Indigo is a company dedicated to harnessing nature to help farmers sustainably feed the planet. With a vision of creating a world where farming is an economically desirable and accessible profession, Indigo works alongside its growers to apply natural approaches, conserve resources for future generations, and grow healthy food for all. Utilizing beneficial plant microbes to improve crop health and productivity, Indigo’s portfolio is focused on cotton, wheat, barley, corn, soybeans, and rice. The company, founded by Flagship Pioneering, is headquartered in Boston, MA, with additional offices in Memphis, TN, Research Triangle Park, NC, Sydney, Australia, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and São Paulo, Brazil. www.indigoag.com

The Director of Scientific Communications will report directly to the Head of R&D and be responsible for creating a platform to present and publish Indigo’s disruptive approach to agriculture and food sciences. The Director will be collaborating with the entire research and development organization and be involved in a broad set of sciences and disciplines.

Outcomes & Responsibilities:

• Responsible for being the gatekeeper and leader for networking and collaboration (with input from relevant people/teams)
  • Have strong understanding of where expertise lives within Indigo
  • Build network of academics and industry experts
  • Act as liaison between internal and external networks to communicate information, with a focus on sustainability
• Create a portfolio of data strategy to report communication efforts (both internal and external), this should include:
  • Cultivate internal collaborations to form scientific communication strategy
  • Create a packet of that includes: materials forums, venues and manuscripts
• Create a clear, data strategy to report on the impact of the following communications:
  • Trial sales
  • Repeat sales
  • Seed/system
  • Grain
• Create a clear and measurable 2-year communication plans for:
  • Field
  • Environment
  • Quality/Output
  • Nutrition
  • IP
• Understands and embodies our purpose & core values
  • Understands our purpose and core values and what makes Indigo different from other companies
  • Demonstrates personal and/or professional passion for our core values
  • Widely viewed as someone who personifies our core values, is committed to them, and leans on them when making difficult decisions

Competencies:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills; able to connect with diverse audiences (technical, food science, academia etc.)
• Flexibility and agility for rapidly changing communication needs, across a variety of disciplines
• Strong industry reputation, with a credible personality and natural networking skills
• Able to connect with various teams within Indigo; strong tendency to draw people into discussion
• Fully aligned with and passionate about Indigo’s values and mission

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in plant biology or related field (or demonstrated in-depth understanding)
• Understanding of Ag/Foods and related sciences in which Indigo is involved
• 10 years’ experience working with NGOs and other industry groups
• Strong understanding of the importance of data in creating business success
• Experience in trial design and data analysis
• Experience working in academia preferred but not required
• Inclination to disrupt processes to progress business and improve best practices