Business Development Manager, Soil Improvement Products - Neova Group

Neova is an international company, with a strategy of satisfying people’s essential needs for clean food, air, and water. We promote professional growing and home gardening, the construction of attractive and pleasant living environments, and the well-being of animals. We provide our customers local fuels and produce activated carbon for air and water purification.

Neova Terra’s newly renamed Business Area, Neova Agro, is currently seeking a Business Development Manager for our Group’s locations in Finland, Spain, Italy, or the Netherlands. Neova Agro is dedicated to securing food supply through the provision of biostimulants and animal feed to international markets.

You would be responsible for new business development projects, their go-to-market and product launch. Your focus will encompass the entire value chain, from raw materials and processes to the validation of customer value and business cases. You will not be alone in this endeavor, as a talented team at Neova Agro will support you, including experts in raw materials, processes, customer insights, and commercialization. We also collaborate with international external R&D partners and maintain our own development laboratory in partnership with the University of Jyväskylä.

Currently, our latest business opportunity project involves higher value-added soil improvement products, which will be the primary responsibility of this role. Additionally, you will oversee other projects and initiatives within the Neova Agro business portfolio.

Business Area Director Mia Suominen summarizes the need succinctly: “For this position, I seek an individual with international commercialization expertise and the flexibility to transition between various subject areas within Neova Agro as needed.”

Are you ready to join us on this growth journey to secure the essentials of life? Bring your expertise in commercialization, and customer and market knowledge to our team and help create sustainable value and drive new growth for Neova.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the development of high value-added soil improvement products for international markets. This role also includes responsibility for other new business opportunities and initiatives within the Neova Agro portfolio.
• Plan and execute new business development projects following Neova’s idea-to-market process, utilizing both internal and external partners.
• Focus on the entire value chain, starting from raw materials and technologies through to product development, customer value validation, and market launch.
• Work closely with customers to gather valuable market insights and understand customer needs for new business and product development.
• Conduct business feasibility analyses, prepare reports, and perform investment calculations as necessary.

Main skills needed in the position:

• Master’s degree in agriculture, technology, or economics.
• Several years of commercial work experience, with international contacts and networks in agriculture being advantageous.
• Experience with go-to-market strategies and sales of new innovative products.
• Focus on international markets and customers, with a hands-on approach.
• Experience in product development and project management.
• Ability to switch between projects and a motivation to learn new skills.
• Willingness to travel to meet customers and network in target markets.
• Goal-oriented, efficient, organized, and structured.
• Fluent in English and at least one local language (Finnish, Spanish, Italian, Dutch).

We offer a significant opportunity to be part of our journey in developing high-value-added products. At Neova, you will experience a high degree of freedom, responsibility, variety, and challenges.

The recruitment process is carried out in collaboration with Adecco Finland. Please apply by submitting your CV and application, including your salary request, by January 19th, 2025. For more information about this position, please contact Adecco's Senior Recruitment Manager Tero Ojaniemi at tero.ojaniemi@adecco.fi or +358 40 554 8005.