Agronomy Manager

Position: Manager, Agronomy Services

Location/Department: Richmond Headquarters/Agronomy Services

Status: Full-Time/Salaried Exempt

Reports To: VP, Agronomy & Agricultural Sustainability

Our Company

The Global Leader in Premium Leaf Tobacco Supply

Universal Leaf Tobacco Company is the world’s leading supplier of premium leaf tobacco, with over 100 years of experience sourcing, processing, and delivering tobacco crops tailored to customer specifications. With operations spanning major tobacco-regions across five continents, we connect hundreds of thousands of farmers to global manufacturers through a reliable, transparent, and traceable supply chain.

Our portfolio includes flue-cured, burley, oriental, and dark tobaccos, supported by deep agronomic expertise and advanced processing capabilities. Beyond the leaf, we offer value-added services such as customized blending, next-generation nicotine solutions, recycled by-products, and digital traceability tools that enhance efficiency and sustainability across the supply chain.

Universal Leaf Tobacco is more than a supplier – we are a long-term partner committed to responsible sourcing, farmer support, and continuous innovation. By investing in agricultural communities and upholding the highest standards of quality and compliance, we help ensure a resilient tobacco supply for generations to come.

Summary

As a Manager, Agronomy Services at Universal, you will lead tobacco agronomy and sustainability programs by coordinating U.S. and global research initiatives, establishing agronomic standards and best practices for tobacco production, and aligning technical guidance with customer, quality, and regulatory requirements. You will also support sustainability governance and translate agronomy data into actionable insights to ensure consistent program implementation across regions and subsidiaries.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

• Provides direction and communication to field personnel, regional agronomy teams, leadership, and customers to align agronomy and sustainability programs with crop quality expectations, regulatory requirements, and customer-specific requirements.
• Coordinates agronomy research & development programs in the USA and provides direction and guidance for global agronomy research, including tobacco variety trials, fertilizer or other crop input trials, and tobacco end-use protocol and procedures; completes other research as needed.
• Establishes and makes recommendations regarding agronomic standards, best-practice frameworks, and technical guidance for tobacco variety selection, crop management systems, pest management, harvesting, curing, and market preparation; ensures consistent implementation through regional agronomy teams.
• Assists in the development and governance of sustainability initiatives such as soil and water conservation, farm worker health and safety, integrated pest and disease management, and environmental emissions in alignment with company policy, customer requirements, and regulatory expectations.
• Reviews and edits agronomy reporting, including crop reports, crop surveys, and technical assessments; synthesizes field data into actionable insights and risk assessments; ensures consistent implementation of company agronomy programs, policies, and documentation standards across subsidiaries and growing regions.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Crop Science, Agriculture or related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Three to five years of experience in an agricultural role.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; with the ability to convey complex technical concepts into clear, actionable guidance for customers, leadership, and operational teams.
• Effective analytical skills with the ability to evaluate agronomic risks and assess alternative solutions to provide strategic or practical solutions.
• Basic knowledge of seed production and variety selection and development.
• Knowledge of one or more major tobacco types (Flue-Cured, Burley, Dark Air-Cured, Wrapper, Oriental), with the ability to guide agronomic programs across diverse growing regions.
• Willingness to travel both internationally and domestically up to approximately 45% of the year.

Preferred Requirements

• Experience with multi-region or international agronomy programs.
• Direct experience supporting customer-driven agronomic requirements and sustainability initiatives.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of market-competitive total rewards that include 401(k) match, pension, merit increases, paid holidays, medical, dental, life, vision, short and long-term disability benefits, and tuition assistance to name a few.

EOE M/F/Disabled/Vet Employer

All applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.