Senior Manager Sustainable Agriculture

Are you ready to shape the future of our agricultural supply chain? Do you combine strategic vision with strong agronomy expertise and a passion for sustainability? Then this is a unique opportunity to drive impact within a key business domain representing more than €400 million in RAW sourcing.

We are looking for a Senior Manager Strategic & Sustainable Agriculture, a leader who can define the long-term agricultural sustainability agenda for EMEA, coach high-performing teams, and turn innovation and sustainability into real value for our business.

Role Overview
As Senior Manager Strategic & Sustainable Agriculture, you are responsible for developing and executing a future-focused agricultural strategy for EMEA. You ensure sustainable continuity of our potato supply, drive sustainable agriculture programs, develop new growing regions, and generate value through innovation and data.

You collaborate broadly across the organization (Sourcing, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, IT, QA, Commercial), as well as with growers, research institutes, and industry partners worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategy & Growth

• Translate company strategy into a multi year sustainable Agricultural Operating Plan for EMEA.
• Improve and sharpen sourcing strategies for seed, ware, and sweet potatoes.
• Define and implement the sustainable agriculture roadmap, including regenerative farming.
• Explore and develop new growing regions, including due diligence, field trials, and integration of acquisitions.

2. Leadership & People Development

• Build with peers a high-performance agriculture team with your expertise on Strategic & Sustainable Agriculture.
• Attract, develop, and coach talent across the region.
• Promote strong collaboration in a matrix environment and inspire agricultural teams across EMEA.

3. Agronomy & Potato Expertise

• Set and drive the Regen agenda for EMEA.
• Co-leas agronomy and storage projects that increase quality, yield, and efficiency.
• Co-develop growing and storage advice for all varieties together with seed specialists.
• Manage the Potato R&D budget and strengthen Potato Intelligence capabilities.

4. Sustainable Agriculture

• Develop and implement the Sustainable Agriculture Program for EMEA.
• Improve yields, storage practices, and growing costs through innovation and continuous improvement.
• Monitor sustainability KPIs and contribute to sustainability reporting.

5. Innovation & Research

• Initiate and deliver innovation projects focused on improving quality, reducing costs, and increasing sustainability.
• Drive development of new measurement technologies, digital tools, and advanced data-driven capabilities.
• Share insights and best practices across regions and global agriculture teams.

6. Data, Insights & Measurement

• Collect and translate big data (climate, field, crop treatments, quality, yield) into actionable management information.
• Create a PDCA cycle with growers to drive continuous improvement.
• Increase reliability of raw data and measurement methodologies.

7. Relationships & Networking

• Build and maintain strong networks with growers, universities, seed breeders, suppliers, research institutions, and industry bodies.
• Represent the company externally and strengthen our reputation as a leading player in the potato and frozen products supply chain.
• Support sales & marketing with relevant sustainability and agronomy insights when needed.

Education & Experience

• Academic level, preferably Agricultural University (or HBO+ with extensive experience).
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in the international potato or agricultural industry.
• Strong knowledge of agronomy, sustainability, and agricultural supply chains.
• Experience with innovation, research projects, or continuous improvement programs.
• Skilled in managing complex, multi-country agricultural environments.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Analytical and strategic thinker with hands-on mentality.
• Self-starter with pioneering mindset, perseverance, and drive for results.
• Excellent communication skills in English and Dutch (French/German is a plus).
• Able to work effectively in a matrix organization and multicultural environment.

What We Offer

• A strategic leadership role with high impact on the future of our agricultural supply chain.
• The opportunity to shape sustainable agriculture and innovation across EMEA.
• A dynamic, international working environment with global collaboration.
• Professional development and growth opportunities.

Interested?

Do you want to help build a future-proof and sustainable agricultural supply chain? We look forward to receiving your application!

We offer you a challenging job in a dynamic and growing organization in the food industry. We challenge you to grow in the same way as our company, where development is key. We thrive in a culture defined by our values: Integrity, Teamwork, Inclusion, Drive for Results and Empowerment. As we say at Lamb Weston EMEA, when we see a potato, we see opportunities. What opportunities do you see?