Company description

Johnny’s Selected Seeds was established in 1973 by our Founder, Rob Johnston, Jr. Today we are 100% Employee Owned. Johnny’s mission is Helping families, friends, and communities to feed one another by providing superior seeds, tools, information, and service.

Johnny’s is renowned for our exceptional customer service offering seeds, tools, supplies and information to direct-market growers and avid home gardeners. We source, breed, trial, and sell outstanding selected varieties of vegetables, cut flowers, herbs, and farm seed, as well as thoughtfully designed tools and equipment. We take pride in the wealth of information and depth of experience we offer our customer base, nationwide and globally.

We are a strong, stable company focused on growth while still maintaining our small company feel and staying true to our roots. Beautiful Central Maine, where our research farm, warehouse, and offices are located, is the perfect launching point for an active, four-season lifestyle. Geographically situated halfway between Maine’s mountains and its 4500-mile-long coastline, we’re a short drive away from resorts, parks, and harbors renowned for a rich diversity of recreational and cultural opportunities.

If you are passionate about good, healthy food and would choose to work for a company with fellow co-owners who are passionate about our mission and values, Johnny’s may be the place for you!

Job description

WI, IL, MN, IA Territory

The focus is on attaining long and short-term sales goals in a manner that aligns with JSS overall company goals and mission. Responsible for managing existing commercial growers and for developing new business with additional growers in the territory. Management responsibilities include the full scope of developing and executing an approved sales plan. Responsible for analyzing and communicating both the growers’ and competitors’ trends, organizing and managing events in the territory, developing, and fostering relationships with all levels within the grower’s business. In addition, this position is responsible to understand any restrictions or regulations in the territory, the growers’ go-to-market strategies and then to develop recommendations to customize programs to secure or increase JSS business with the growers. This position will be responsible for developing presentations and business review for key growers as well as report back to JSS management.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Sales Planning
   1. Develop a territory specific annual sales plan that includes goals, strategies and tactics aligned with JSS yearly plan and multi-year strategy. Elements of the plan must include:
      1. Sales forecast
      2. Customer acquisition

• Customer retention

1. Territory budget management
2. Expense management

1. Territory Management
   1. Responsible for the day-to-day execution of the territory specific annual sales plan.
   2. Work with designated top growers, building relationships and consulting on farming needs to grow sales
   3. Prospect new commercial growers
   4. Communicate customer interaction in Salesforce.com
   5. Work with Finance/Accounts Receivable on customer terms
   6. Monitor and report on competition by gathering marketplace information on pricing, products, delivery schedules, shipping fees, merchandising, volume, etc.
   7. Develop and cultivate relationships with Cooperator/Vendor Reps in the territory to partner and further develop grower relations.
   8. Work with growers in the territory to:
      1. Support territory product trials with JSS Product Managers and the Regional Product Development Rep,
      2. Identify and communicate new product and service opportunities, special developments, information, or feedback.
         1. Specifically bring back regional variety favorites for product manager review and trial with a goal of adding to JSS product portfolio.
      3. Coordinate annual top to top meetings/business reviews with the largest key growers in territory
      4. Participate in customer facing webinars and educational events
      5. Travel to regional trade shows, conferences, and conduct grower visits.

1. Sales Analysis and Reporting
   1. Monthly volume review for the territory versus prior year, highlighting territory trends, and gathering insights
   2. Maintain customer data integrity in CRM
   3. Submit Weekly key grower communication and market takeaways.
2. Territory Relationship & Team Building
   1. Partner with the territory’s Sales Support Specialist, provide training needed and delegate tasks defined in the Sales Support Specialist position description.
   2. Monitor and evaluate the workload of the Sales Support Specialist by regularly meeting with the team (Sales Support Specialist and the other Rep).
3. Personal and Professional Development
   1. Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, participating in professional societies, etc.
   2. Actively participate in JSS Field Forums and Crop walks.
   3. Participate in all JSS company wide and quarterly meetings.
   4. Actively participate on cross-functional teams as the Commercial Sales Team representative, bringing the customer perspective and gaining a greater understanding of the other functional areas’ roles, responsibilities, opportunities, and challenges.

Minimum Qualifications/Educational Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in horticulture, sustainable agriculture, related science field or related experience.

Required Skills/Attributes:

• Sales
  • Strong relationship builder across the JSS organization and with growers.
  • Active listener.
  • Strong sense of urgency, aggressive follow through and feeling of ownership for the territories.
  • Skilled negotiator, problem solver and closer.
  • Results oriented self-starter with a track record of meeting or exceeding stretch goals.
  • Exceptional B2B “outside” sales, marketing & customer focused experience.
• Business
  • Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks.
  • Complete knowledge of the company’s product portfolio.
  • Ability to provide insights through analysis.
  • Ability to develop and manage a territory spending budget to achieve maximum results and ROI.
• Interpersonal
  • Clear and succinct written and oral communication skills.
  • Seeks, listens to, and comprehends others’ opinions and positions.
  • Ability to interact with multiple personalities and multiple functional areas.
  • Recognizes teammates accomplishments and provides constructive criticism in a positive manner.
  • Ability to engage and motivate customers and prospective customers.
  • Team player with the ability to work towards a common goal – gives more than takes.
  • Trustworthy and respected.
  • Positive can-do attitude.
  • Composed under fast paced pressure situations/relationships.
  • Good public presentation skills.
  • Ability to communicate and coordinate with Sales Support Specialist and extended team
• Technical
  • Proficiency in Microsoft applications for analytical work, communications, and presentations.
    • TEAMS
    • Excel – up to and including pivot tables.
    • PowerPoint – inserting images, charts/graphs, animation.
    • Word – formatting
  • Proficiency in proprietary systems and programs that relate to the sales function.

Preferred Qualifications/Skills

• Business
  • Experience in advising, training, or counseling commercial vegetable growers in a customer focused environment.
  • 3 – 5 years-experience in the seed/agriculture industry.
  • Vegetable, herb, or flower growing/farming experience.

Essential Physical Requirements:

• Ability to travel to all areas and locations of the territory.
• Ability to work varied hours/days as business dictates.

Benefits

• Health Insurance (HMO, PPO, HSA)
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (Medical & Dependent Care)
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan & Profit Sharing
• 401(k)
• Employee Discount
• Maternity/Paternity/Adoption & Foster Care Leave
• Company Paid Life Insurance
• Voluntary Life Insurance
• Voluntary Pet Insurance
• Company Paid Short- & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• Educational Assistance

Johnny’s Selected Seeds is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against otherwise qualified applicants on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, national origin, disability or handicap, or veteran status.

Compensation

this position is: salaried, $50,000 - $75,000

Location

job can be done remotely

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline