Regional Product Innovation Specialist

Who We Are:

AgriVision Equipment Group and PrairieLand Partners (AVE PLP, LLC) is a joint venture between two of the top John Deere Dealerships in the United States. By joining forces, we continue to lead the charge in technology, innovation, and best-in-class service and support for our respective customers.

We credit our success to our knowledgeable, competitive, hardworking, and passionate employees that strive for excellence in everything they do.

With over 100 years of experience in the agricultural industry we have a rich heritage, growth mindset, and entrepreneurial spirit. Today, we are 32 locations strong supporting southwest and southcentral Iowa, northwest Missouri, southeast Nebraska, and central and southeast Kansas.

We are seeking driven, highly motivated, collaborative, and intellectually curious professionals who want to be part of cultivating the highest impact culture in the agriculture equipment industry. Previous experience and knowledge of large ag equipment or commercial/turf equipment is welcomed but not required. There's a lot we can do to train with the right individual who is willing to work hard and make customers our #1 priority.

One Company. Two Brands. One Vision.

General Purpose:  

The Regional Product Innovation Specialist is a highly motivated Precision Ag professional who works alongside our sales team and has direct interaction with results-oriented customers who are looking to current technology, equipment, and resources to improve efficiency, production, and profitability. The person in this role will be extremely adaptable and forward looking and will bring energy internally and externally on all things Precision Ag and will challenge AVE-PLP employees and customers to come along on the technology journey. The Regional Product Innovation Specialist reports to the Regional Sales Manager.

Essential Functions:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Responsible for market saturation of current technology offerings including hardware, software, and tools such as Operations Center.
• Supports the sales team by participating in sales calls by providing expertise in current technology offerings and operations center functionality.
• Partners with location sales team to identify prospective demos of current technology and equipment.
• Supports the New Product Innovation Specialist in test plot preparation, planting, spraying and harvest.
• Continuously develops the technology capabilities of our front-line sales, parts, and service team members through training of products and support tools.
• Executes regional equipment and technology demos of current technology and equipment offerings.
• The regional expert on Performance Upgrade Kits and supports the sales team in customer calls and conversations.
• Leads internal and external training on Precision Ag products, services, and resources.
• Exhibits outstanding communication skills and cooperates with other departments and locations. Promotes teamwork, maintains a positive attitude and supports the concept of one face to our customers.
• Performs other duties as required and necessary to ensure the success of AVE-PLP.

Supervisory Duties:

• None.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to consistently promote, support, work, and act in a manner in supporting AVE-PLP’s DNA.
• Solid communication skills. Can deal with and effectively resolve challenging customer issues.
• Extremely organized, sensitive to deadlines and accessible based on business needs.
• Must be driven to achieve results, highly attentive to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to multitask, manage multiple priorities, meet short/changing deadlines and is energized by a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to thrive under pressure, in a high performance, fast paced environment without compromising quality.
• Can build relationships through phone interaction and/or web-based communications
• Demonstrate analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Education:

• Associate degree, or higher, in an agricultural-related major or equivalent experience.

Experience:

• 2-5 years of experience in an agricultural-related role with activities such as sales, service, training, or other related work. Prior experience with JD technology and support is preferred.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted on a year for year basis.

Additional Requirements/Licenses/Certifications:

• Must have reliable transportation.
• Must have a valid driver’s license.
• Passing a driving record (MVR), criminal history background checks, employment verification, and drug screen will be required prior to the start of employment. Extensive travel will be required during peak seasons.
• Experience operating large agricultural equipment is preferred.

Working Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as required by the work location.
• Occasional exposure to moving mechanical parts; fumes or airborne particles and vibration.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Work may involve long hours and overtime during holidays, weekends, and evenings.  
• Travel to customers, meetings, conferences, and store locations on a regular basis is necessary.
• Work may involve long hours and overtime during holidays, weekends, and evenings.  

Physical Activities:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to stand, sit, walk, walk on unpaved terrain, talk, reach with arms and hands, have good manual dexterity, use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard, handle or feel, hear alarms/telephones/normal speaking voice.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. 
• May involve climbing ladders, stairs, steps, and traversing catwalk grating, pushing, pulling, bending, stooping, and kneeling on a frequent basis and working in confined space and manual dexterity required to complete work tasks through safe and proper operation of power and hand tools, and motor vehicles.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.
• Moving, positioning, and carrying loads of up to 5 pounds upstairs and loading on four-foot-high surfaces frequently. 
• Physically able to conduct inspections and carry equipment used for inspections.
• Moderate physical work involves lifting, pushing, or pulling of objects up to 25 pounds frequently and 75 pounds occasionally.

AgriVision Equipment Group and PrairieLand Partners (AVE-PLP, LLC) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any person in any condition of employment based on race, color, creed, national origin, age, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, or veteran status.