Overview

We are recruiting!

Our client in the agriculture industry is recruiting a Country Lead/Business Development Lead for their operations in Ethiopia. The role will be based in Addis Ababa but will have extensive travel throughout the country to development the business. The Country Lead / Business Development Lead is responsible for driving strategic growth, strengthening market presence, and expanding the company’s seed portfolio across the country. The role combines commercial leadership, agronomic expertise, channel development, and regulatory awareness to ensure sustainable market penetration and strong relationships with farmers, distributors, and government stakeholders. This role is open to Ethiopian nationals or anyone with extensive experience working in Ethiopia will be considered.

For more information and how to apply, please follow the link below.

Responsibilities

  • Strategic Market Leadership
    • Develop, localize, and execute the country’s commercial strategy for our products.
    • Analyse market dynamics, cropping trends, climatic conditions, and competitor activity.
    • Lead market positioning and brand development for key crop segments
  • Business Development & Channel Expansion
    • Identify, acquire, and manage distributors, agro‑dealers, commercial farms, and institutional buyers.
    • Drive demand creation through farmer engagement programs, demo plots, field days, and agronomic training.
    • Negotiate commercial agreements and partnership frameworks.
  • Revenue & Market Share Growth
    • Deliver sales targets and improve market penetration.
    • Develop crop‑specific go‑to‑market strategies.
    • Forecast demand and manage sales pipelines.
  • Agronomic & Product Portfolio Support
    • Work with product development teams to introduce new hybrids/varieties.
    • Coordinate field trials and performance assessments.
    • Provide agronomic support to customers and partners.
  • Operational Leadership
    • Oversee country operations and compliance with seed regulations.
    • Ensure efficient supply chain, stock planning, and distribution logistics.
    • Collaborate with cross‑functional teams.
  • Stakeholder & Government Relations
    • Build relationships with farmer unions, research institutions, NGOs, and government agencies.
    • Represent the company in industry associations and policy discussions.
    • Support variety registration, seed certification, and compliance audits.
  • Team Leadership & People Development
    • Recruit, train, and lead high‑performing sales and agronomy teams.
    • Foster a performance‑driven culture.
    • Provide coaching and professional development.

Qualifications

  • Commercial Degree
  •  A qualification in Agriculture, Agronomy, Plant Science, Agribusiness, or related field is an added advantage
  • 5–10+ years in the seed industry, agricultural inputs or FMCG
  • Proven track record in sales or business development.
  • Knowledge of seed certification and local farming practices.
  • Commercial acumen and market development experience.
  • Ability to interpret agronomic data.
  • Excellent relationship‑building and negotiation skills.
  • Strong field orientation and stakeholder engagement.
  •  Strong understanding of seed markets, crop production cycles, and farming systems an added advantage