Grain Specialist - Elgin, NE

Central Valley Ag Cooperative•Elgin, NE

About The Position

The Grain Specialist originates grain for Central Valley Ag’s overall position profitably through direct producer contact and manages sales activities from lead generation through close within an assigned territory. The role works with sales and support teams to promote customer satisfaction, revenue generation, and long-term account goals in alignment with CVA’s brand, vision, and values. The position develops producer relationships, identifies customer needs through on-farm sales calls, and explains CVA risk-management tools and whole-farm solutions. It follows the cooperative’s grain marketing policies and stays current on market trends, credit policy, competitor practices, and customer behavior. The specialist maintains sales and prospecting records in CVA’s CRM, prepares an annual business plan and strategic customer list with the sales manager, and coordinates with colleagues to support cross-selling. The role has no supervisory responsibilities and may include other duties as assigned.

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 analyses to answer 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 safety and promoting a work environment that is safe for everyone.
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 profitably in accordance with Central Valley Ag’s overall position, using merchandising principles and risk-management tools.
Build a customer base of strategic customers and prospects through direct personal contact and support 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 that can help mitigate operational risk.
Follow the cooperative’s grain marketing policies, including policies for bids, margins, owned inventory or open grain positions, price-later contracts, sales and hedging contracts, deferred-payment contracts, grain-bank policy and rates, and 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 focus on meeting or exceeding 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 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.