Group Agri Business Line Innovation Project Manager

About the role

SOLEVO, a leading distributor of agro‑inputs and industrial chemicals in Africa, is looking for a Group Agri Business Line Innovation Project Manager to drive its innovation agenda across all African markets where it operates. Based in Abidjan, the role will coordinate cross‑functional teams to deliver high‑impact projects that advance new product development, digital agriculture tools, sustainable farming practices and emerging agri‑technologies.

Key responsibilities

• Own and manage the full innovation pipeline, prioritising initiatives by strategic and commercial value, defining road‑maps, milestones and reporting progress to Executive Management.
• Build and lead cross‑functional project teams, assigning country representatives and coordinating contributions from Regulatory, Procurement, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance and Sales.
• Run regular project meetings, maintain live action trackers and proactively escalate bottlenecks.
• Lead flagship innovation initiatives covering new product development, digital agriculture solutions, sustainable practices and emerging technologies.
• Serve as the main liaison for external partners such as input manufacturers, research institutions and technology providers.
• Coordinate pre‑launch and launch activities, including regulatory follow‑up, field trials, business case development and country‑level rollout planning.
• Support country and business‑line managers by handling project‑management workload, preparing meetings and driving action plans.
• Establish and run a structured innovation governance framework with committees, stage‑gate processes and project scorecards.

Required profile

• Post‑graduate degree (Master/Bac+5) in Business, Agricultural or Industrial Engineering.
• 7–10 years of experience in the agro‑inputs sector, preferably in project management.
• Fluent in English and French.
• Proven ability to deliver results under commercial pressure and manage complex, multi‑country projects.

Required skills

• Project management methodology and tools.
• Strong understanding of agro‑input product development cycles.
• Experience coordinating cross‑functional teams across multiple countries.
• Ability to work with regulatory, procurement, marketing, supply chain, finance and sales functions.