseeing, motivating, and developing employees while effectively resolving conflicts.
• Advanced project management capabilities to handle complex, overlapping activities with tight timelines.
• Excellent collaboration abilities with breeders, Regulatory, HSE, and quality assurance groups.
• Ability to leverage metrics, KPIs, and analytics to identify operational trends and bottlenecks.

Responsibilities

• Direct end-to-end operations across the Western US, based in Junction City, KS.
• Drive cross-functional integration and KPI-based improvements to eliminate silos.
• Manage the overall budget (CapEx and OpEx), ensuring cost optimization and financial accountability.
• Lead talent management, succession planning, and leadership development for direct reports.
• Ensure site-wide safety, environmental, quality, corporate policy, and regulatory compliance.
• Represent Junction City operations in senior leadership meetings and maintain strategic partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Lead organizational change initiatives and standardize processes using best practices.

Skills

Budgeting

Forecasting

Operational Leadership

Project Management

KPIs & Analytics

Education

Bachelor's degree in agronomy or related field

Job description

Syngenta Seeds Field Crops in Junction City, KS seeks an Operations Manager to lead Western US seed development operations, including nurseries, field production, seed processing and logistics. You will own OpEx/CapEx budgets, drive KPI-driven improvements, and build talent across teams while ensuring safety, regulatory compliance, and aligned governance.

This role requires a 5+ year track record in agricultural operations and a Bachelor's in agronomy or related field, with a focus on