Account Manager, Sales

Job Description

Job Description

Gowan SeedTech (GST) is a seed treatment company focused on the US specialty/vegetable market. We aim to bring the highest quality, and most innovative solutions to growers for early-season pests and diseases. GST recently acquired the FarMore Vegetable Seed Treatment Platform, and we are looking to expand the sales team. This position (Southern Sales Rep) will be focused on growing the business in the vegetable growing regions, with a specific focus on onions. The Southern Sales Rep will also have responsibility for covering other major growing areas in the southern half of the US, where our products are currently used on onions as well as leafy greens, brassicas, and cucurbits. Since we are a new company to the space, the successful candidate will be tasked with building demand for our products with our customers, discovering new areas where our products can help growers, and raising awareness for our brand and mission.

This position reports to Gowan SeedTech General Manager

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Customer Relationship Management Duties will include the following:
• Establishing relationships with seed breeders and dealers, in-house and independent agronomists, key growers, and any key stakeholder who influences the business in the area.
• Discovering the preferred path to sales, consistent with Gowan SeedTech’s capabilities.
• Building support, rapport and earn trust with seed breeder and dealer management.
• Developing local champions for Gowan products among seed breeder and dealer sales representatives.
• Targeting key growers who are influential in their area to increase the impact of your sales efforts.
• Facilitate the transfer of retail chemical sprays to seed treatment, working alongside relevant PCAs or chemical retail businesses.
• Identify and address any areas of friction around decisions or rules made by commodity groups, shippers, and others who influence buying.
• Sales Responsibilities will include the following:
• Growing a reputation for Gowan SeedTech as a company dedicated to: 1. building the best seed treatment products; and 2. bringing value to growers to solve current and future problems.
• Spotting the primary sales opportunities in your region and creating a plan to increase market share.
• Being the main advocate for GST’s products in your region and educating customers on the solutions our products provide.
• Acting as the primary point of contact for all questions and issues relating to GST’s activities in your region.
• Building a complete picture of the use patterns and market share of GST’s and competitor products, along with untreated acres or crops in your region.
• P&L responsibility for the sales region, including budgeting and managing sales related expenses such as business promotion, customer entertainment, travel, product demos, communications, and more. 
• Sales and Product Development Responsibilities will include the following:
• Working with customers to place and evaluate commercial field demonstration trials to build grower confidence in the efficacy and safety of our products.
• Attending University Extension, Private Cooperator, and Industry field days and/or grower meetings to increase awareness of local issues and GST’s solutions for them.
• Representing GST at major conferences for your key crops and region.
• Identifying unmet needs in seed treatment in your region and working with the development team to bring solutions to the market.
• Working with Field Development Representatives to outline trials needed for use in sales materials, developing new uses, and new product development.

EDUCATION: 

• Minimum Education: BS Degree or above in Ag. Econ/Business, Plant Science, Weed Science, Entomology, Plant Pathology, or Agronomy with 3-5+ years field experience in crop protection industry.
• Preferred Education:  An advanced degree in one of the areas listed above

EXPERIENCE/SKILLS:

• The ideal candidate for this position will have:
• 5+ years of field experience in the crop protection industry, and familiarity with the vegetable seed industry.
• Extensive experience working in all the following cropping systems – onions (required), leafy greens, brassicas, cucurbits, fruiting vegetables and other specialty vegetable crops.
• A thorough understanding of the US crop protection industry.
• Strong inter-personal skills to enable communication with fellow colleagues and customers, including seed breeder/dealer sales reps and their regional management, university stakeholders, independent and in-house agronomists, as well as the greater Gowan SeedTech team.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with experience in translating detailed scientific information into practical decision-ready information for non-technical clients.
• A self-starter mindset and the ability to take initiative and conduct themselves in a professional manner with some direct supervision. 
• Need to be proficient in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.

JOB EXPECTATIONS: 

• Ability to travel frequently within the assigned territory to meet with customers and attend industry events.
• Work both independently and as part of a larger sales and technical team.
• Ability to handle seasonal workloads and longer hours during peak agricultural periods.
• Must be able to work in field conditions and perform hands-on tasks related to product demonstrations and field trials.
• Strong entrepreneurial mindset with the goal of building Gowan SeedTech’s sales and reputation by displaying the company’s values and dedication to the seed treatment industry.