Indigo improves grower profitability, environmental sustainability, and consumer health through the use of natural microbiology and digital technologies. Utilizing beneficial plant microbes and agronomic insights, Indigo works with growers to sustainably produce high quality harvests. The company then connects growers and buyers directly to bring these harvests to market. Working across the supply chain, Indigo is forwarding its mission of harnessing nature to help farmers sustainably feed the planet. The company is headquartered in Boston, MA, with additional offices in Memphis, TN, Research Triangle Park, NC, Sydney, Australia, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and São Paulo, Brazil. http://www.indigoag.com/

The role of the Sr. Project Manager/Director, Early Stage R&D Pipeline is to manage projects for the early discovery & characterization of Indigo’s microbial products. Responsibilities will include managing a portfolio of project, managing a team of project manager(s), interfacing with senior leadership to report on project status, and managing collaborations that support the early stage pipeline. We are looking for a high energy candidate with a passion for project management. This person will work cross functionally with Product Management, R&D, and IP teams to achieve the best outcomes for Indigo and our partners.

 Responsibilities:

• Assume ownership of crop teams and or stage teams and all supportive program/project plans.
• Drive project management culture and ensure those teams are on track to hit their milestones
• Facilitate team meetings
• Own meeting minutes, action items, and decision log
• Establish clear team meeting agenda in collaboration with Crop Product Managers
• Partner with Crop Product Managers to develop strategy for managing the Crop team and define respective deliverables
• Own delivery of Indigo senior management requests in alignment with Crop Product Management and Project & Portfolio Management leadership
• Establish relationships with all functional stage owners and key stakeholders
• Meet with all key stakeholders and members of the R&D Portfolio & Project Management and Crop Product Management teams
• Understand approaches to end-to-end crop strategy and drive and facilitate alignment of R&D strategy with business opportunities
• Demonstrate understanding of end-to-end R&D pipeline:
• Be able to summarize Project Management needs, pain points, etc.
• All projects have project timelines, risk registries, action and decision log and are updated weekly
• Drive the development of integrated project plans
• Assume directly responsibility for crop program/projects and mange crop team and project managers who will work on individual projects/stage teams.
• Understand the overall program value chain, critical path, risks and mitigation strategies
• Become the objective sounding board to the Crop team and a strategic partner to the Crop Product Manager to drive the program in the most effective and efficient way forward
• Within 12 months, build a small team (of 1 to 3) projects managers to scale impact of the organization
• Demonstrate ability to develop strategic vision for function and team:
• In collaboration with the team, develop best practices, tools and templates using Project Management methodology
• Become a strategic partner in the R&D Project and Portfolio Management leadership team
• Raise within and expand project management capabilities to the entire organization 

Competencies: 

• Strong leadership skills:
• Able to recognize and build on individual strengths
• Able to energize and lead a group towards an aggressive goal while maintaining positive relationships
• Exceptional listening skills
• Able to motivate
• Process-oriented but not deterred by lack of process
• Able to deliver a high-quality product under high pressure and short timelines
• “Can do” approach to problem solving
• Emotional intelligence; builds relationships, stakeholder management, targeted communication
• Strong cross-functional networking and communication skills
• Strategic mindset; operational leadership
• Strong business acumen and organizational savviness
• Able to influence and lead without authority
• Able to drive aggressive goals in a structured way
• Knack for identifying scalable solutions, including tech opportunities to drive efficiencies
• Strong storytelling skills; able to convey a message
• Excellent meeting facilitator
• Technical skills: Project Management Methodology, Crop Product development knowledge 

Qualifications:

• 7-10 years’ industry experience preferred with demonstrated leadership skills
• S. or M.S. in a science discipline
• Demonstrated ability to lead by influence and rapidly drive solutions to complex challenges
• Demonstrated ability to succeed in fast paced environments
• S. or Ph.D. in Sciences; Agricultural background a plus
• Experienced in use of Project Management tools
  Exceptional MS Project PowerPoint skills, able to tell a story;
• Experience driving change in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment
• Demonstrated ability to communicate across an organization both vertically and horizontally
• Experience managing others both directly and indirectly through influence