General Manager/CEO - Wanstead Farmers Co-Operative - Wyoming, ON Canada

Wanstead Farmers Co-operative Ltd. is a 100 per cent farmer-owned grain marketing and farm-input supply company that serves more than 500 farmer owners in three locations in Lambton and Middlesex counties. It is a leader in precision farming technology, seed and agronomy services. Wanstead Farmers Co-operative is a member-owner of GROWMARK, Inc. and markets products and services under the FS banner.

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

• Under the direction of the Board of Directors, responsible for providing leadership, direction, and oversight to the business operations according to the company's governing documents, its employees, equipment, and facilities. Has overall responsibility to ensure the financial health, well-being, and profitable growth of the company is consistent with policies and practices adopted by the board.

Supervision and Leadership

• Supervises, develops, and leads staff members.

Essential Job Functions

• Leading the management team in developing, formulating, and administering strategic plans, policies, and tactics required to reach short-and long-term objectives.
• Developing business strategies and evaluating business operations to ensure overall alignment with organization-wide strategies and business objectives.
• Managing the organization's human capital by establishing programs and support systems for recruitment, hiring, training, evaluation, retention, and succession planning.
• Implementing initiatives to increase profits through performance and productivity improvements.
• Developing internal reporting and metrics to measure and calibrate the company's performance against goals and objectives.
• Assessing the company's marketing strengths and weaknesses and developing programs to improve marketing performance.
• Developing and administering annual operating budgets and securing necessary approval from the board of directors for annual budgets, fixed asset purchases and leases, contractual obligations, and other matters requiring board authority.
• Establishing and maintaining appropriate financial reporting and internal control mechanisms.
• Procuring and maintaining working capital, merchandise, and equipment.
• Ensuring compliance with all company policies and regulatory agencies.
• Timely and accurate reporting of all financial, operational, personnel, and marketing issues and activities to the board of directors.
• Other Job Functions
  
  • Achieving a professional image of the company and the cooperative way of doing business among patrons, stockholders, and the general public.
  • Overseeing the implementation of training and education programs for all employees.
  • Following Code of Conduct and Corporate Compliance Program, Environmental Health and Safety, OSHA and DOT policies and procedures.
  • Performing all other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent, and 10 or more years' experience in a leadership and management capacity.
• Demonstrated ability to provide leadership in financial management and planning.
• Credit management experience.
• Experience dealing with lenders and investors.
• Strong people skills including motivation and leadership.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve sales growth.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve local earnings over a sustained period.
• Agricultural background (preferred but not necessary).
• Depth in understanding and utilizing technology.
• Ability to work well under pressure.
• Well organized and able to meet deadlines.
• Ability to multitask.
• Proven management and leadership skills including staffing, orientation, coaching, performance evaluations, training, and development.
• Proven professional management communication, interpersonal, persuasion, presentation, problem-solving, and analytic skills.
• Proven organization and planning skills including imparting vision, strategic thinking and planning, and being results-oriented.
• Valid driver's license and satisfactory driving record with the ability to travel independently and overnight when necessary.
• Willingness to participate in required training related to the position.

We are an equal opportunity employer. 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.