Grain Specialist - Royal, NE

Central Valley Ag Cooperative•Orchard, NE

About The Position

As a Grain Specialist, you will originate grain for Central Valley Ag’s overall position profitably through direct producer contact. You will manage sales activities from lead generation through close in an assigned territory, working with sales and support teams to achieve customer satisfaction, generate revenue, and meet long-term account goals in line with CVA’s brand, vision, and values. The role involves building customer relationships, identifying producer needs, offering whole-farm solutions, and educating producers about CVA risk-management tools. You will follow the cooperative’s grain marketing policy and maintain current knowledge of market trends, credit policy, competitor practices, and customer behavior. The position also requires accurate CRM records, annual business planning with the sales manager, effective cross-selling coordination, and representing CVA through customer focus, collaboration, integrity, and effective communication. Other duties may be assigned. The role has no supervisory responsibilities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Agriculture, Agribusiness, or a related field.
Have or be able to obtain a Series 3 license.
Proven background in profitably purchasing grain from farmers and commercial elevators for ethanol production.
Clear understanding of grain marketing, including hedging, basis analysis, and flat pricing grain.
Understanding of grain accounting and contract recordkeeping.
Leadership skills and high integrity.
Solid business profit-management experience.
Ability to research and prepare analysis to respond to internal and external inquiries in a timely, professional, and thorough manner.
Proficiency in Excel and ability to learn AgriCharts.
Proven results and sustained growth in sales and market share.
Ability to communicate professionally and establish effective working relationships with internal operations and external customers.
Commitment to making safety a priority and promoting a safe work environment.
Strong listening and interpersonal skills.
Ability to plan, prioritize, organize, and manage resources to accomplish goals within defined timelines.
Ability to work well with others toward a common goal.
Strong computer application skills, including Microsoft products.

Responsibilities

Originate grain in accordance with Central Valley Ag’s overall position, using merchandising principles and risk-management tools.
Develop a customer base of strategic customers and prospects through direct personal contact in an assigned territory.
Conduct on-farm sales calls to identify customer needs and offer whole-farm solutions from Central Valley Ag.
Educate producers about CVA risk-management tools and how they can mitigate operational risk.
Follow the cooperative’s grain marketing policy, including policies for bids, margins, owned inventory or open grain position, price-later contracts, sales and hedging contract limits, deferred-payment contracts, grain bank policy and rates, drying rates, and shrink discounts.
Stay informed about market trends, CVA’s credit policy, competitor practices, and customer behavior.
Maintain accurate CRM records of sales and prospecting activities, including sales calls and follow-up activities.
Develop an annual business plan and strategic customer list with the sales manager to meet or exceed sales and profit goals.
Identify customers’ preferred communication methods and use technology to make doing business with Central Valley Ag easier and more effective.
Communicate with Central Valley Ag location managers, operational support staff, and sales professionals in the territory to promote cross-selling.
Represent the Central Valley Ag brand by building trust, valuing others, communicating effectively, driving execution, fostering innovation and problem solving, focusing on customers, collaborating, and demonstrating integrity.
Perform other duties as assigned.