Category Leader

Role Summary

The Category Manager is responsible for driving portfolio strategy, product lifecycle management, and profitable growth across assigned seed categories. This role serves as a key link between regional and country teams to ensure effective product positioning, successful launches, and strong market execution aligned to business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Portfolio Management

Drive profitable pricing and portfolio strategy for the Seeds category, delivering both short- and long-term revenue and margin objectives.

Develop and execute crop and hybrid-specific strategies, including segmentation, targeting, and positioning for key markets.

Identify market opportunities through robust market analysis and customer insights to support growth and expansion plans.

Build and manage business cases for new product introductions and portfolio optimization initiatives.

Product Development & Launch Excellence

Partner with regional marketing, R&D, and regulatory teams to manage product lifecycle and ensure timely product availability and launches.

Monitor product development and registration timelines (where applicable) to ensure seamless commercialization.

Develop clear value propositions for new hybrids/varieties based on field data, agronomic advantages, and customer needs.

Lead go-to-market planning and execution for new seed launches, ensuring alignment across cross-functional teams.

Marketing Execution

Design and support demand plans in collaboration with sales and marketing teams to drive market adoption.

Work closely with marketing communications and digital teams to design impactful campaigns and product positioning.

Track and evaluate campaign effectiveness and optimize strategies based on insights and feedback.

Develop customer engagement and loyalty programs to strengthen brand and product adoption.

Business Planning & Performance Management

Own the sales and expense planning process for the assigned category, including forecasting, budgeting, and performance tracking.

Collaborate with sales teams to align on targets, execution priorities, and market deployment plans.

Monitor business performance and take proactive actions to address gaps and drive growth.

Stakeholder Management & Leadership

Act as the central point of contact for category-related communication across global, regional, and country stakeholders.

Drive alignment and secure buy-in for product strategies within the country organization.

Lead cross-functional teams (e.g., Product/Portfolio Teams) to ensure integrated planning and execution.

Supply & Inventory Management

Define and manage inventory strategies in collaboration with supply chain teams to ensure optimal availability while minimizing excess.

Align country-level demand plans with regional and global supply strategies.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agribusiness, Marketing, or related field (MBA preferred).

Experience

Minimum 10 years of experience in marketing, product management, or portfolio management within seeds/agri-inputs or related industries.

Proven track record of driving growth through strategic marketing and execution excellence.

Hands-on experience in product launches and lifecycle management within the Seeds or Agri domain.

Strong understanding of farmer/customer needs, market dynamics, and channel ecosystems.

Skills & Competencies

Strong strategic thinking and analytical capability

Deep understanding of seed business, crop cycles, and agronomic value drivers

Excellent stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills

Strong communication and presentation skills

Ability to translate data and insights into actionable business strategies