Agronomy Director

The Agronomy Director is responsible for the business and financial results of the Agronomy department within Five Star’s geographic area. Incumbent’s responsibilities include directing, promoting, and coordinating agronomy operations in a manner that will optimize the cooperative’s market share and savings, improve the cooperatives efficiency, help achieve the cooperative’s mission and goals, and result in outstanding customer service.

The Agronomy Director’s responsibilities involve supervision of sales agronomists, marketing, profitability and sales, reporting, purchasing, resale pricing, inventory, service, and other duties as assigned by the General Manager. Incumbent will establish and communicate department goals and results to the sales team, staff’s the department and delegates the workload amongst team members and supports team member growth.

This position will maintain a positive attitude that promotes teamwork within the agronomy department, as well as within the cooperative and always upholds a favorable image of Five Star Cooperative.

Essential Tasks:

• Establishes department goals with assistance from the GM
• Conducts department planning and updating meetings with the GM and CFO
• Develops and implements agronomy departments marketing plans, objective, and policies consistent with the goals and objectives of the company
• Directs and supervises all efforts of the sales team and develops customer marketing programs
• Assigns team member responsibilities and maintains job descriptions, develops performance standards, completes and administers bi-annual and annual (or more often) performance reviews for team members, plans and provides opportunities for advancement, training, and development.
• Contributes to the development of policies and procedures for various activities related to the company’s assigned activities, such as: contracting, pricing, risk management, marketing, logistics, etc.
• Aids in developing programs to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of the company’s agronomy presence
• Promotes company communication efforts at all levels regarding agronomy market intelligence, policies, procedures, and agronomy department direction as it relates to the assigned market
• Communicates the strategic direction and needs of the company to the vendors, the industry, and the employees
• Applies sound business principles in the management of the department
• Oversees the procurement of Agronomy products
• Researches and develops financing and business solutions to increase market share and profitability
• Develops annual and long-term strategic and operational plans for the Agronomy department
• Assures other divisions understand the business plan of the department and that efforts with other departments are not in conflict
• Responsible for product purchasing and establishing product margins that meets the financial goals of the cooperative (including understanding the distributor CPP programs)
• Assures that the agronomy division team members understand company-wide objectives and how the agronomy department supports company goals
• Assures the cooperative is a leader in agronomic recommendations and creates superior value to its customers
• Recommends fixed asset purchases to the GM consistent with equipment replacement schedules or business conditions
• Provides excellent customer service
• Strong organizational, problem solving, and analytical skills; ability to manage priorities and workflow with acute attention to detail
• Enforce and abide by all cooperative policies
• Enforce and uphold the cooperative’s credit policy
• Assists with recordkeeping and filing needs
• Good communication with all employees and customers
• Handles customer complaints smoothly
• Notifies supervisor of problems
• Solves problems as quickly as possible, either personally or through communication with the supervisor

Education:

• Associates or Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture or related field
• Experience may be substituted for education

Experience:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills necessary
• Computer skills required – Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel
• Good customer service skills and approach necessary
• Agronomy sales experience
• Agriculture Chemistry knowledge
• Collaborating and directing a team

License, Certificate, or Registration: Valid driver’s license required, Class A CDL preferred

Basic Skills: Speaking, Writing, Reading Comprehension, Listening, Monitoring, Judgement and Decision Making, Time Management