The Sales Specialist represents Purina Animal Nutrition products to dealers, co-ops and direct to producers within an assigned market or territory. Territory focus will be SC and GA primarily covering horse, cattle, family flock, and exotic markets.  This role is responsible for managing dealer and co-op relationships, driving growth of Purina products at the dealer level and at the farm gate, and expanding distribution within the assigned market. The Sales Specialist builds upon existing relationships while proactively identifying and pursuing new sales opportunities.

This role will partner with customers in South Carolina and Georgia. Candidates must live in the territory.

Key Responsibilities

Sales & Market Development

·       Build and grow strong relationships with assigned dealers and co-ops to promote Purina Animal Nutrition products within the market.

·       Gain a solid understanding of customer and market needs and communicate how the Purina Animal Nutrition product portfolio addresses those needs.

·       Identify and pursue new business opportunities with new prospects through proactive relationship management within the assigned territory.

·       Manage a range of sales calls, from routine follow-ups to moderately complex sales situations, with moderate supervision.

·       Qualify, pursue, and close new opportunities independently as required.

Account & Territory Management

·       Establish and maintain strong relationships with a defined set of accounts or territories.

·       Understand and help manage current inventory levels at dealers and co-ops, providing accurate product availability updates.

·       Serve as an “account quarterback” at designated accounts when multiple Purina Animal Nutrition staff are involved, as applicable.

·       Address customer needs, recommend solutions, and ensure customer satisfaction.

Tools, Systems & Data

·       Use CRM systems such as Salesforce to manage customer interactions, track sales activities, and maintain accurate records.

·       Utilize reporting and analytics tools such as Power BI to support sales activities and identify opportunities for improvement.

·       Analyze sales data and customer information to inform decisions and recommendations.

Business Acumen

·       Demonstrate general business skills and understanding of Purina Animal Nutrition products and services.

·       Apply basic financial literacy including revenue, costs, pricing, profit and loss, and ROI.

·       Use company-provided tools and technology to obtain relevant insights.

·       Demonstrate understanding of Purina Animal Nutrition’s mission, values, goals, and objectives.

Collaboration & Teamwork

·       Work closely with internal teams such as sales, marketing, and customer operations to align strategies and achieve results.

·       Participate in team meetings, sharing 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.

Learning & Development

·       Demonstrate willingness to continuously learn and adapt to new sales techniques, tools, and industry trends.

·       Participate in training sessions and workshops to enhance sales skills and product knowledge.

·       Incorporate feedback from managers and peers to improve performance.

·       Seek mentorship from senior team members to support professional growth.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

·       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%.

Education & Experience

·       Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science or a related field.

·       Typically 3-5 years of relevant sales and/or animal nutrition experience.

Compensation
This is a sales role that is compensated with a target mix of base salary plus commission.
Base salary is dependent upon experience/tenure and generally ranges between: $72,000 - $88,000
Target bonus is: Twenty Thousand
In most cases, candidates offered employment can expect to be hired at a pay rate near the middle of our salary ranges.

About Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Join us and be part of a Fortune 250, farmer- and member-owned cooperative that is reimagining the business of food. We have been named a Top Workplace by Indeed and LinkedIn, and to the TIME 100 Most Influential Companies list.

Benefits for most full-time roles include medical, dental, vision, PTO, life & disability insurance, education assistance, a 401k and a variety of well-being resources. Most part-time employees are eligible for prorated PTO, holiday pay, employee development programs, prorated education assistance, and a 401(k).

Land O'Lakes, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) M/F/Vets/Disabled. The company maintains a drug-free workforce, including post-employment substance abuse testing pursuant to a Drug and Alcohol Policy.

Neither Land O’Lakes, nor its search firms, will ever contact you and ask for confidential information over the phone or in email. If you receive a call or email like this, please do not provide the information being requested. 

Land O'Lakes does not use Automated Decision-Making Technology, as defined by California law, to substantially replace human decision-making or make significant decisions about applications for employment or contracting opportunities.