Department: Corporate Reports To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Job Status: Full Time Grade/Level: Corporate – I Job Type: Regular/Exempt Amount of Travel Required: <10% SUMMARY Genective, a JV between two leading global seeds companies, Limagrain and KWS, is seeking a strategic, result-oriented and stakeholder savvy CFO to join the fast-growing team in the U.S. and to provide leadership, development and oversight for its finance function. The CFO is a direct report of the CEO and a member of Genective’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT). The CFO also serves as Secretary of the Genective Board of Directors to ensure appropriate corporate governance and compliance with applicable regulations and authorities. The primary working location is Champaign, IL, with flexibility for other locations within reasonable commuting distance. Domestic and international travel may be required from time to time. THE POSITION As a direct report to the CEO, the CFO plays a critical role in setting the vision and strategy for Genective, along with CEO and other ELT members. As the top leader of the finance function, the CFO is responsible for providing leadership, development and oversight for the finance team and all finance activities. Essential Responsibilities Actively participates in corporate strategic planning and provides finance perspectives into Genective’s vision, strategy and near-and-long-term goals Develops the functional strategy for finance to enable achievements of Genective’s corporate vision, strategy and goals Leads development and implementation of policies, processes, and tools to meet Genective’s finance needs, including but not limited to o Genective is funded for success Genective financials, both OPEX and CAPEX, are managed in full compliance with generally accepted accounting principles and other regulations Genective financials, both OPEX and CAPEX, are managed effectively and efficiently towards achieving near-and-long-term corporate goals Effectively manages budgeting and forecasting to ensure financial alignment and guidance on people, facility, equipment and other capital and operating expenses Effectively manages closing, and initiates corrective actions if needed, to provide accurate and timely picture of financial performance and minimize impact of variances Provides regular and periodic analysis and reports, for example business plans, to enable strategic and operational decisions, as well as to monitor on-going financial performance Establishes a project-based financial management system to allocate, monitor and manage cost for research and development projects Actively participates in 3rd-party collaboration projects and activities and provides “the voice of finance” in deal evaluation, negotiation and on-going execution Performs Secretary duties for the Board of Directors as required by corporate governance regulations and policies, the Board of Directors and the CEO Liaises with and maintains a strong relationship with finance functions at parent companies and AgReliant, another JV of Limagrain and KWS, to fulfill all reporting and transactional requirements Additional Responsibilities As requested by the CEO and the Board of Directors QUALIFICATIONS The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications: Proven track record to provide direction and successfully manage all financial aspects of technology-driven companies or start-ups Experience and success in supporting business development activities with collaboration partners from scouting, evaluation, negotiation through on-going execution A strategic thinker, capable of effectively contributing to establish/communicate clear vision and strategy with measurable goals, balanced with attention to critical details and capability to drive execution and deliver results in an entrepreneurial environment Strong analytical skills and business acumen, capable to challenge diverse concepts and ideas, science and non-science, constructively towards achieving common goals Open minded and capable of integrating business aspects, scientific aspects, non-scientific aspects (R&D related legal, IP, regulatory, quality management) and infrastructure / operational aspects into decision processes High degree of influencing leadership skills in an international setting among diverse cultures Excellent communication skills and able to adjust communication style to highly different audiences Excellent project management skills and able to manage working teams effectively without direct authorities Experience in biotechnology, breeding, and other plant science companies a plus Experience in a joint venture operating environment a plus THE REWARD Competitive base salary, bonus, 401(K), medical, dental, long-term disability, and life insurance plans, as well as support programs for company car, fitness, education, and employee referral. Plus fun and satisfaction working in a high trust, high empowerment, high impact, entrepreneurial environment with a close-knit team. THE ORGANIZATION About Genective Genective is a 50/50 joint venture established between Limagrain and KWS, two of the world’s largest seed companies. With entities and activities in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia, Genective is currently dedicated to the research, development, and marketing of transgenic traits for corn. About Limagrain As the fourth largest seed company worldwide, Limagrain’s mission is to move agriculture forward to meet global food related challenges. Limagrain is a cooperative group founded and managed by French farmers. Its parent company, Coopérative Limagrain, brings together nearly 2,000 farmers located in the center of France. The Group creates, produces and distributes field seeds, vegetable seeds and cereal products. Limagrain is present in 56 countries and has more than 10,000 employees. It makes nearly 2.5 billion Euros of sales with recognized brands on their markets: LG, Vilmorin, Hazera, Harris Moran, Jacquet, Brossard. About KWS KWS is one of the world’s leading plant breeding companies. In the fiscal year 2017/18 more than 5,000 employees in 70 countries generated net sales of EUR 1,068 million and earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of EUR 133 million. A company with a tradition of family ownership, KWS has operated independently for more than 160 years. It focuses on plant breeding and the production and sale of seed for corn, sugarbeet, cereals, rapeseed, sunflowers and vegetables. KWS uses leading-edge plant breeding methods to increase farmers’ yields and to improve resistance to diseases, pests and abiotic stress. To that end, the company invested approximately EUR 200 million last fiscal year in research and development. HOW TO APPLY If interested, please send your cover letter and resume to Kim Lange kim.lange@genective.com.
