THE COMPANY
AAKO is a family-owned company founded in 1945 and today a trusted global distributor of high-quality chemicals. With decades of experience, we connect markets and sectors through deep expertise, a strong international network, and an exceptional focus on safety and quality. Our motto “Chemical Excellence” reflects who we are: committed to delivering top-quality products and building long-term partnerships based on trust and reliability.
What makes AAKO unique is not only what we deliver, but how we work: with reliability, loyalty, and the personal approach of a family company that has grown into an international partner. Trust, honesty, and genuine collaboration are at the heart of our culture – the chemistry between people.
Within our Crop Protection division, we operate in North Africa, where we contribute to healthy harvests, food security, and sustainable farming practices by providing reliable, high-quality, and increasingly sustainable crop protection solutions.
THIS ROLE OFFERS...
Principal mission:
As Portfolio Manager, you are the key technical and portfolio reference for crop protection products in North Africa. You combine strong market understanding with solid technical expertise and maintain close relationships with customers, distributors, and suppliers.
In this highly visible international role, you act as a strategic interface between the local markets and AAKO headquarters in the Netherlands, contributing directly to portfolio decisions and regional growth.
Key Responsibilities
- Managing and expanding the Crop Protection portfolio in North Africa, including biological and green solutions, and defining a mid- to long-term portfolio strategy.
- Identifying new product opportunities, assessing market potential, and building robust business cases.
- Monitoring technical developments, regulatory trends, and competitive landscapes, and translating market intelligence into concrete portfolio actions.
- Advising and supporting customers and distributors on product positioning, launches, and value-based technical arguments.
- Organizing and supervising product trials and market introductions in close collaboration with sales teams and partners.
- Supporting complaint handling and technical problem-solving in a structured, professional, and timely manner.
- Building and maintaining strong relationships with distributors, advisory bodies, suppliers, and internal stakeholders.
- Contributing to annual sales, marketing, and development plans, and actively driving the achievement of agreed objectives.
THIS POSITION IS FOR YOU IF...
Knowledge & Skills
We are looking for an experienced agribusiness professional with a strong understanding of the North African crop protection market. You have:
• A relevant academic degree or equivalent professional experience.
• At least 5 years of experience combining technical and marketing responsibilities in crop protection within an international environment.
• Solid knowledge of the crop protection market, particularly active ingredients, and formulations.
• Fluency in English and French (spoken and written); Arabic is a strong plus.
• Strong communication skills, analytical accuracy, and adaptability.
• With this background, you can alternate between strategic thinking and hands-on execution, while building trust with both local partners and international teams.
Abilities & Behaviour
• Excellent communication and listening skills
• Natural leadership and credibility
• Team player with strong interpersonal skills
• Strategic mindset combined with pragmatism
• Results-oriented and accountable
• Strong operational discipline
• Experience working within a multinational and multicultural environment
Points of attention
• Excellent communication and listening skills
• Natural leadership and credibility
• Team player with strong interpersonal skills
• Strategic mindset combined with pragmatism
• Results-oriented and accountable
• Strong operational discipline
• Experience working within a multinational and multicultural environment
Strengths of the job
• A key role in the further growth of Crop Protection in North Africa.
• The security of a stable, international organization with a strong reputation in chemical distribution.
• Plenty of room for ownership and initiative within your market area.
• Close cooperation with colleagues in the Netherlands and an international network of specialists.
• Opportunities to deepen your expertise through training and international collaboration
Location:
reside in Europe, ideally in the Netherlands ( close to the Headquarters) or France
Business travel: up to 50 %
SAC - Agro-Chimie (Phyto)
SHD052601073
CDI