Head of Supply Chain Vegetable Seeds - BASF | Nunhems - Haelen/Nunhem

You bring:

• A master’s degree or comparable qualification, preferably in supply chain management, business, engineering, agriculture, plant science, or a related field. An MBA or other advanced qualification is an advantage.
• More than five years of progressive leadership experience, combined with substantial responsibility in a complex, global supply chain environment.
• Relevant experience in agricultural inputs, i.e.vegetable seeds, field seeds, or another biologically complex supply chain is strongly preferred.
• A strong understanding of agricultural production cycles, grower or supplier relationships, seasonal production across different regions, and large portfolios with long planning horizons.
• Proven responsibility for significant inventory and working-capital portfolios, together with measurable results in customer service, cost, logistics, availability, and inventory health.
• Experience leading organizational or (digital) transformation, including analytics, AI, data quality, or operating-model change.
• Knowledge of international seed movements, plant-health requirements, and the regulatory considerations involved in moving agricultural products across borders.
• Strong business judgment and the ability to translate strategy into priorities, decisions, and measurable results.
• Excellent communication, influencing, negotiation, and presentation skills in English, with the ability to work effectively across cultures and organizational boundaries.

You will lead a global organization covering supply chain planning, supply and customer service, performance excellence, and regulatory and seed-movement activities. The role currently includes three direct reports, and provides direction to a broader international supply chain community of more than 150 colleagues. 

You will report to the Head of Supply Chain (BASF AP) and collaborate across local, regional, and global teams. Your key partners will include colleagues in Commercial Operations, Marketing and Sales, Research and Development, Breeding, Production, Processing, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Finance, Procurement, and site operations.

You will also represent BASF | Nunhems in conversations with customers, suppliers, regulators, logistics partners, and relevant industry networks. 

The scope is truly global, covering approximately 20 vegetable crops and 1,200 varieties across an international network of seed multiplication, processing, and distribution locations. You will work with colleagues across different regions and time zones, with approximately 10 to 15 percent international travel. 

As Head of Supply Chain for our global Vegetable Seeds business, you will shape how seeds move from production planning to customers around the world. Your purpose is to ensure that growers have access to the right varieties at the right time, while building a reliable, resilient, sustainable, and future-ready supply chain.

In this influential leadership role, you will connect business strategy with day-to-day supply performance. You will bring teams and functions together, create clarity across the global network, and balance customer availability with quality, cost, inventory, and regulatory requirements.

In this role, you will:

• Set the direction for our global supply chain. You will define and execute a clear supply chain strategy and operating model that supports the growth and profitability ambitions of our Vegetable Seeds business.

• Take ownership of end-to-end supply performance. From seed multiplication and sourcing to processing, planning, logistics, customer service, and delivery, you will ensure that the different parts of the supply chain work together effectively.

• Create reliable availability for customers. You will lead global demand and supply planning, improve forecast accuracy, and make balanced decisions about availability, service, inventory, and working capital.

• Manage a complex, long-term seed portfolio. You will guide inventory decisions across multi-year crop cycles, balancing customer demand with safety stocks, shelf life, seed quality, freshness, biological risks, and cost.

• Build strong cross-functional decision-making. You will work closely with Marketing and Sales, Research and Development, Breeding, Operations, Production, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Procurement, and Finance to align priorities and successfully introduce new varieties.

• Lead transformation and innovation. You will accelerate the responsible use of digital solutions, automation, advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, traceability, and reliable data to improve decisions and simplify ways of working.

• Strengthen resilience, sustainability, and compliance. You will identify risks early, develop practical scenarios, and ensure that the global supply network meets international seed-trade, quality, hygiene, import, export, and plant-health requirements.

• Develop the organization and its future leaders. Through clear direction, coaching, succession planning, and talent development, you will create an accountable, customer-focused, and high-performing global supply chain community.

• You take end-to-end responsibility and remain accountable for results, including when decisions involve competing customer, inventory, cost, quality, or regulatory priorities.
• You create clarity around responsibilities, decision-making, and expected outcomes.
• You build trust through transparency, consistency, and reliable follow-through.
• You develop people through constructive feedback, coaching, and meaningful opportunities to grow.

• You turn strategy into focused action and maintain momentum across a complex international network.
• You proactively identify risks and opportunities and bring the right people together to find practical solutions.
• You make balanced decisions with the available information and adjust quickly when circumstances change.
• You positively influence stakeholders across functions and regions, without relying solely on hierarchy.

• You combine customer focus with commercial awareness and operational discipline.
• You look beyond short-term solutions and build processes, capabilities, and partnerships that deliver lasting improvement.
• You use data and technology thoughtfully to improve decision-making, transparency, and performance.
• You encourage curiosity, collaboration, and continuous learning, while setting high and realistic standards for yourself and others.

This position is based in Nunhem / Haelen, the Netherlands, with hybrid working flexibility. Because of the global scope, collaboration across time zones is an important part of the role. International travel is expected for approximately 10 to 15 percent of your time.

Vegetable Seeds are the starting point of a food chain that reaches growers and communities around the world. In this role, you will help ensure that innovative varieties can reliably reach customers while strengthening the resilience, sustainability, and long-term performance of our global business.

Your leadership will directly contribute to customer service, business continuity, profitable growth, responsible resource use, and the development of the next generation of supply chain leaders.