Business Manager North America/ Managing Director United States

What does the job of Business Manager/ Managing Director at Rijk Zwaan look like?

The cluster North America focuses on both the USA and Canada. The activities include production, breeding support, product development, marketing and sales.  The company is led by a board of two Managing Directors who are jointly responsible for the entire operation and the 50 people working in the USA. Each Managing Director has his or her own attention fields. 

As a Business manager / Managing Director you focus on Sales and Marketing in both the USA as well as in Canada. Besides, you are also involved in the  Production & Breeding activities within the USA. The other Managing Director focuses on staff departments (HR, Finance,  IT). 

The American Business Managers report to the Rijk Zwaan board based in The Netherlands.

With support from the Rijk Zwaan head office and globally operating crop teams, you will develop business strategies and tactics to grasp the opportunities in the dynamic vegetable seed market in North America and hence will ensure sustainable growth for the company. Every year you will make a five year development plan, including sales targets, investments and cost development, together with your co-Business Managers. 

Your Contribution:

As Business Manager / Managing Director we expect you to have experience in the agricultural sector and a broad interest in all aspects of managing a company including fostering the unique Rijk Zwaan company culture, managing financial risks and legal compliance. 

You have strong people management skills and you can build bridges between people. Next to this, you are also seeking to collaborate with the other Managing Directors. We are looking for an inspirational leader and organizer with an international outlook, someone who is both people- and result-oriented. Finally, we are looking for the following aspects on your resume:

• A Master degree in the agricultural area
• More than 5 to 10 years managerial experience in an international environment
• Good understanding of the seed industry 
• Strategic insights for commercial and company development
• A people-oriented management style and high team work abilities

Your daily work place is in Salinas (CA), but you will also be visiting our other locations in North America and travel along with the sales team, who are based through-out the USA and Canada. 

What can you expect from us?

As a Business Manager / Managing Director you will work in a growing international environment.

We are happy to offer you:

• Excellent training opportunities through our Rijk Zwaan Academy and specific management training courses
• An entrepreneurial / innovative and stimulating work environment 
• A competitive market-based salary and good additional benefits
• A good work/life balance

Rijk Zwaan: your new employer?

Rijk Zwaan is an international family owned company with a people-oriented culture. Rijk Zwaan is right at the start of the food chain. We develop vegetable varieties and sell the seeds produced from them globally to growers and other chain partners. From our strategic position we contribute to the world food supply. Everything we do is about healthy growth. The growth of natural and healthy products that we export around the world. The growth of our company, which currently employs over 4000 people in more than 30 countries. And above all the growth of our people: we give you every opportunity to use your own initiative and achieve your full potential.