Feed Sales Specialist

Land O'Lakes•Gainesville, GA

2d•$72,000 - $88,000

About The Position

The Feed Sales Specialist represents Purina Animal Nutrition products to dealers, co-ops, and direct-to-producer customers across an assigned market or territory. The territory is primarily South Carolina and Georgia, with a focus on horse, cattle, family flock, and exotic markets. Candidates must live in the territory. The role manages dealer and co-op relationships, grows Purina product sales through dealer and farm-gate channels, expands distribution, and develops new sales opportunities while building on existing relationships. The specialist develops customer and market knowledge, manages accounts and inventory information, responds to customer needs, and uses sales systems and data to guide decisions. The role collaborates with sales, marketing, customer operations, peers, and managers, and continues to develop product knowledge and sales skills. Overnight travel is approximately 10–20%. Compensation includes a target mix of base salary and commission. The base salary generally ranges from $72,000 to $88,000, depending on experience and tenure, with a target bonus of $20,000. The employer states that candidates are generally hired near the middle of the salary range. Benefits for most full-time roles include medical, dental, and vision coverage; PTO; life and disability insurance; education assistance; a 401(k); and well-being resources.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science or a related field.
Typically 3–5 years of relevant sales and/or animal nutrition experience.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including effective sales presentations.
Ability to analyze sales data and customer information to support decision-making.
Strong organizational and time-management skills to manage multiple accounts and priorities.
Ability to develop plans and goals to accomplish tasks efficiently and effectively.
General management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Solid understanding of animal husbandry, management practices, and nutritional guidelines.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and virtual collaboration tools.
Ability to build and maintain positive relationships with customers and internal stakeholders.
Willingness to travel overnight approximately 10–20%.
Must live in the South Carolina and Georgia territory.

Responsibilities

Build and grow relationships with assigned dealers and co-ops to promote Purina Animal Nutrition products.
Understand customer and market needs and communicate how Purina Animal Nutrition products address them.
Identify and pursue new business opportunities through proactive relationship management in the assigned territory.
Manage sales calls, from routine follow-ups to moderately complex situations, with moderate supervision.
Qualify, pursue, and close new opportunities independently as needed.
Establish and maintain relationships with a defined set of accounts or territories.
Understand and help manage dealer and co-op inventory levels, providing accurate product availability updates.
Serve as the account quarterback at designated accounts when multiple Purina Animal Nutrition staff are involved, as applicable.
Address customer needs, recommend solutions, and ensure customer satisfaction.
Use CRM systems such as Salesforce to manage customer interactions, track sales activity, and maintain accurate records.
Use reporting and analytics tools such as Power BI to support sales activities and identify improvement opportunities.
Analyze sales data and customer information to inform decisions and recommendations.
Apply general business skills and basic financial literacy, including understanding revenue, costs, pricing, profit and loss, and ROI.
Use company-provided tools and technology to obtain relevant insights.
Work with sales, marketing, and customer operations teams to align strategies and achieve results.
Participate in team meetings and share customer insights and progress toward sales goals.
Collaborate with peers and managers for guidance on challenging sales situations.
Share customer feedback and best practices to support continuous improvement.
Participate in training and workshops, incorporate feedback, and seek mentorship to support continued sales and product knowledge development.