Breeding Manager Cut Flowers: Chrysanthemum & Gerbera

Oudecampsweg 35C, 2678 NN De Lier, Netherlands

Flowers and plants have a strong emotional value for the people who buy them. Their potential to inspire is endless – They can make our day, brighten up the house, or turn the garden into a paradise.

Dümmen Orange is a leading breeder and propagator of flowers and plants. Our goal is to inspire people and create a better, more beautiful world. We offer an impressive portfolio of crops and varieties to growers, wholesalers and retailers around the world. 

We are looking for a Breeding Manager for our Research & Development department in De Lier.

Why is this your job?

Your vision for breeding cut flower crops guides the breeding teams in developing innovative varieties that align with both the R&D strategy and the crop business plan. Dümmen Orange’s commitment to sustainability, paired with its focus on creating high ornamental value through predictive breeding, resonates with your passion for flowers.

You get both energy from working with people – breeders, scientists, sales managers, customers – and working with plants. You enjoy hands-on activities in the greenhouse, but are also motivated to support breeding decisions with data. You set the strategic breeding direction together with the Product Team, including the Technology Adoption of the programs. 

In addition to leading the breeding teams of Cut Chrysanthemum and Gerbera, you are directly responsible for a segment of the breeding program and the greenhouse operations. You are a member of the R&D management team, which sets the strategic direction of the R&D programs and report to the CTO.

Your tasks and responsibilities:

• Provide leadership to the chrysanthemum and gerbera breeding teams;

• Responsible for a breeding program in one of the crops you are leading;

• Develop and deliver on crop breeding strategies with clear business objectives in line with Crop Business Plans and technological developments;

• Optimize breeding processes and strengthen and exploit our genetics base;

• Strengthen the knowledge base of the company and expand our freedom to operate position;

• Liaise with Strategic Marketing, Product Managers and Breeding Technology to anticipate future market requirements and smart adoption of novel technologies & traits.

Who are you?

• You have a MSc or PhD in Genetics or Plant Breeding, or in related areas within Life Sciences;

• You have Breeding experience in a commercial setting - Management experience is a plus;

• Your command of the English language is good, both verbal and written;

• Excellent communication skills, team player and people leader, facilitating cross-functional collaboration;

• You are willing to travel (~10%);

• You drive improvements and are motivated by rapidly changing organizations.

What do you get in return?

Dümmen Orange has major international ambitions with innovation technology and quality high on the agenda. There is plenty of room for autonomy, personal growth and you are part of an expert team. This allows you to optimally develop as a driven professional in your field. There is a supportive and open working environment where sharing knowledge, collaboration and achieving common goals are very important.

We also offer:

• An attractive salary depending on your knowledge and experience;

• Full-time employment (based on 38 hours);

• 25,5 vacation days on a full-time basis;

• Hybrid working (including allowances for working from home and for the home workplace);

• Working hours are flexible and can be determined in consultation;

• Personal Development;

• An international working environment;

• Collective Labor Agreement for the Greenhouse Horticulture Sector with, among other things, good leave arrangements and a good pension scheme (BPL Pension). We invest in your future by paying 2/3 of the pension premium.

Who are we?

We are a leading international breeder and propagator of flowers and plants. Our breeders enhance characteristics such as colour, fragrance, and shape, as well as less visible traits like disease resistance, higher yield per square meter, and extended vase life. In production locations across Africa, South and Central America we have 330+ hectares of production space at our disposal. Here we set up our mother stock plants and propagate the starting material. Our extensive range of crops and varieties finds its way to growers, wholesalers, and retailers around the world.

With a leading R&D team, a diverse network of our own propagation sites, and over a century of experience in floriculture, we are the trusted source for industry expertise and innovation in floriculture breeding.

The products our industry produces have a strong emotional value for the consumers who buy them. Our purpose is to inspire people and create a better, more beautiful world. Our team of 6,600 dedicated, focused, and passionate professionals works across the globe. Our head office is located in De Lier, the Netherlands.

Your application 

Do you dare to bloom and are you ready to take your career to the next level? Click on the button below to apply for this job. If you have questions about the job, you can contact Anita de Haan (breeding manager cut flowers), via a.dehaan@dummenorange.com, +31 6 15515397.  

An assessment is part of the application procedure.

Acquisition with reference to this advertisement will not be appreciated.