General Manager - Italy (M/F)

Job Description

Posting Start Date: 7/20/26

Offer ID: 2452

Unit: HM Clause

Job Title: General Manager - Italy (M/F)

Job Location: Venaria Reale

Contract type: Permanent

Job Description:

About the Role

The General Manager Italy leads the full commercial, financial, and organizational performance of the HM.CLAUSE subsidiary in Italy. Based in the Veneto region (near Turin), you will deploy the Ambition 2030 strategy while consolidating LVS market leadership and strengthening HMC's position across a highly fragmented, relationship-driven market.

The GM acts as legal representative of the subsidiary and ensures full regulatory, ethical, and HSE compliance. You will lead a team of approximately 40 employees organized across 4 commercial zones and G&A functions.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Business Performance

Translate the Ambition 2030 roadmap into annual operating plans with clear milestones and KPIs.

Drive growth on priority crops including Indeterminate Tomato, Pepper, Summer Squash, Melon and niche crops with strong market share (fennel, lamb's lettuce).

Own the full P&L and Balance Sheet: revenue, margins, operating expenses, cash flow, forecast accuracy, and inventory levels.

Identify and capture market share opportunities in a highly competitive landscape.

Drive LVS market leadership in Italy in collaboration with sister Business Units.

Commercial Excellence & Sales Effectiveness

Lead and develop the 4-area territorial sales organization within the principles of sales effectiveness, including quarterly tactical plans per Sales Representative.

Drive the PD Excellence roadmap and finalize the organizational transformation in collaboration with R&D.

Develop a customer-centric approach through Key Account programs, ambassador and loyalty initiatives with strategic customers.

Foster and deploy the digital roadmap: pre-ordering app, online ordering platform, AI-powered tools and CRM.

Oversee product quality, supply chain performance, and customer claims management.

People Leadership & Team Development

Lead, inspire, and develop a team of 40 employees across a matrix organization.

Define roles, individual development plans, and manage succession on critical positions.

Drive the strategic succession plan — a major short-term challenge given the generational transition underway.

Foster a culture of engagement, ethics, and collaboration aligned with Limagrain's CARE principles.

Compliance, Legal Representation & HSE

Ensure compliance with local regulations, group policies, and the Limagrain Code of Conduct.

Deploy and continuously improve the Health & Safety policy across the subsidiary.

Your Profile

Skills & Experience

University degree in Business Administration, Agronomy, or Agricultural Sciences; MBA is a plus.

10 to 15 years of progressive experience in agri-business, vegetable seeds, or agricultural inputs ; vegetable seeds preferred, but broader agri sector accepted.

Proven experience in General Management with full P&L ownership; strong financial literacy to read, analyse, and drive financial indicators across a subsidiary.

Experience leading and managing managers in a matrix structure.

Commercial appetite is essential : able to energize and develop a sales organization without necessarily being a pure sales profile.

Knowledge of the Italian agricultural market is strongly preferred.

Languages :

Italian: native or bilingual strongly preferred; learning Italian is a prerequisite for non-Italian speakers

English: professional working proficiency mandatory

Who You Are

A leader who drives commercial excellence through relationship and strategy

Able to continue and finalize ongoing transformation initiatives

Strong balance between financial rigor and genuine people leadership and cultural sensitivity.

Comfortable acting as an external ambassador (with seed federations, customers, and Italian authorities) while maintaining the internal coherence of a geographically dispersed organization.

Why Join HM.Clause Italy?

Joining HM.CLAUSE Italy means leading one of the top vegetable seed subsidiaries in Europe — in a market that demands both strategic thinking and authentic commercial relationship-building.

Italy is the #2 EMEA market for LVS strategically important subsidiary with a clear growth ambition

A GM role with full P&L accountability, legal representation, and genuine autonomy in a major European subsidiary.

A strong foundation to build on: a motivated, experienced team and a solid commercial base across 4 regional zones.

A company committed to CARE values, sustainability, and employee development.

Our Recruitment Process

We will review your application carefully in relation to the needs of this role. If your profile is selected, our process includes:

A pre-qualification interview with the Talent Acquisition team.

First round interview with the Hiring Manager

Assessment process (tests and assessment centre).

Second round interview with the Chief Commercial Officer and HR Director

HM.Clause and Group Limagrain are committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from all backgrounds.