Leadership Development Associate

MKC•Ryan, KS

About The Position

This position develops an employee for a professional-level role in sales, management, or a line function such as staff accounting. The associate directs training toward a company department of interest, including agronomy sales or operations, grain marketing or operations, crop insurance, energy sales or operations, and home-office accounting or administrative functions. The associate attends assigned training classes and rotates through operational and corporate departments to learn the business.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in agronomy or a related agricultural field, or five years of experience in the grain or agronomy business.
Good working knowledge of corn, wheat, beans, milo, and sunflowers.
Good working knowledge of seed, feed, chemical, and fertilizer products.
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
Computer and data-entry skills.
Ability to adapt productively to change and handle other essential tasks as assigned.
Ability to obtain and retain a Class 7B grain fumigation license.
Ability to obtain and retain a Class A CDL with Haz Mat endorsement.
Ability to obtain and retain a Class 1A certificate.
Commitment to exceeding customer expectations at each transaction.
Ability to read, interpret, and apply common scientific, technical, and legal journals.
Ability to respond courteously to inquiries or complaints.
Ability to write and log information, produce reports, and communicate information verbally.
Use required personal protective equipment in relevant areas and when handling chemicals, including eye protection, appropriate chemical-handling PPE, and a hard hat in elevator facilities.

Responsibilities

Train in agronomy operations, including fertilizer and chemical warehouse operations, mixing equipment, inventory, billing, spray rigs, tender trucks, equipment maintenance, and delivery scheduling.
Train in grain handling, including receiving and shipping grain, sampling and grading, maintaining grain quality, blending grain, tracking shipments, providing grain-drying services when available, reporting grain quality and quantities, equipment maintenance, and housekeeping.
Learn to fill and maintain NH3 equipment.
Learn and follow OSHA and state and federal safety regulations, and conduct a monthly safety training class.
Ride with a field marketer to learn how agronomic recommendations are developed for customers.
Ride with grain marketing, crop insurance, and energy specialists to learn their products, contracts, strategies, and marketing approaches.
Learn to supervise full-time and part-time employees, participate in training, advise the location manager on discipline and performance issues, and assist with employee performance appraisals.
Rotate through corporate accounting, information services, inventory, credit, and human resources departments.
Greet and assist customers courteously, answer phones, help load and unload products, resolve customer problems, and report complaints to the location or agronomy operations manager.
Attend product, merchandising, company, and sales training meetings and classes, and develop personal skills and sales ability.
Learn and follow the company credit policy, including communicating credit terms, observing COD requirements, obtaining approval before extending credit, and respecting customer credit limits.
Maintain a positive attitude that supports teamwork and a favorable company image.
Attend all assigned training classes and perform other duties as assigned.