Director Advanced Analytics - Ag Tech

Position Title: Director Advanced Analytics - Ag Tech
Position Type: Regular - Full-Time
Position Location: Toronto HQ
Requisition ID: 29451
OVERVIEW:
McCain is embarking on a digital transformation. As part of this transformation, we are making significant investments into our data systems, structures and policies, and building digital products for our customers, key suppliers and McCain team members to enable digital processes and data-driven automation over time. Our Digital Technology team's goal is to inspire growth through innovative technology experiences. Do you want to help define the future of McCain and play a vital role in McCain's next digital transformation? Do you want to have an impact on McCain's key strategic project? Make the next big move in your career and join us as we revolutionize agriculture through Data Analytics and AI.
JOB PURPOSE:
As the Director within our Data, AI, and Analytics tech organization, you will play a pivotal role in developing data and analytics solutions in partnership with our global and regional Agriculture functions. Your purpose will be to develop a high performing technology team to execute a strategy to leverage Data, AI and Advanced Analytics to improve the safety, yield and quality of our potato supply and advance our ambition to scale regenerative agriculture and strengthen our partnership with growers.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of data analytics strategies in digital agriculture initiatives, covering software systems including data collection, modeling, optimization, aggregation and data visualization.
• Drive the integration of diverse datasets used in farm management and precision farming, including grower data, field data, machinery data, crop data, storage data, satellite imagery, soil microbiome data, and weather data.
• Implement data quality, integrity and security measures to ensure compliance with data governance rules and legal regulations.
• Apply advanced analytics techniques to implement predictive modeling, prescriptive analytics, precision agriculture, crop monitoring and management, and decision support systems.
• Implement data-driven models and algorithms to optimize planting decisions, irrigation scheduling, fertilizer application, pest management, harvest scheduling, and other precision farming practices.
• Build advanced analytics solutions to analyze grower data, identify trends, and provide recommendations that drive informed decision-making in agriculture operations.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including product managers, agronomists, data scientists, researchers, and industry partners to define data platform requirements, build analytics solutions that deliver business outcomes and meet sustainability goals.
• Develop advanced analytics solutions to optimize crop production, resource utilization, and sustainability practices in precision farming.
• Lead the integration of digital agriculture technologies with in-house and 3rd party software, ensuring seamless interoperability and data flow across the enterprise data platform.
• Stay current with emerging technologies, data security, and best practices in digital agriculture.
• Drive innovation and continuously optimize processes and technologies by leveraging AI opportunities.

KEY QUALIFICATION & EXPERIENCES:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, Mathematics, Computer Science, or related STEM field; Master's / PhD degree preferred.
• Knowledge in agriculture, agronomy, with proven track record of delivering impactful analytics solutions.
• Understanding of agriculture operations, crop production process, and supply chain management in agriculture industry.
• Experience implementing agriculture analytics solutions such as Yield Analytics, Soil Analytics, Precision Farming Analytics, Carbon Emission Analytics, Crop Health Analytics, Finance and Commodity Market Analytics.
• Experience in Agritech technologies such as IoT devices, sensor networks, environmental monitoring, GIS, biotech, blockchain and traceability.
• Experience with machine learning algorithms, and statistical analysis techniques.
• Experience with both edge computing and cloud computing, and event-driven architecture.
• Excellent program execution and change management skills with the ability to lead cross-functional teams to drive global initiatives from ideation to implementation using Agile methodology.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to effectively convey technical concepts to business stakeholders.
• Collaborate effectively across functional teams in a global, matrix organization
• Experience in product management with understanding of data products P&Ls.
• Thought leader who is focused on innovation, continuous learning and improvement.
• Adaptable and resilient, passionate about the environment and climate change mitigation.
• Willingness to travel 25% of the time required.

McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. We see value in ensuring we have a diverse, antiracist, inclusive, merit-based, and equitable workplace. As a global family-owned company we are proud to reflect the diverse communities around the world in which we live and work. We recognize that diversity drives our creativity, resilience, and success and makes our business stronger.
McCain is an accessible employer. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials or accessible meeting rooms), please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs.
The health and safety of McCain employees and their families has been our number one priority since the start of COVID-19 pandemic. With vaccination restrictions easing across the globe we do not currently require employees to be vaccinated, but we reserve the right to change this mandate in line with health guidance and regulations in each country.
Your privacy is important to us. By submitting personal data or information to us, you agree this will be handled in accordance with the Global Privacy Policy
Job Family: Information Technology
Division: Global Digital Technology
Department: Global Data and Analytics
Location(s): CA - Canada : Ontario : Toronto || CA - Canada : New Brunswick : Florenceville-Bristol || US - United States of America : Illinois : Oakbrook Terrace
Company: McCain Foods (Canada)