A passion for agriculture, the science and business of it, runs through our company's veins. We are inherently grower focused and in tune with the market. Keeping our boots muddy and understanding our customers' needs is at the core of all that we do. Our growth has stemmed from staying true to authentic relationships, from farmers to customers to our partners. We are not interested in being the largest, but we leverage our stability and flexibility to focus on building a stronger portfolio that penetrates deeper into our markets because we can deliver certain essentials our grower’s need. We strive to understand the challenges of individual markets, then use our tenacity and connections to find quick, efficient solutions for our customers. Our employees are proud to be a part of this family-owned company, working together towards a common goal and having fun along the way.
Location: Southern Alberta and southwest Saskatchewan, south of Highway 22X (east of Calgary) to the U.S. border, and east to Highway 4 (Swift Current) in Saskatchewan. The candidate will ideally live within the territory.
Job Status:
- Full-Time Contract (12 months)
- Salaried - exempt
- Reports to: South Prairies Sales Manager
Role Responsibilities:
- Reporting to the South Prairies Sales Manager, the candidate will ultimately be the face and reputation of Gowan Canada in Southern Alberta/Southwest Saskatchewan.
- Work closely with Sales Representatives to identify large growers and collaborate on knowledge and understanding of the respective growers.
- Establishing and maintaining relationships with those who influence the business in this territory will be the primary focus.
- Consistent execution of technical trainings of the Gowan portfolio to growers, agronomists, and centers of influence will be required.
- Meeting sales objectives while supporting the grower strategy.
- Aligning Gowan Canada’s portfolio with current customer needs will be essential.
- Listen deeply and react accordingly to the ever-changing environment we find ourselves.
- Growth in the region will be important, but building and maintaining our presence as an organization deeply committed to the science of agriculture will take precedence.
- Other tasks as assigned.
Education:
- Agriculture related Degree (or combined experience) with 4 months or more of experience in the crop protection industry in Western Canada.
Experience / Skills / Abilities:
- The ideal candidate for this position is passionate about the science of agriculture and driven by a desire to help Gowan’s customers solve serious production issues using Gowan’s full product portfolio.
- Experience and full working knowledge of cereals, oilseeds, and pulses is an asset.
- The candidate must have a thorough understanding of the Canadian crop protection industry.
- The successful candidate must exhibit strong inter-personal and communication skills.
- This position demands strong verbal, written, and presentation skills with experience in translating detailed scientific information into practical decision-ready information for non-technical clients.
- The candidate must be a self-starter able to take initiative and conduct himself or herself in a professional manner with little direct supervision.
- They must also have the willingness and drive to meet with retailers, farmers, and consultants to support the business strategy.
- Gowan is looking for a strong team player that thrives in the role of being a strong technical expert and the lead for customer sales needs in their assigned region.
- A thorough understanding of the southern Alberta and southwest Saskatchewan agricultural marketplace.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills to be utilized with retail partners, growers, industry personnel and internal colleagues.
- Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing in English.
- Experience with all types of communication platforms (Outlook, Teams, Social Media), CRM tools and MS office.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills with experience in translating detailed scientific information into practical decision-ready information for non-technical clients.
- Experience in the Western Canadian crop protection marketplace is required, southern prairies is ideal.
Job Expectations / Working Conditions:
- · Travel throughout the territory is required, 50% to 80% depending on time of year.
- A self-starter, entrepreneurial type, able to take initiative and conduct yourself in a professional manner with little direct supervision.
- A strong team player and thrive in the role of being the lead technical expert supporting the sales needs in your assigned region.
- Valid drivers license.
Skills Required
- Agriculture-related degree or equivalent combined experience
- At least four months of crop protection industry experience in Western Canada
- Thorough understanding of the Canadian crop protection industry
- Experience in the Western Canadian crop protection marketplace
- Strong verbal, written, interpersonal, presentation, and communication skills
- Ability to translate scientific information into practical recommendations for non-technical clients
- Ability to work independently and take initiative with little direct supervision
- Ability to communicate effectively in English, orally and in writing
- Experience with Outlook, Teams, social media, CRM tools, and Microsoft Office
- Valid driver's license
- Working knowledge of cereals, oilseeds, and pulses
- Experience in the Southern Prairies agricultural marketplace
What We Do
Gowan Company is a Yuma, AZ-based, family-owned company that has evolved into a global player in the agricultural input industry. Over 50 years ago, Jon Jessen began his venture working in the fields alongside farmers to help them identify, and solve pest problems that threatened to compromise the health of their crops and their livelihood. Today, the Gowan Group employs over 950 employees globally with entities in 11 countries including France, Italy, Spain, UK, Canada, and Mexico. The company’s products and services include crop protection products (insecticides, fungicides, etc.) as well as seeds and fertilizers. Contract formulation, manufacturing, and warehousing are also included in the comprehensive suite of products and services provided by Gowan. Based on recent sales growth over the past 5 years, Phillips McDougall has cited Gowan Company as one of the fastest growing agrochemical companies in the world. Gowan employees are proud to be a part of this family-owned tribe, working together towards a common goal. Weekly “happy half hour” celebrations on Friday, monthly company luncheons, profit-sharing bonuses, excellent benefits, and many other perks make Gowan a truly great place to work.
