Director, Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed

Agency

Department

Position Description

Director Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed

Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center Vernon Texas

Position Overview

Texas A&M AgriLife Researchseeksa dynamic strategic and experienced leader to serve as Director of Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed. Located at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Vernon the Director provides statewide leadership and strategic operational fiscal and personnel oversight for the Foundation Seed program. This position isseparatefrom the Director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Vernon.

The Director supports AgriLife Research plant breeding programs by leading production quality assurance commercialization marketing and distribution of genetically pure high-qualityseedof publicly developed varieties. The Director works closely with AgriLife Research faculty Texas A&M Innovation Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service seed producers licensees commodity organizations and other stakeholders tofacilitatevariety release licensing market adoption and sustainable program growth. The position advances the land-grant mission by helping move improved well-adapted varieties from research programs into agricultural production for the benefit of Texas agriculture and beyond.

Position Responsibilities

• Provide leadership vision and strategic direction forTexasA&M AgriLife Foundation Seed including development and implementation of strategic and business plans.

• Oversee foundation seed production and related operations including production planning planting field inspection and rogueing harvesting conditioning storage inventory management and distribution.

• Ensure effective quality assurance and quality control including testing seed lots for viability vigor genetic purity seed health and other applicable quality standards.

• Ensure compliance with federal and state laws seed certification standards licensing requirements contractual obligations and applicable Texas A&M University System and AgriLife Research policies and procedures.

• Collaborate with AgriLife Research plant breeders and Texas A&M Innovation to support variety evaluation release intellectual property protection licensing commercialization and deployment.

• Develop andmaintaineffective relationships with seed producers licensees seed companies commodity organizations public agencies and other stakeholders.

• Lead market development marketing communications and distribution strategies that expand the reach and impact of AgriLife-developed varieties and support sustainable program growth.

• Manage the units financial operations including budget development and oversight revenue generation cost recovery cost containment financial forecasting and reporting.

• Identifyopportunities to strengthen the programs business model revenue expand partnerships and improve operational efficiency whilemaintainingservice to public plant breeding programs.

• Recruit supervise develop and evaluate Foundation Seed personnel and foster a culture of safety accountability service teamwork and operational excellence.

• Oversee facilities land equipment information systems and capital improvement needs associated with seed production processing storage and distribution.

• Coordinate with AgriLife Research leadership and the Vernon Center Director on shared facilities personnel resources safety and other site-based administrative matters.

• Represent Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed in institutional meetings professional organizations industry events producer meetings outreach activities and stakeholder engagements.

• Perform other duties necessary to advance the mission and effectiveness ofTexasA&M AgriLife Foundation Seed.

Administrative Relationships

• Reports to the Director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research or the Directors designee.

• Works collaboratively with AgriLife Research faculty and leadership statewide; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialists and agents; the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Vernon; Texas A&M Innovation and related commercialization offices; seed producers licensees and industry partners; commodity organizations; and other public and private stakeholders.

Operational oversight budgeting personnel management and performance evaluation will be conductedin accordance withagency policies and leadership direction.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in agronomy seed science plant science crop science agricultural business business administration ora relatedfield.

• Ten years of related experience.

• Demonstrated professional experience in seed production seed operations agricultural operationsvarietycommercialization or a closely related field.

• Demonstratedexperiencesupervising personnel and managing budgets business operations programs or organizational units.

• Working knowledge of seed production systems seed quality management certification standards and applicable regulatory requirements.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with scientists producers industry partners licensees and other internal and external stakeholders.

• Strong leadership organizationalfinancial management problem-solving and written and oral communication skills.

• Ability to obtain andmaintainany drivers licenserequiredfor assigned job duties.

• Ability to obtain andmaintainthe pesticide applicator license categories and endorsementsrequiredfor assigned job duties.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in agronomy seed science plant science crop science agricultural business business administration ora relatedfield.

• Progressively responsible leadership experience in foundation seed seed production seed certification agricultural researchvarietycommercialization licensing or seed-industry operations.

• Experience working within a land-grant university public agricultural research organization seed certification organization or seed company.

• Experience developing and implementing strategic plans business plans or market-development strategies.

• Experience managing a revenue-generating or cost-recovery agricultural program.

• Experience with cultivar release intellectual property licensing commercialization royalty management or industry partnership development.

• Familiarity with Texas cropping systems seed markets producer organizations and stakeholder networks.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Ability to lead complex geographically distributed agricultural operations involving multiple crops programs and stakeholders.

• Strong financial and business management acumen including the ability to evaluate operational performance and identify opportunities for sustainable growth.

• Ability to build productive relationships among plant breeders commercialization professionals seed producers licensees industry partners and commodity organizations.

• Ability to balance the public-service mission of a land-grant institution with sound business practices and responsible stewardship of resources.

• Effective interpersonal written and oral communication skills.

• Demonstrated ability to lead teams manage change resolve problems and make timely evidence-based decisions.

• Commitment to safety integrity accountability service and operational excellence.

Location and Work Environment

• The position is based at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Vernon in Vernon Texas.

• Work is performed in office field seed-processing warehouse and related agricultural environments.

• The position requires travel within Texas and occasional travel outside Texas to support production partnerships professional engagement marketing and outreach.

• The position may require work outside normal business hours during planting harvest processing or other time-sensitive operational periods.

Additional Information:

Texas A&M AgriLife Research: A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center-Vernon qualifications and experience. Texas A&M AgriLife Research offerscompetitivebenefits and retirementpackage. Final compensation will bedeterminedin accordance withapplicable agency policies and approvals.

Application Procedure

Applicants must upload a

• Cover letter (two-page limit)

• Curriculum vitae including a list of three references and their contact information within the CV

• Vision statement for Foundation Seed Vernon Texas (two-page limit).

The search committee will begin reviewing applications on November 16 2026. The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified. The anticipated start date is September 1 2027.

Questions: Questions should be directed to:

Amir M. Ibrahim Search Committee Chair Associate Director and Chief Scientific Officer Texas A&M AgriLife Research

Email: Phone:

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation and employment is contingent upon the institutions verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institutions procedures including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.