Commercial Sales & Marketing Director

Advanta is a global seed business adapting to rapidly increasing food insecurity and climate change by providing farmers with innovation and new technologies. As part of UPL Group, Advanta aims to deliver high quality seeds with excellent agronomic practices and crop protection solutions. Advanta operates in over 80 countries under global brands of Advanta, Alta and Pacific Seeds. Advanta holds a leadership position in tropical and sub‑tropical geographies in corn, grain and forage sorghum, sunflower, canola, rice, and a variety of vegetables. With over 60 years' experience in plant genetics, Advanta provides seeds technology that ensures crop performance and farmers prosperity.

Reports To
Sub-Regional Lead and North American Managing Director

Position Overview
The Head of Sales & Marketing is responsible for defining and executing the commercial sales strategy for the company’s sorghum and sunflower Portfolio. The position is a critical leadership role and a key member of the Senior Leadership Team. The position is responsible for business growth and leadership of the company’s sales, marketing, and operations planning. This role owns portfolio P&L, revenue growth, market expansion, brand leadership, and customer engagement while ensuring alignment between sales execution, marketing strategy, product development, and supply alignment. The position combines strategic leadership with hands on commercial execution in a highly specialized agricultural seed market.

Commercial Strategy & Business Leadership

Define and implement the overall sales and marketing strategy for sorghum and sunflower seed portfolios

Drive profitable growth through market share expansion, pricing discipline, and portfolio optimization

Translate company vision into clear commercial objectives, annual operating plans, and KPIs

Provide strategic input to the leadership team and support long term business planning

Own revenue forecasts, commercial budgets, and return on investment decisions

Lead, structure, and develop US sales team

Design and manage distributor, dealer, and key account strategies

Oversee territory planning, incentives, performance metrics, and sales capability development

Lead negotiations for strategic accounts, large growers, and commercial partnerships

Ensure accurate demand forecasting and alignment with production and supply planning

Marketing, Branding & Demand Generation

Establish strong product positioning and value propositions for sorghum and sunflower seed offerings

Lead product launches, lifecycle management, and portfolio prioritization

Oversee marketing communications, branding, and demand creation initiatives

Support field marketing activities including trials, demonstrations, field days, and grower meetings

Ensure consistent, agronomically credible messaging across all markets and channels

Market & Product Development

Monitor market trends, grower needs, competitor activity, and regional production dynamics

Collaborate closely with R&D, breeding, and agronomy teams to shape the product pipeline

Provide commercial input into hybrid advancement, trait development, and market suitability

Support stewardship, product quality, and regulatory compliance in commercial operations

Cross Functional Collaboration

Partner with Supply Chain on production planning, inventory levels, and allocation decisions

Work with Finance and Product Management on pricing strategy, margin management, and performance tracking

Collaborate with HR on talent development, leadership succession, and organizational capability

Align with Quality and Operations teams to ensure compliant commercialization

Qualifications & Experience
Education

Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agronomy, Business, Marketing, or related field

MBA or advanced degree preferred

Experience

12+ years of progressive commercial experience in the seed or agricultural inputs industry

Demonstrated leadership experience in sales, marketing, or general management roles

Strong experience with sorghum, sunflower, or comparable row‑crop seed markets

Proven success managing dealer/distributor networks and key accounts

P&L ownership and strategic planning experience strongly preferred

Core Competencies & Skills

Strategic commercial sales leadership with strong execution focus

Deep understanding of crop production systems and grower decision making

Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills

Strong negotiation and pricing strategy capabilities

Data driven mindset; experience with CRM, forecasting, and analytics tools

Ability to balance long term portfolio strategy with short term market realities

Willingness to travel extensively (30–50%)

Revenue growth and profitability

Market share gains in sorghum and sunflower seed

New product adoption and portfolio performance

Forecast accuracy and inventory optimization

Customer, dealer, and distributor satisfaction

Sales and marketing team engagement and development

What We Offer

Competitive compensation package with performance incentives

Vehicle, travel, and benefits

Opportunity to shape the long term direction of a specialized seed business

Leadership role with visibility, influence, and growth potential

We are one team, for maximum impact. One team with shared goals. We all play for the team and no one plays against the team. We have a laser-like focus on what our customers need and want, on anticipating their future needs and on how we can create innovative solutions and experiences for them.

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