Working at Johnny's Selected Seeds

Johnny's Selected Seeds is a rapidly growing, mail-order and web-based, employee-owned seed company located in rural Central Maine. We operate from a certified-organic research farm in Albion, Maine, as well as from offices in nearby Winslow and Fairfield. We're just across the Kennebec River from the town of Waterville, home of Colby and Thomas Colleges and the Maine International Film Festival. If you're an outdoor enthusiast — fishing, hiking, skiing, boating, biking, and more — you'll love this region: Johnny's is situated about halfway between the coast and the western mountains, and we're just 90 minutes from Moosehead Lake and Maine's unspoiled north woods.

Position Summary

The Sales Manager plays a significant role as a leader focused on customer satisfaction and attaining the long and short-term sales and customer count goals for Johnny’s. The Sales Manager will directly manage a set of Territory Sales Representatives

This position is full-time, exempt, located in Fairfield, Maine.

The ideal candidate would need to be highly motivated sales management professional with proven success in the seed industry or agriculture related field.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute an annual sales strategy that results in company business growth; adapt tactics and strategy to ensure goals are met.
• Develop annual goals for improved KPI/metric results. Deliver ongoing reporting and analyses that tie direct activities to sales, new customer growth, and increased customer retention and satisfaction.
• Prepare an annual budget; determine spending priorities to maximize new customer capture and retention of existing customers; manage monthly expenses, analyzing variances and initiating corrective actions as needed.
• Directly supervise a staff of 10–12 direct employees, and through strong recruiting, training, and coaching improve the productivity and effectiveness of the sales team and their sales efforts.
• Develop and manage industry relationships to effectively promote Johnny's Selected Seeds as the primary seed source to our market.
• Work with the trialing team to evaluate products and provide customer feedback that results in best variety selection suggestions to research.
• Provide collaborative input to internal marketing team members and leverage all marketing initiatives.
• Manage overall trade show schedule that results in improved regional territory sales.
• Make important contributions to assigned company project teams, such as pricing annually and others.
• Generate operational improvements that can be used company-wide.
• Develop monthly and annual area/territory sales forecasts by variety for key accounts.
• Build training plans to help develop job skills for self and sales team.
• Resolve difficult customer situations when issues arise, including following up on collections of accounts as needed.
• Monitor competition to enhance sales effort focus, by gathering current marketplace information on pricing, products, delivery schedules, shipping fees, merchandising, and sales volume.
• Provide overall leadership and direction to sales team; provide coaching and performance feedback; and conduct performance assessments.
• Maintain professional knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, and participating in professional societies.

Education & Experience

• BS/BA in science or horticulture preferred, with experience in advising, training, or counseling commercial vegetable growers in customer-focused environment preferred.
• Preference will be given to sales professionals with 5+ years of relevant sales experience in the seed/agriculture industry.

Qualifications & Skills

• Knowledge in both field growing and greenhouse or hydroponic growing is a plus.
• Sales skills expertise: skilled negotiator, problem-solver, and closer, with the ability to anticipate needs and develop long-term business relationships.
• Deep knowledge of vegetable seed market required.
• Demonstrated ability to grow and manage sales professionals.
• Proficiency with PCs and Microsoft Office products.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Ability to present detailed information about Johnny's products and maintain knowledge of alternative products in the market.
• Proven ability to learn and share difficult technical information.
• Excellent organizational, supervisory, and time management skills.
• Ability to travel to all areas of the assigned territory.
• Track record of meeting or exceeding sales goals.
• Preference will be given to professionals with supervisory or personnel management experience.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to visit farms/customers, with driver's license required.
• Ability to work varied hours/days as business dictates.
• Ability to sit and/or stand at a computer for at least 60% of the work day.
• Ability to work around bees and other insects.

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

To apply

Please click HERE to learn more and to apply online

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.