Business Development & Technical Advisor Lead

DECCO Postharvest · Mumbai, India

Position Title: Business Development & Technical Advisor Lead – India

Function

• Post‑Harvest Solutions | Business Development | Technical Advisory | Product development

Location

• India (Mumbai)

Reporting To

• Business Head, India and Matrix to R&D and Innovation Head

Role Purpose (Job Summary)

• The Business Development & Technical Advisor Lead – India is a strategic, customer‑facing leadership role responsible for Business development (driving market expansion, revenue growth) and R&D and Innovation workflow (product development, technical recommendation) for DECCO’s post‑harvest solutions in India.
• The role combines commercial leadership with deep post‑harvest technical expertise , acting as the key link between customers, R&D, operations, and country/global DECCO teams . The incumbent will build long‑term partnerships across the fresh produce value chain—exporters, packhouses, retailers, growers and agribusinesses—while ensuring product validation, technical adoption through advisory and regulatory support .

Key Responsibilities

1. Business Development

• Develop and execute India‑specific business development strategies aligned with DECCO WW global objectives.
• Identify and develop new market segments (export‑oriented fruits, wholesale & retail, packhouses, cold storages).
• Build strong commercial relationships with key stakeholders, distributors, exporters, and strategic partners.
• Drive portfolio introduction and market expansion (fungicides, coatings, sanitizers, equipment, near-harvest and post-harvest solutions).
• Develop crop‑wise technical and expansion strategies based on India’s production and export priorities.
• Provide market and technical input to country/global R&D and product development teams.
• Develop and strengthen distribution partner capabilities through technical and commercial training.

2. Technical Advisory

• Act as the technical lead for DECCO post‑harvest solutions in India.
• Provide end‑to‑end post‑harvest advisory: disease control, residue management, shelf‑life extension, fruit quality preservation, and equipment and process optimization.
• Support customers with application protocols, trials, validation studies with effective technical implementation.
• Lead post‑harvest diagnostics and solutions for major Indian crops (e.g., citrus, mango, grapes, pineapple, pomegranate, apples, bananas and others).
• Drive new product introductions, trials (field, packhouse, storages, laboratory), and scale‑up programs.
• Support registration strategies and regulatory need.
• Guide internal sales and technical teams to build a strong pipeline of post‑harvest expertise.

3. Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with operations, supply chain, marketing, regulatory, and finance teams.
• Coordinate with country/global DECCO experts for knowledge transfer, innovation adoption, and best practices.
• Support global and regional projects related to sustainability, digitalization, and technology adoption.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Revenue growth and market share in India via business development
• New packhouse acquisition and strategic account development
• Successful technical trials and commercialization
• Portfolio penetration per crop
• Customer satisfaction and retention
• Compliance with regulatory and quality standards
• Capability uplift of distributors and internal teams

Required Qualifications

• Education
• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture, Agriculture, Plant Pathology, Post‑Harvest Technology, Food Science, or related field.
• MBA or commercial qualification is an added advantage.

Experience

• 5-10 years of experience in post‑harvest, fresh produce, agrochemicals, or agri‑solutions.
• Proven experience in business development combined with technical responsibilities.
• Strong exposure to Indian fruit value chains and export markets.
• Experience working with multinational agribusinesses is preferred.

Technical & Functional Skills

• Deep understanding of post‑harvest physiology, pathology, and treatments
• Strong knowledge of fungicides, coatings, sanitizers, application equipment
• Commercial acumen with ability to link technical value to business outcomes

Behavioral & Leadership Competencies

• Strategic thinker with execution focus
• Strong customer orientation and credibility with technical stakeholders
• Excellent communication, presentation, and influencing skills
• Ability to work independently and lead through influence
• High integrity and compliance mindset
• Agile and comfortable in a dynamic, growth‑oriented environment

Travel Requirement

• Extensive domestic travel across major horticulture belts and packhouse clusters.
• Occasional international travel for global meetings, training, and strategy alignment.