Business Development & Technical Advisor Lead

Position Title: Business Development & Technical Advisor Lead India

Function

• PostHarvest 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, customerfacing leadership role responsible for Business development (driving market expansion, revenue growth) and R&D and Innovation workflow (product development, technical recommendation) for DECCOs postharvest solutions in India.
• The role combines commercial leadership with deep postharvest technical expertise, acting as the key link between customers, R&D, operations, and country/global DECCO teams. The incumbent will build longterm partnerships across the fresh produce value chainexporters, packhouses, retailers, growers and agribusinesseswhile ensuring product validation, technical adoption through advisory and regulatory support.

Key Responsibilities

1. Business Development

• Develop and execute Indiaspecific business development strategies aligned with DECCO WW global objectives.
• Identify and develop new market segments (exportoriented 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 cropwise technical and expansion strategies based on Indias 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 postharvest solutions in India.
• Provide endtoend postharvest advisory: disease control, residue management, shelflife extension, fruit quality preservation, and equipment and process optimization.
• Support customers with application protocols, trials, validation studies with effective technical implementation.
• Lead postharvest 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 scaleup programs.
• Support registration strategies and regulatory need.
• Guide internal sales and technical teams to build a strong pipeline of postharvest expertise.

3. CrossFunctional 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
• Masters or Bachelors degree in Horticulture, Agriculture, Plant Pathology, PostHarvest Technology, Food Science, or related field.
• MBA or commercial qualification is an added advantage.

Experience

• 5-10 years of experience in postharvest, fresh produce, agrochemicals, or agrisolutions.
• 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 postharvest 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, growthoriented environment

Travel Requirement

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