Job Title: Sales Territory Representative

Job Location: Two positions open, one in Salinas, CA, and one in Yuma, AZ

Salary Range: $90,000 – $105,000 + commission payment

To Apply: Send resumes to Careers@vilmorinmikado.com

The fourth-largest seed company in the world.  Limagrain is an international cooperative group created and directed by French farmers. As a creator and producer of plant varieties, Limagrain markets field seeds, vegetable seeds, and cereal products.

Vilmorin-Mikado USA, Inc. is the Business Unit of Group Limagrain, a socially conscious company headquartered in France and Japan; that specializes in breeding, producing, and marketing vegetable and tree seeds for professional farmers worldwide. The diversity within our multicultural teams drives the company’s growth strategy through quality products, expertise, and commitment to excellence. Vilmorin-Mikado USA, Inc., is the North American operation of Vilmorin-Mikado and is the reporting location for this position. This position reports to the Subsidiary Manager.

Position Summary:

Establish and maintain accounts in the assigned region and the West Coast Dealer Network. The position holder is expected to make direct and dealer sales to the customer by understanding market trends and growers’ needs while also working closely with Product Development to identify leafy and brassica varieties suited for the region. Further, this position serves as the coordinator for all business-related topics in the assigned Region (CA or AZ). The position manages Sales Representatives. Champion the processes, tools, and technologies used by the sales team and support in day-to-day commercial activities that help salespeople and Product Development improve efficiency and increase productivity.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Sales

• Maintain, introduce, and establish our proprietary portfolio that includes superior leafy and brassica varieties through trialing and written evaluations of trial performance for our vendors and internal review.
• Manage and improve customer relations with grower accounts in the assigned region and dealer accounts in the Western region.
• Expand our customer base and market share and the Dealer Network.
• Be active with all local complaints or claims from inception and follow through with the process in WIN.
• Remain in close communication with the Supply Chain Department for delivery of orders and inventory management.
• Assist with order deliveries when the warehouse staff is unavailable.

Sales Effectiveness

• Implement and maintain high forecast accuracy through the use of the Futuremaster planning tool. The forecast accuracy will be measurable through KPI reviewed at the start of each fiscal year.
• With the support of Legal, implement Purchase Order Agreements within the dealer network.
• Implement and maintain customer sales effectiveness through a company-provided format. Historical and current years forecast followed through with quarterly action plans reviewed and discussed with Sub Manager.
• Provide Sales leadership and support employee development.
• Implement the use of the Company Customer Relationship Management tool to accurately track accounts.
• Primary functions and Contacts
• Current and future market potential
  • Trials/product performance
  • Current and past due invoices
  • Traceability of free of seed
  • Open invoices

Accounts Receivables

• Follow up on collections of accounts as needed and support Finance and Accounting on customer credit and payment terms.

Product Development and Research & Development

• Provide input on Commercial and pre-commercial trialing programs for leafy and brassica as needed through evaluations and grower interest.
• Assist in the planting and evaluation of leafy and Brassica trials
• Trial reports – prepare and/or review as needed
• Variety slotting – ensure PD knows slots for varieties for best results as well as slots that should be avoided
• Review advanced genetics (R&D trials) and provide feedback.
• Keep Research up to date on market trends and needs.
• Help locate and place R&D trials with support of Product Development.

Sales Forecasting

• Bi-annual forecast update (February & June each year) by variety/month to prepare the S&OP process.
• Monthly updates
• Revising gross sales for the coming three months (due 1st of each month).
• Briefly explain (2-3 sentences) why the variance from the forecast by variety.
• Responsible for selling varieties at the end of the lifecycle
• Participate and have an action plan for surplus inventory outside of the life cycle

Operational Excellence

• CRM Tool use and complete implementation with the Regional Team.

Marketing

• Understand and share knowledge of target markets and customers.
• Be aware of the ability to bundle related services and products as needed
• Seed coating and pelleting needs and chemical treatments
• Gain understanding and discuss areas of possible expansion
• Be aware of and share new ideas/industry concepts as they relate to our industry
• Supply input for the long-term strategy of the company
• Implementation of the product launching plan
• Active participation in organization and execution of promotional activities like field days, product videos, input for newsletters, website, etc.

Market Intelligence

• Monitor market trends at the grower level regarding commodities usage, new projects, and innovation being implemented.
• Share all information related to competitors from pricing to new product introduction and quantity.

Coordination

• Animate on a bi-weekly basis the activities through the CRM – visits reports, customer mapping, and crop knowledge for the entire area region.
• Support pricing strategy with Subsidiary manager based on Margin performance & market intelligence.
• Display all supply-related information to the local team such as shortages, quality, and delays, and prepare a backup plan to absorb the business impact.
• Engage & coordinate actions to manage inventory/surplus in the region with the local team (Supply & CS).
• Review and challenge all forecasted items before the S&OP cycle for the region for N+1 & 2 using Futurmaster.
• Propose & support actions achieving the sales target in her/his region such as payment terms, early cash collection incentive, rebates, FOC, and POA… (no authority to validate).

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in an agricultural-related field (or equivalent job experience)
• Knowledge of sales in the assigned region as well as market and grower trends in the vegetable seed Dealer Network.
• Knowledge and understanding of the lettuce industry as well as lettuce varieties and slotting is preferred.
• Knowledge and understanding of the seed industry preferred.
• At least 5 years of experience in agriculture-related business is preferred.
• Computer skills (working knowledge of MS Office Suite, Internet, Email).
• Valid driver’s license and clean driving record.
• Spanish speaking a plus.