Becker Underwood, inventing the future™!

BECKER UNDERWOOD is a global leader in seed enhancements, landscape, horticulture and agriculture. Our products are marketed all over the world in 82 countries. Since our founding in 1982, we have experienced tremendous growth through product development and acquisitions. We currently seek a Strategic Accounts Manager.

This position will ensure the establishment and maintenance of success oriented business relationships with assigned National Accounts. Act as “the” Becker Underwood liaison with the key personnel at each national account’s headquarters to provide excellent customer service, strategic planning, product planning, product demand forecasting and achievement of established business objectives. Additionally, this role is responsible for acting as the liaison between the various functional teams within Becker Underwood (Sales, Marketing, R&D, Operations, Management) and both the headquarters and field managers for the National Accounts to ensure the established annual sales targets are achieved in a profitable manner.

Principal Accountabilities:

Operations

• Establish and nurture successful business relationships with key senior managers and other key managers outside the headquarters of the Strategic Accounts.
• Communicate and implement each Strategic Account “Plan” with the appropriate BU regional sales manager and product manager, and monitor progress throughout the season to ensure success of the plan.
• Establish, implement and direct product training programs with assigned accounts to ensure maximum effectiveness of their sales efforts.
• Develop and maintain detailed knowledge files for each Strategic Account which includes key contacts, marketplace knowledge (the 4 P’s of marketing), competitive activities as well as historical and current BU product sales data by BU sales territories.
• Identify new business and market opportunities, and recommend the development of new products to serve those markets.
• Manage and complete regular demand forecasting with each Strategic Account and regularly communicates that information to the BU inoculants product manager to accurately and timely forecast product needs.
• Work directly with each Strategic Account to assist them with an annual objective to reduce pipeline inventory of BU products.
• As necessary interact with the territory mangers to facilitate dissemination of products and utilization of products offers from the strategic accounts for which they have responsibility.
• Additional accounts may grow to Strategic Account status and be assigned as well as other duties as agreed.
• These duties account for approximately 50% of the overall job responsibilities.

Financial

• In cooperation with the Strategic Accounts Lead, Marketing Lead, Product Manager and the RSM’s, prepare an annual operating sales budget for each of the National Accounts, by region and by Territory Manager.
• Manage the budgeted controllable expenses of the position such as not to exceed the budgeted dollars for each expense account line.
• These duties account for approximately 20% of the overall job responsibilities.

Planning

• Develop an annual Business Plan which includes product and marketing strategies, and sales objectives for each assigned account.
• Participate in the inoculant business unit strategic planning process by attending and actively contributing in periodic strategy and planning meetings.
• Identify, record and report short, medium and long-term trends in the marketplace anticipating their impact on Becker Underwood and the business unit, and make recommendations on how to maximize any opportunities or minimize any negative trends.
• These duties account for approximately 25% of the overall job responsibilities.

Reporting

• Prepare a formal monthly report of pertinent activities for each assigned account.
• Maintain regular (weekly) informal contacts to keep the Strategic Accounts Lead, the BU Regional Sales Managers and the appropriate product manager relevant to the crop and organization for which the position is responsible so as to keep those individuals informed of any current activities, successes and challenges with any National Account. These duties account for approximately 5% of the overall job responsibilities.

Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Agriculture, Agriculture Business, Marketing, or related field. Masters degree and Certified Crop Advisor certification would be a plus. Ten years experience as an outside sales representative with Territory/District management in the agriculture industry. Previous people management experience preferred. Previous experience selling inoculants and/or seed enhancement products preferred. Experience in working with and selling to National type distributor accounts a plus. A qualified candidate must possess excellent computer skills (Microsoft Office Suite and SIEBEL), a positive attitude and unquestionable ethics, strong interpersonal and communication (both written and verbal) skills. An ideal candidate will be adaptable, have good attention to detail and possess the motivation to succeed. This position will require 50 – 75% travel within the United States.

Becker Underwood offers competitive pay and benefits and an opportunity to be part of a growing company. The successful candidate must provide a negative drug screen. Becker Underwood is an equal opportunity employer.

To apply

Please click HERE to apply for this position.