Agronomist - GRAINCO FS - Mazon, IL

The FS brand represents a standard of excellence for agricultural and energy-related products. It's the people who represent the FS brand that set it apart. As local cooperatives, FS Companies believe it is their responsibility to ensure that our earth, our communities, and businesses perform together, sustainably. FS Companies are committed to ensuring the continued profitability for the company, their owners, and their customers, while enacting to help the environment and greater good.

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY STATEMENT

• Works to generate profitable sales in the assigned territory through learning target marketing, competitive analysis, providing value-added agronomic products, services, and recommendations, ensuring the credit worthiness of customers, and promoting credit programs as marketing tools. 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Utilizes target marketing and professional sales techniques, including the FS sales interview road map, cropping programs, emphasis of appropriate features and benefits, and contact management system when calling on established patrons and prospects.
• Develops territory and competitive analysis to maintain a current knowledge of the marketplace and the competition.
• Provides value-added agronomic products, services, and recommendations to established patrons and prospects.  Schedules product delivery and application to patron locations.  Conducts regular patron meetings on product and technical information. 
• Conducts sales interviews, identifies customer needs, and offers value-added agronomic products, services, and recommendations to established patrons and prospects.  Assists with regular patron meetings on product and technical information. 
• Provides customer service by scheduling product deliveries and application, soil testing, crop scouting and other programs. Follows up on all customer complaints and seeks a reasonable “win/win” resolution.
• Ensures the credit worthiness of customers, quotes prices and credit terms, and prepares sales contracts for orders obtained.  Promotes the use of credit programs as a sales tool and helps provide the required information to establish credit.
• Implements marketing plans and develops sales strategies that generate profitable sales in the assigned territory.

OTHER JOB FUNCTIONS

• Responsible for maintaining the assigned vehicle according to company standards, adheres to the uniform policy, and maintains the appropriate professional image.
• Assists in operations as needed.
• Collects for sales of all assigned products according to company credit policy.
• Ensures field signs are displayed on all customers’ fields to promote FS products
• Responsible for completing and updating profile information sheets on all key accounts and targeted prospects.
• Attains and maintains technical and sales skills to certification standards.
• Performs all other duties as assigned. 

REQUIREMENTS

• Normally requires an Bachelor’s Degree in agriculture, marketing or business related discipline or the equivalent thereof, and 1 - 2 years or more of business related work experience and/or training or equivalent to demonstrate the ability to generate sales in an assigned territory.
• Demonstrated essential abilities including business knowledge, collaboration, communication, customer focus, decision making and skill development.
• Ability to obtain and maintain the appropriate driver’s license and satisfactory driving record for the type of vehicle that will be required to operate in order to perform all the duties assigned prior to employment. Daily independent travel within the trade area with occasional over-night stays.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain applicable professional certifications associated with the agronomy industry. (i.e. CCA, CCS, CPAg, Commercial Applicator w/applicable categories)
• Occasionally exposed or required to: 
  • Extreme weather conditions (hot, cold, wet, etc.)
  • Noisy conditions
  • Working conditions may include dust, fumes, chemicals, and electrical hazards with appropriate safety measures
  • May be required to work at varying heights
  • Lift up to 75 lbs.
• Must have the ability to travel independently and overnight.
• Ability to work extended hours as business conditions warrant

FS. Bringing You What's Next. We are an equal opportunity employer, including protected veterans and qualified individuals with disabilities. Employment may be contingent upon receipt of an acceptable and job-related background check, motor vehicle report, and/or reference check, as applicable and permissible by law.