Seed Specialist

Key Cooperative is a member-owned, rural Iowa cooperative serving agriculture producers. With locations in 13 communities and 6 counties. Key Cooperative provides Agronomy, Energy, Feed and Grain with a small-town, yet professional feel. Our employees take pride in our identity, and they're committed to the success of our owners by delivering innovation, leadership, and performance. If you're looking for a place where you can grow and be proud of what you do each day - you can find this kind of career at Key Cooperative. 

We are currently hiring a Seed Specialist to join our team. In this role, you will grow seed market and wallet share by actively calling on Key Agronomy Accounts, both current and prospective accounts. The Seed Sales Specialist will also do this through assisting in coaching and mentoring of the Sales Agronomist Team through direction of the Sales & Marketing Manager. All of this while maintaining Key Cooperative's profitability.

We offer competitive compensation along with a full benefits package including development opportunities, health, vision, and dental insurance along with two retirement plans - 401(k) and pension. We also offer an amazing family work environment where we all share a passion for agriculture and our member-owners and customers. 

This role is for you if you have:

·         Bachelor's degree (B. S.) from four-year college or university; or a minimum of five to seven years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

·         Certified Crop Advisor

·         Ability to work longer hours during peak seasons.

·         An outstanding work ethic with ability to pay attention to the details

·         Ability to always project a positive attitude to customers and employees while exhibiting good customer relations skills.  

What you will be doing:

·      Grow seed market share by closing sales with current and prospective seed accounts with our trade territory. This includes closing sales in conjunction with Sales Agronomists, with the intent to have the new account working directly with that Sales Agronomist and Location.

·      Service current and prospective seed accounts after the sale through a high level of expertise in Crop Production with an emphasis in Seed.

·      Service current and prospective seed accounts after the sale with a high level of communication to Location Managers and Sales Agronomists.

·      Service key current and prospective accounts through proper accounting and operational procedures.

·      Assist and promote the sales and marketing activities related to Seed as directed by the Sales & Marketing Manager. This may include but is not limited to field days, appreciation days, county fairs, tech conferences, plots, trials, newsletter articles, advertising and other Key Cooperative and supplier events.

·      Assist in developing and implementing seed marketing programs as directed by the Sales & Marketing Manager.

·      Assist with seed deliveries, transfers, and other seed operations duties.

·      Provide regular reports to the Sales & Marketing Manager regarding call activity, customer, and industry trends.

·      Assist in coaching and mentoring the Sales Agronomists through on-farm calls, location calls as well as classroom training as directed by the Sales and Marketing Manager.

·      Assist with the servicing of accounts in the event a of a Sales Agronomist transition as well as onboarding.

·      Assist in the implementation of seed show plots as well as field signing. This includes plot layout, supplier contact, field sign training and plot yield analysis.