Regional Sales Manager

Passionate about Sustainable and Organic Agriculture? Build and manage a territory by developing strong relationships with dealers, farmers and end users to understand their needs and position Albert Lea Seed, Blue River, and Viking brand seed products. 

Who Are We? 

At Albert Lea Seed House, we are committed to providing high quality organic and conventional non-GMO seed and helping farmers succeed. Independent-minded farmers and dealers rely on us as a friendly source for practical information and farm-proven products that drive purposeful results.

We provide a diverse, whole-farm product offering that drives year-round production and supports better soil health for both organic and conventional farming. Offering a broad lineup of products and supporting diversified farming has been important to us since 1923, and we continue that tradition with pride. Our branded product lines include Blue River organic corn, soybean, and alfalfa and Viking non-GMO corn, soybean, and alfalfa. Albert Lea Seed also offers a quality lineup of alfalfa, cover crops, forages, and small grains. For more than 100 years, our independent farm seed company has grown to meet the ever-changing needs of American farmers, their families, and communities.

ABOUT THE ROLE
You’re a constant learner, strong communicator, and relationship builder who gets excited about the opportunity to build a business by developing new dealers, helping current dealers grow their business, and calling directly on farmers in underserved areas in the East Coast Region. 

Responsibilities and Duties

• Build and Grow Dealer Relationships
• Recruit and onboard new dealers.
• Work closely with current dealers on their business plan to ensure they are meeting their goals.
• Train, encourage, and develop dealers as they work to meet their goals.
• Be the go-to product expert for dealers and their customers – train dealers on products and help with any agronomic questions.
• Promote Albert Lea Seed House and our product lines to build brand presence on the East Coast.
• Grow Product Sales
• Develop and implement sales plan for territory to grow sales of organic and non-GMO corn and soybeans.
• Develop and maintain relationships with dealers and key customers.
• Organize and execute on-farm plots and field days. 
• Collaborate with marketing team on sales objectives and contribute to development of marketing content including video, digital and print.
• Work closely with dealer network, account managers, operations, product, and marketing team to achieve regional business objectives.
• Call directly on farmers in underserved areas to build the business and grow sales.

Training and Education

• Educate dealer network on product agronomic basics, selection, and farm placement.
• Learn how diverse crop species fit into organic and conventional crop rotations.
• Attend field days, university events and conferences.
• Special coursework as needed to increase knowledge.
• Stay up-to-date on the seed industry – stay curious and always learning.

Qualifications and Skills

• Knowledge, Skills and Personal Attributes
• Demonstrate the ability to plan, prioritize and organize to effectively manage multiple projects and activities with minimal direction.
• Respond to change in a flexible manner to meet evolving department needs.
• Communicate effectively verbally and in writing – is comfortable and effective at speaking to groups of employees.
• Is cooperative, accommodating and exhibits a customer service attitude.
• Strong public speaking and presentation skills – is comfortable on camera and can speak impromptu.
• Exhibit a high degree of ethical conduct and discretion.
• Exercise good judgement and always exemplify professional behavior with accountability, integrity and follow-through.
• Remain current on all required training and certifications.
• Adhere to department procedures regarding punctuality and attendance and exhibit flexibility and cooperation with shift scheduling.
• Critical soft skills including, confidence, active listening, organization, critical thinking, attention to detail, flexibility and intellectual curiosity.

Education, Credentials and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Ag Business or a similar amount of seed industry experience required.    
• Computer proficiency in MS office products and Outlook. 
• Ability to learn and operate ERP software. 
• Strong organization and communication skills, attention to detail and ability to set appropriate boundaries with staff and customers.
• Knowledge of seed species and varieties.

Benefits

• Competitive starting wage commensurate with education and experience.
• Annual bonuses.
• Full benefits package including: health insurance 401(k) profit sharing plan, paid holidays, paid time off, life insurance, dental and vision insurance, PTO, and Sick time.
• We value our employee’s lives away from work; we offer paid maternity and paternity leave, paid volunteer days, professional development opportunities, and flexible scheduling to support family life. 

The Location

This Regional Sales Manager position is based in our East Coast Region. This person will work remotely in the state of Pennsylvania or New York to support and grow our opportunities within the Eastern region. 

Travel

There will be a fair amount of travel required within the Eastern region to visit dealers, farmer customers and trade shows. 

Albert Lea Seed House is an equal-opportunity employer.   We comply with the applicable laws relating to discrimination and retaliation against qualified applicants or employees in hiring or in any decision affecting job status or pay, based on any legally recognized basis including, but not limited to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, marital status, familial status, veteran status.  Minorities are encouraged to apply.