The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is seeking a Product Manager for the Dryland Crops Program (DCP). This role is pivotal in bridging research and market needs, ensuring that crop varieties are developed with clear market demand and successfully transition from breeding pipelines to farmers and commercial partners. The position involves coordinating across Market Intelligence, Seed Systems, and various value chain actors to document drivers of variety adoption and ensure that socially inclusive needs (particularly of women and youth) are integrated into product development.
Key Responsibilities
Product Strategy and Definition
Work with Market Intelligence, Seed Systems, and value chain actors to understand and document drivers of variety replacement and adoption.
Ensure Target Product Profiles (TPPs) are defined, validated, and supported by robust business cases to guide breeding selection decisions.
Ensure socially inclusive needs, particularly of women and youth, are intentionally incorporated into target setting and market strategies.
Pipeline Governance and Advancement Decisions
Manage advanced testing and ensure qualitative and quantitative data from on-farm trials are organized for product advancement meetings.
Support transparent, evidence-based germplasm advancement processes from testing through to commercialization.
Promote good data practices and clear decision criteria aligned to TPPs, including documentation of risks.
Validation, Release, and Commercialization Readiness
Coordinate with the Seed Systems unit to ensure complete seed production information is available for products recommended for release.
Support development of product dossiers required to inform release, licensing, and commercialization decisions.
Facilitate structured feedback loops from farmers and seed companies back into product design.
Planning, Partnerships, and Capacity Development
Contribute to annual and multi-year work plan development, execution, and reporting.
Manage and track budgets associated with product management and late-stage testing activities.
Build capacity of colleagues and external partners in modern product management approaches.
Contribute to refereed publications, project reports, and fundraising.
Requirements
MSc or higher in crop sciences, plant breeding, agricultural economics, seed science and technology, agronomy, or a related field.
Four or more years of experience in seed product management, marketing of seed hybrids/varieties, and/or business administration.
Agrobusiness experience in the commercial seed industry in Africa.
Working knowledge of product development principles and marketing methods for variety adoption.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply online via the CIMMYT application portal on Workable. Follow the application link provided: https://www.myjobmag.co.ke/apply-now/1176433
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply through the official application portal on Workable. Visit https://www.myjobmag.co.ke/apply-now/1176433 to submit your application.
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