Executive Director, Crop Protection & Seed Sales - GROWMARK, Inc. - Bloomington, IL

SALARY RANGE: $160,350.00 - $232,500.00

GROWMARK is an agricultural cooperative serving almost 400,000 customers across North America, providing agronomy, energy, facility engineering and construction, and logistics products and services, as well as grain marketing and risk management services. Headquartered in Bloomington, Illinois, GROWMARK owns the FS trademark, which is used by its member cooperatives. GROWMARK also owns and operates SEEDWAY, the largest full-line seed company in the United States. More information is available at growmark.com.

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY STATEMENT

Responsible for the operation and performance of the sales function of the Crop Protection and Seed Divisions across the GROWMARK System. Leads the Crop Protection and Seed sales organization including sales process, tools, training, and incentives to grow seed and crop protection share and net new acres, and deliver profitable growth for GROWMARK and its member companies.

SUPERVISION AND LEADERSHIP

Supervises, leads, and develops the Agronomy Sales and Marketing Directors. Provides functional leadership to FS member company sales leaders and crop specialists, and leads cross-functional initiatives across sales, portfolio marketing, agronomy services, customer care, operations, and technology.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Accountable for seed, seed treatment, and crop protection sales, net new acre, and share targets for the System, and contributes to Seed and Crop Protection divisional income targets.

Develops and implements the System Crop Protection and Seed sales strategy and annual sales plans for all member companies and target markets, aligned with the Seed and Crop Protection strategic plans.

Defines the GROWMARK Crop Protection and Seed sales process and Customer Relationship Management approach, drives CRM adoption, and directs the sales tools, technology, dashboards, and KPIs that support consistent field execution and accountability.

Owns the System approach to account targeting, grower business planning, pipeline management, and customer segmentation, enabling field teams to deliver data-driven, acre-level recommendations and economic value propositions.

Sets acre ownership and account management standards across the System and directs crop specialist and salesperson training at all member companies, including onboarding, consultative selling, product positioning, and the Certified Crop Specialist designation, in coordination with Agronomy Services and Field Training.

Develops and administers sales incentive programs and oversees the application of business builder and market impact funds to align field behavior with strategic priorities.

Partners with the Executive Directors of Seed and Crop Protection Portfolio on grower programs, pricing, product positioning, and new product launch so that portfolio strategy is executed consistently in the field, and integrates seed, crop protection, and agronomic solutions into cohesive, System-based customer offerings.

Drives adoption of myFS Agronomy and related digital agronomy tools as the data foundation for the agronomy sales model.

Leads member company alignment on sales strategy through direct relationships with FS CEO/GMs and agronomy sales and procurement leaders and collaborates with Member Resources to improve earned business among all GROWMARK members.

Develops annual sales forecasts, budgets, and growth targets, monitors financial performance of sales activities, and reports regularly to the VP, Crop Protection and Seed on sales performance, acre and share progress, market opportunities, and financial results.

OTHER JOB FUNCTIONS

Oversees identification and development of new customer segments and high-potential markets at the retail and end-user levels and drives customer acquisition and retention strategies.

Coordinates with Customer Care to ensure a unified approach between field staff and customer service representatives across the full sales cycle.

Builds relationships with manufacturer and supplier field representatives that reflect System portfolio strategy, and represents GROWMARK at key industry events.

Analyzes sales performance, market trends, and customer insights to identify gaps, improve execution, and inform continuous improvement.

Encourages and supports the adoption of innovative practices and technologies within the sales organization, and fosters a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Responsible for encouraging, supporting, and promoting innovative practices, ideas, and technologies within the team.

Follows GROWMARK's Code of Conduct and Corporate Compliance Program, Environmental Health and Safety, OSHA and DOT policies and procedures, as they apply.

Performs all other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS

Normally requires a college degree in agronomy, ag economics, ag business, marketing, or a related field, or the equivalent thereof, and nine years or more of related experience demonstrating agronomy sales leadership, including sales operations or sales enablement.

Demonstrates essential abilities including business knowledge, collaboration, communication, customer focus, decision making and skill development.

Understanding and experience with agronomy-related areas including crop protection and seed products, price strategy, grower programs, distribution, risk management, negotiation, and compliance.

Demonstrated experience building and leading a sales organization, including sales process design, CRM implementation, incentive design, and salesperson development.

Working knowledge of digital agronomy platforms and their application to agronomy sales; experience with CRM systems such as Salesforce or equivalent platforms.

Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence without direct authority.

Proven leadership skills including staffing, coaching, performance evaluation, and the ability to achieve results through others, including leaders who do not report directly to the position.

Proven communication, interpersonal, and persuasion skills, and the ability to work independently and in a team-oriented environment.

Demonstrated planning, organization, problem-solving, and project management skills.

Must have and maintain a valid driver's license and satisfactory driving record, a valid passport, and the ability to travel independently and overnight as needed.

Ability and willingness to participate in required training that may include education on GROWMARK's policies and procedures and additional training as it relates to the requirements of the position.

At GROWMARK, we are dedicated to supporting the long-term financial well-being of our employees through a fully funded pension, a cornerstone benefit that ensures security for the future. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, along with a variety of supplemental plans like accident, critical illness, disability, hospital indemnity, and identity theft protection. To promote a healthy work-life balance, employees enjoy generous paid time off (PTO), paid holidays, and parental leave, giving you time to recharge and focus on what matters most. Additionally, our 401(k) plan with company matching helps you plan for retirement, while our free Employee Assistance Program (EAP) supports your overall well-being. Whether you're starting your career, balancing family life, or planning for retirement, our company is committed to providing employees with a comprehensive and competitive Total Rewards package that meets your needs at every stage. Benefits eligibility may vary depending on the position.

Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, location, and other factors permitted by law. In addition to base pay, certain roles may be eligible for bonuses, incentives, and commissions.

We are an equal opportunity/Disabled/Protected Veteran Employer. All individuals, regardless of demographic or other background, are encouraged to apply. Further, as a federal, state, and local contractor, we comply with government regulations and executive orders as applicable, including affirmative action responsibilities for qualified individuals with disability and protected veterans.

Employment is contingent on, among other things, receipt of an acceptable and job-related background check, drug test, motor vehicle report, and/or reference check, as applicable and permissible by law.