Origination Manager

The Origination Manager is an experienced commodity originator with proven history of producer relationship building and commodity buying skills.  This role leads Scoular’s efforts in securing, maintaining and enhancing grower relationships to ensure that Scoular can meet and exceed customer commodity expectations.  This position creates the local producer strategy and leads the day to day execution of buying commodities for the business unit and leads a team of Orignators to perform at a high level.  The Origination Manager maintains specialties in grain purchasing to originate raw materials.  Furthermore, the Manager is also responsible for fostering a strong collaborative relationship with merchandising and operations teams.

Enhance Origination Network:

• Partner with Asset Trade Unit Manager in planning and execution of grain purchasing operations to increase market share and profitability.
• Evaluate market viability and potential against organizational goals to manage organizational risk. 
• Create organizational commodity-based grain purchasing strategies and budgets, monitor origination execution progress and report to Asset Trade Unit Manager.
• Knowledgeable of Scoular's risk management tools and digital interaction tools.
• Strong understanding of local producer trends and communicates this information to the team.
• Maintain and grow strong working relationships with farm producers by providing credible and trustworthy marketing services that contributes to the company’s excellent customer service image in the farming community.
• Responsible for building relationships with new producers and communicating grower relationship outcomes and market opportunities to the Asset Trade Unit Manager.
• Provide customers with accurate market information and answers to questions about their business transactions.
• Oversee, implement, and maintain detailed procedures, manuals and resources required for the team to efficiently fulfill their duties. Ensure the information available to the team is relevant and current in all locations.  Ensure compliance with all regulatory and company policies, procedures, and administrative responsibilities. 
• Responsible for reporting relevant metrics, key performance indicators and implement team goals that are aligned with company strategic objectives.

Business Planning & Growth:

• Provide strategic vision to Asset Trade Unit Manager and direct reports on the direction of grain purchasing operations that support overall organizational goals.
• Partner with Asset Trade Unit Manager and respective Regional Origination Specialist(s) to cultivate knowledge of and promote the areas of Origination focus.  Work with team on broader origination goal alignment and drive accountability to trade unit team.
• Lead business unit in creating a localized focus on origination initiatives. 
• Participate in forecasting & budgeting with accuracy and timeliness.  Ability to explain and articulate variances.
• Participate in change management best practices to ensure effective business transformation and adoption of technology solutions.
• Represent Scoular via participation in Grower-centric industry associations to understand and share practices and expand our industry network relationships.
• Knowledgeable and aware of upcoming market trends, anticipate the impact and continuously monitoring competitive landscape.

Team Leadership:

• Lead local origination team in creating a culture of customer service, agility and creative problem solving to identify supply chain solutions.
• Collaborate with Regional Manager and Producer Origination Business Partners to create and track goals for origination team.
• Guide the team so their decisions support optimal efficiencies in our origination execution, with a focus on mitigating costs and limiting risk.
• Coach, support, and motivate the teams to achieve collective optimal performance. Provide timely feedback, practicing consistent team governance and advocating for the team. Engage team members in crucial conversations as required to address performance concerns.
• Prioritize tasks, projects and accountabilities for the team.  Manage time and workloads effectively to ensure achievement of individual, departmental and companywide goals and objectives.
• Navigate the team through various changes in support of continuous improvement.

Qualifications:

• College degree in business related field or equivalent and relevant experience.

• Minimum of 5 years of agri-business experience.
• 5 years of grain purchasing/origination industry experience.

• Demonstrated leadership skills with strong business acumen and ability to drive forward and execute strategy.

• Strong problem solving and troubleshooting concerns with grain quality.
• Excellent communication and relationship building skills.
• Demonstrated competencies in strategic planning, customer service, team leadership, creative and independent problem solving.

• Proven ability to perform in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to travel, as needed