TECHNICAL/ADVISORY AGRONOMIST

Location: Lusaka, Zambia

About the Company

Our client is a well-established business operating within the agricultural sector, providing a range of products, technologies, and solutions that support commercial and emerging farmers across Zambia. The business leverages local market expertise and international partnerships to deliver innovative agricultural solutions.

The Role

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Technical/Advisory Agronomist to provide technical leadership and agronomic expertise across the business. The successful candidate will play a critical role in strengthening customer relationships, supporting commercial activities, driving product adoption, and positioning the company’s agricultural solutions portfolio in a competitive market.

The role will serve as a key technical resource to the business, providing product support, technical training, market insights, and strategic guidance to customers and internal stakeholders. The incumbent will support business development initiatives, key account management, supplier engagement, product positioning, and market development activities while ensuring customers receive practical and effective agronomic solutions.

This is a senior, commercially focused position requiring strong technical expertise, business acumen, and the ability to translate agronomic knowledge into practical and profitable solutions for customers.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and agronomic expertise across the business.
• Act as the primary technical resource for customers, distributors, suppliers, and internal teams.
• Provide advanced crop protection, crop nutrition, and agronomic recommendations to support customer success and business growth.
• Support product positioning, portfolio management, and market development initiatives.
• Develop technical strategies and recommendations for key crops, including maize, wheat, soybeans, sugar, tobacco, cotton, and horticultural crops.
• Review and interpret trial data, technical reports, and market information to support decision-making.
• Oversee the planning, coordination, and evaluation of product trials and demonstration programmes conducted by field teams and partners.
• Develop technical literature, training materials, crop guides, and product support tools.
• Deliver technical training and knowledge-sharing programmes for staff, distributors, and customers.
• Support key account management by providing technical expertise during customer engagements and presentations.
• Monitor industry trends, emerging technologies, pest and disease developments, and competitive activity.
• Liaise with suppliers and technical partners to ensure effective product support, training, and knowledge transfer.
• Support regulatory compliance, product registrations, stewardship programmes, and adherence to relevant industry standards.
• Contribute to business planning, forecasting, and commercial strategy through technical and market insights.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with commercial growers, industry stakeholders, research institutions, and regulatory bodies.
• Mentor and develop junior technical and commercial staff to strengthen overall technical capability within the business.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Agronomy, Crop Science, Plant Protection, Agriculture, or a related field.
• Master’s Degree will be an added advantage.
• Minimum 8-10 years’ practical agronomic experience within Zambia or Southern Africa.
• Strong knowledge of herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, crop nutrition, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
• Proven experience in field trials, demonstrations, and commercial crop advisory services.
• Strong understanding of Zambia’s farming systems, crop production practices, and seasonal patterns.
• Well-established professional network within the agricultural sector, including commercial farmers, distributors, agribusinesses, research institutions, and key industry stakeholders.
• Excellent communication, presentation, training, and stakeholder management skills.
• Valid driver’s licence and willingness to travel as required.

Key Competencies

• Advanced crop protection and agronomic expertise.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability.
• Commercial awareness and market insight.
• Ability to influence and build long-term customer relationships.
• Leadership, coaching, and technical mentoring skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• High levels of integrity, professionalism, and accountability.
• Strategic thinking with a customer-focused approach.

Remuneration & Benefits

A competitive remuneration package will be offered, commensurate with qualifications, experience, and the strategic nature of the role.