Genective S.A., a technology Joint Venture of two leading, globally active seed companies, Groupe Limagrain and the KWS Group, is conducting ambitious R&D programs for the improvement of maize and possibly in the future other crops. The company is headquartered in France. To lead Genective’s global stewardship quality and to ensure that GM purity issues and associated risks are appropriately and consistently addressed throughout Genective, its service providers and relationships with third parties, we are seeking a person who will provide leadership and global quality control management expertise to the stewardship activities and processes of Genective.

Working in close co-operation with the Genective regulatory function, the regulatory and development managers of the parent companies and the stewardship functions of the parent companies, the Genective Quality Assurance Manager will undertake the following main tasks:

• Provide quality management leadership to Genective’s GM corn research, development and commercial products;
• Manage the global stewardship quality control for all Genective projects in close co-ordination with the stewardship, regulatory and development functions of the parent companies (KWS and Limagrain);
• Liaise with the stewardship functions of GM corn trait service providers / partners;
• Provide stewardship input into relationships with parent company service providers, third party service providers and trait providers;
• Lead adherence and compliance with Excellence Through Stewardship (ETS) and monitor changes in stewardship requirements;
• Provide advice on stewardship policy;
• Lead the Stewardship Working Group of Genective;
• Implement a global stewardship quality control organization, identifying all relevant stakeholders to ensure development, understanding and adherence to quality control standards and processes;
• Identify gaps / issues in stewardship quality control programs that could put Genective at risk and communicate those risks to the CEO;
• Ensure GM purity risks are appropriately and consistently addressed;
• Validate laboratories where analyses of Genective’s products can be performed;
• Identify risks, develop criteria for measurement of quality control
• Maintain a documented database with appropriate signoff for quality for the movement of all GM and non GM materials used by Genective (throughout the Stage Plan);
• Ensure critical control points are established;
• Perform internal and subcontractors audits to ensure compliance with the ETS requirements
• Proactively work to identify potential areas of GM risk to Genective
• Lead risk assessments and participate as required in audit responses;
• Provide leadership to the stewardship requirements of Genective’s Stage Plan;
• Liaise with research, development and regulatory functions
• Follow the movement of materials associated with permits at the global level: research and development requirements, first authorization in countries then, renewal when appropriate;
• Work in close collaboration with Marketing for Market Acceptance, Product Launch, Product Discontinuation;
• Participate as appropriate in activities in the advocacy with stakeholders

The location of the position would be Paris, France or Champaign, Illinois, USA.

Reporting to: the Chief Executive Officer of Genective

Qualifications and experience :

• Qualifications in Quality Management / Quality Assurance complemented by a proven track record in the life sciences area. Experience in molecular detection methods and their application would be desirable as well as knowledge of seed businesses;
• Experience in working in an R&D environment where clear checks and controls are applied;
• Ability to manage a large number of projects and deliver results to mitigate risks;
• Proficient English language skills, orally and in writing (excellent verbal and written communication); basic French and/or Portuguese, and /or German and /or Spanish language skills would be advantageous;
• Willingness to undertake frequent travel;
• Experience in working with and managing relationships with partners and collaborators from multicultural backgrounds;
• Ability to build relationships, influence service providers, partners and stakeholders to drive for change for continuous improvement;

Please submit applications to:

Dr. Bruce Lee
CEO
Genective S.A.
5 Rue Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois
75001 Paris, France

Bruce.lee@genective.com